Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Mobile text messages are cool, costly

From: [email-masked]
Date: Sun, 05 Oct 2003 18:13:46 -0400

Posted on Sun, Oct. 05, 2003

Mobile text messages are cool, costly
Under-25s especially have embraced the technology - which
can quickly get users in over their heads.

By Jeff Gelles
Inquirer Columnist

hA, dudz. Mob fone txt msgz R kewl, bt dey cn cost U - o yr kds -
big $'s.

Confused? If you're over 25, it's no wonder. Let me translate: Hey,
dudes. Mobile phone text messages are cool, but they can cost
you - or your kids - big bucks.

In case you haven't noticed, the wireless text messages that have
been the rage for years in Europe and Asia have suddenly taken
America by storm.

By the end of last year, U.S. wireless customers were sending
more than a billion a month. That was four times the volume of a
year earlier and 70 times the volume of December 2000.

Teens and college students have especially embraced a technology
that allows them to swiftly and silently communicate with one
another. All you need to send a text message is a newer cell
phone and a nimble thumb.

Oh, and money. If you're not careful, lots of it.

In Britain two years ago, there were reports of children as young
as 12 racking up text-messaging bills as high as $90 a month.

The same thing seems to be happening here. I heard one story
recently about a parent's unexpected bill for $80 - mostly for
unopened messages sent to her teenager. And there are good
reasons for concern in the way some carriers are pushing text
messaging.

This is really cool stuff, but it isn't just about chatting with your
friends. There's already a vast array of text services available that
can add to your tab - everything from sports updates to New York
City celebrity sightings to soap-opera summaries - and wireless
companies are working overtime to expand the offerings.

The cellular equivalents of Internet e-mail lists and
instant-messaging buddy groups are guaranteed to multiply the
contents of your in-box.

Think of your kid at the computer IM'ing. Now think of your kid
IM'ing with a meter running.

Another lure: wireless personal ads.

"Want to chat with someone who lives near you and shares your
interests?" asks a teaser for a text service offered by Verizon
Wireless. "Someone like: gihiphop, female, 18, New York, likes
music and extreme sports. Let's chat 1-2-1."

Well, I've got something to tell you, one-to-one: It's no wonder
that some teens - and adults - can get into this over their heads.

If you're a messager, messagee, or on the hook for anyone else's
bills, you'd better be aware of the prices. They can vary
considerably from carrier to carrier and plan to plan.

Otherwise, you may face an embarrassing call to your carrier
asking for help coping with an unexpectedly high bill. If you're a
good customer, the carrier may cut you a break. But that's not
something to count on.

What should you watch out for? Here are some points to consider
when you check your wireless plan or shop for new service:

What if you do nothing? If you don't opt for a discount or flat-rate
plan, you'll pay basic rates that range as high as 10 cents per
message, sent or received, at Cingular and Nextel, and as low as 5
cents at T-Mobile or a confusing penny per kilobyte at Sprint PCS
(example: the "Hey dudes" message at the start of this column
would cost about 2 cents with Sprint).

Some companies charge more for sending than receiving: At
Verizon, outgoing messages are 10 cents, incoming are 2 cents. At
AT&T Wireless, outgoing messages are 10 cents, but incoming
ones are free.

The "bucket of messages" option. Most carriers offer discounts if
you expect a steady volume of messages. At Cingular, for instance,
$4.99 gets you 250 messages per month - about 2 cents apiece.

Watch out for wrinkles here, too. Verizon's discount plans, such as
$3.99 for 200 messages (2 cents each), count messages you
receive equally with those you send. If most of your messages are
incoming, it's hardly a discount.

The flat-rate plans. If you just have to have text messaging, and
lots of it, it may be worth paying a higher fee for unlimited use. At
least three carriers offer that option.

At T-Mobile, you can get unlimited messaging as part of a
$10-a-month add-on to any national plan. At Sprint, unlimited
messaging adds $15 a month to most plans, though it's free with
high-end plans. At Nextel, which caters mostly to business users,
unlimited messaging adds $7.50 a month.

Just saying no. If you're concerned about text-messaging's cost -
or about its potential to distract your child from more important
things, such as school - you can ask customer service to disable
the option. It's better than duct-taping your teenager's thumbs.

One more point to remember: If you're considering changing
services to get a better deal for text messaging (or anything else),
you may want to wait till Nov. 24 approaches before signing a new
contract.

That's the wireless industry's deadline for implementing "wireless
number portability" rules, which will allow you to change carriers
without giving up your phone number.

As competition heats up, better offers may be in store. Even for
those with itchy thumbs.
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/business/columnists/jeff_gelles/6933070.htm

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