We certainly hope this isn't just the beginning of
yet another round robin of SMS price hikes, but reportedly, Sprint is aiming to jack up the cost of a casual incoming or outgoing text message (
again) by five whole cents. Yep, that means every single SMS you send or get sent after October 1st while not on some sort of package plan will cost you one-fifth of a dollar, or in other terms, $0.20. Even worse, it appears that Sprint has made absolutely sure that you weasels out there won't be
breaking free of your contract, as it purportedly stated that the increase "is permissible under its terms of service," and that users looking to get out will still be forced to pony up for that early termination fee. Shucks.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Maarten @ Aug 23rd 2007 5:26AM
Is it common practice to pay for receiving text messages in US? In Europe you won't pay for that, even not when in other countries. At the other hand, receiving or making phone calls in Europe when not in your own country costs you at least 1 ($1.35) a minute. Some way or the other, they try to squeeze the money out of you.
derX @ Aug 23rd 2007 5:47AM
Although it is customary to pay for the receipt of any communcation--whether it be a text message or call--it is also customary for the big CDMA carriers to charge you for whatever, whenever they can *cough*VZW*cough*. Although I absolutely hate Sprint's customer service and service, in general, in NYC (although it has surprisingly good coverage in the Subway, beneath ground), I must say that their prices aren't too bad for cell phone service.
Now, data...is actually quite good, too. I was just about to blast Sprint, here, then I compared it to my carrier's, AT&T, and it's $20 cheaper. That's absolute BULL! AT&T's 3G network isn't even fully rolled out!....although, if you persisently need help with something, AT&T won't cancel your contract for calling(at least not in large numbers at a time).
Long story short: Yes, it is customary.
Final Thoughts: Damn, I thought my father could finally be freed, for free!
elgee02 @ Aug 23rd 2007 4:03PM
"it is also customary for the big CDMA carriers to charge you for whatever, whenever they can *cough*VZW*cough*. "
You're full of crap dude. How and why would the technology of the network itself be a factor is what a carrier decides to charge a customer for or not.
And here Sprint is rasing SMS prices and you accuse VZW of being the price bully, ha! VZW does not charge for any more/additional features than any other carrier does not, that is a false misconception you have that is not backed up by anything at all.
MasterCKO @ Aug 23rd 2007 5:07PM
Yeah, dude. Sprint's data plans is where it's at. Fast, lots of coverage and inexpensive. No other carrier matches them, frankly. It's the reason I'm still with them and why I have no intention of switching. They finally got that that's what should be their differentiator, too (hence the new "Sprint Ahead" marketing campaign).
Donald @ Aug 23rd 2007 6:08AM
Error: Blatant cash grab detected.
JohnDoe303 @ Aug 23rd 2007 8:58AM
No problems here with SERO.. 1250 Anytime Minutes, N&W7pm, Unl M2M, Unl Data, Unl TXT, Unl Pic & Vid Mail.. All for 49.99 before discounts and taxes.
xman @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:27PM
what is SERO?
JohnDoe303 @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:32PM
visit http://www.sprint.com/sero enter the e-mail savings@sprintemi.com and you're good to go. These are the best plans available to the public from any provider! Unl Data, and Unl Txt plus everything else I listed above.. 500min @ 30.00, 1250 @ 49.99, and 2500 @ 99.99
enjoy!
derX @ Aug 27th 2007 11:45AM
....I'm no grammarian (I am sure that when you read my posts, you see this) but, when you click that link JohnDoe303 provided, Sprint has a very blatant grammatical error.
Apparently, with SERO, you don't have "access to the nation's largest broadband network," rather, "access to the nations largest broadband network." The apostrophe is there for a reason; Sprint, meet it, like it, date it, take it to a movie, marry it, and live happily ever after with it.
BTW, JohnDoe, thanks A LOT for the link, I know someone interested in Sprint service.
him @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:11AM
All you have to do is call customer service and just have them fire you..
AC @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:12AM
derX comments are right on the money. Sprint Customer (non)Service is the absolute worst. And the phone reception is poor in the northeast - I am in NJ. But the plans and phone prices are great and the data performance is downright zippy. That said you get what you pay for and after seven plus years of getting treated like crap by Sprint I cancelled my phone, paid the ETF and jumped to Verizon. I have a second line with Sprint that will go bye-bye next week. I will never go back to Sprint.
laursifer @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:36AM
They gotta pay for that WiMax somehow.
Jason @ Aug 23rd 2007 9:57AM
Someone must have told Sprint that "You Get What You Pay For" so they assumed that if they raised their prices, their service would get better.
Kyle D @ Aug 23rd 2007 10:31AM
honestly? if you send/recieve over 50 messages a month..why not do unlimited text for 10 bucks? that's what the rates are at right now. Isn't that what this sorta thing is supposed to push you towards?
LJKelley @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:02PM
$.20 for a text message is outrageous. I hate that they charge you to receive in the US, makes me never wanna give out my number at bars just in case some idiot thinks its okay to text me 100 times over the next month... (even though I quit replying after 10)
It costs the network absolutely nothing to send or receive texts but I guess they have to get profits somehow.
laursifer @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:27PM
P.S. In addition to Kyle's comment, it's also worth mentioning that Sprint allows you to create a block list of numbers you don't want to allow texts from. I think you can also call them to disable texts all-together.
Still not quite as nice as not being charged at all for incoming texts. You hear a lot of cases where people have someone's old number and they get all their texts (3rd party crap like Joke-a-Day, Dating Tips, all that junk you see on TV); without an unlimited plan, you're paying for stuff you don't even want and can't cancel since those places make it impossible to do so.
The fact of the matter is you don't have control over who texts you, and it's a little ridiculous to make you pay for that; especially this day & age where, if you sign up for a new number, you're definitely getting someone's old one. I don't get texts from people I don't know, but I get plenty of calls from people who think they're calling some dude named John.
20 cents buys you 160 characters. Use them wisely, kids.
(I can buy a piece of candy for less, with more characters on the wrapper, and it tastes good.)
cashmonee @ Aug 23rd 2007 1:29PM
Unfortunately that block list does not work. I blocked a number and was still receiving texts from that number 2 months after. I called Sprint and they told me there was no way to block SMS messages without blocking all incoming messages, even though another rep told us we could and there is a spot on their website to block individual numbers.
Couple that with an ETF that we got charged even though we never canceled and their refusal to take back a phone within their 30 day return period and that was enough to send me packing after 8 years.
It is true, Sprint is cheap. It is also true that you get what you pay for.
arcos @ Aug 23rd 2007 12:44PM
In Costa Rica I can literally send 70 text messages with that same amount. Sure, overall service is not wonderful here but hey... I pay $0.003 for each SMS (only outgoing).
elgee02 @ Aug 23rd 2007 3:41PM
Oh please oh please oh please oh please VZW don't follow suit please please pretty please!
Jan Brane @ Aug 25th 2007 11:01PM
It's like every quarter, an operator from the U.S. always raise SMS fee.
Here in the Philippines, whether its a GSM, 3G or CDMA carrier, they'll just charge you for only 1 Philippine Peso (S0.02) for every 160 character local SMS you sent and receiving text messages are free.
Robbie @ Aug 28th 2007 3:19AM
i have 5 lines on an unl family text plan for $29.99/month with att. if you guys really text that much, just do the same. yes, it sucks to pay for incoming texts. but theres nothing you can do about it. short of switching to an unlimited flat rate carrier.
Oli Smith @ Oct 5th 2007 5:28PM
MyCellMan.com
Oli Smith @ Oct 5th 2007 5:28PM
http://www.MyCellMan.com