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Not fulfilling your txt message quota? You’re getting screwed.

eezing

eezing

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 29, 2008
377
3
I have an iPhone and currently pay for 1500 txt messages per month at a rate of a cent per message.

The problem is, I send and receive on average 350 txt messages per month. That means I pay roughly 4 cents per message. One could argue that I pay 4x the amount for txt messaging over someone who causes more data congestion by using 1500 txt messages per month. Clearly, something is wrong with this picture.

What are your thoughts?
 
eezing said:
I have an iPhone and currently pay for 1500 txt messages per month at a rate of a cent per message.

The problem is, I send and receive on average 350 txt messages per month. That means I pay roughly 4 cents per message. One could argue that I pay 4x the amount for txt messaging over someone who causes more data congestion by using 1500 txt messages per month. Clearly, something is wrong with this picture.

What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...

I think even the person who sends 1500 txts per month causes no congestions due to how little date a text actually uses (since its limited to so few characters) and we are all getting screwed no matter how many you send
 
I send about 4,000 a month and pay 20 for unlim. So that equals out to about $.005 per text.. I think thats a good deal.
 
Unspoken Demise said:
I have an unlimited texting family plan and couldnt be happier. I dont have to worry about texting overages.
Click to expand...

As I said, I use on average 350 txt messages per month. I would have to increase my txt usage by roughly 450% in order to reach my limit. I'm not worried about overages.
 
I think there was a post/blog/something that speculated the average texter uses maybe 500-700 texts a month. It looked at the fact that AT&T no longer has a plan that adequately meets this need. There are two quota plans now: 200/$5 and 1500/$15.

Personally, I don't use any more than 200, so using CLL2 for those 200 free works out great for me. Heavier texters have to weigh their options a bit more carefully though.
 
In a good month I can get around 11,500 texts or so. Chalk it up to a boring job...well sometimes and having several groups of friends all text grouped together...

10am I send out several mass texts to about 70 people...maybe 45 of them respond and out of the 45, 40 continue conversations. It's like that all day! ;)
 
eezing said:
As I said, I use on average 350 txt messages per month. I would have to increase my txt usage by roughly 450% in order to reach my limit. I'm not worried about overages.
Click to expand...

I was stating my thoughts on my texting plan, and how I dont feel like im being screwed.

My girlfriend and I text over 1500 a month, and since were on a family plan, we share them. 1500 would never be enough for us. So my unlimited plan is perfect, and I dont feel screwed.
 
ChaSSe said:
I send about 4,000 a month and pay 20 for unlim. So that equals out to about $.005 per text.. I think thats a good deal.
Click to expand...

Good for you.

Unspoken Demise said:
I was stating my thoughts on my texting plan, and how I dont feel like im being screwed.

My girlfriend and I text over 1500 a month, and since were on a family plan, we share them. 1500 would never be enough for us. So my unlimited plan is perfect, and I dont feel screwed.
Click to expand...

Yes, If I was able to split the costs with someone else too, then I would have never posted this thread.
 
eezing said:
I have an iPhone and currently pay for 1500 txt messages per month at a rate of a cent per message.

The problem is, I send and receive on average 350 txt messages per month. That means I pay roughly 4 cents per message. One could argue that I pay 4x the amount for txt messaging over someone who causes more data congestion by using 1500 txt messages per month. Clearly, something is wrong with this picture.

What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...

I am not exactly sure what your point is.
The same could be said for data. If you are not maximizing your 5GB of data / month (or whatever AT&T caps the "unlimited" data at) then YOU ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM ???
 
Texting should be included in the $30 data plan. That being said, it would be nice if AT&T had more texting plan options between 200 & 1500, like maybe 500, and 1,000.
 
You know, it would be nice if rollover worked for text messaging as well. There are some months that I only send/receive 40 text messages and some where I get to around 180. But when I get close I have to watch how many I send more closely, it'd be nice to have the peace of mind.
 
if you feel your getting screwed call 611, have them remove your txt plan, block your TXT and get on the of the txt apps from the iphone so you can use it on WI-FI and dont pay...:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:


Seriously $20 per month for unlimited txt ($30 for family plans) is not really all that much...

but if its that important that you had to bring it up... take it off and block the service! problem solved and $15 per month saved!
 
optophobia said:
I am not exactly sure what your point is.
The same could be said for data. If you are not maximizing your 5GB of data / month (or whatever AT&T caps the "unlimited" data at) then YOU ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM ???
Click to expand...

Really, you don't see my point? I understand if you may not agree with me, but please tell me you understand my point.

BigKyle said:
if you feel your getting screwed call 611, have them remove your txt plan, block your TXT and get on the of the txt apps from the iphone so you can use it on WI-FI and dont pay...:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:


Seriously $20 per month for unlimited txt ($30 for family plans) is not really all that much...

but if its that important that you had to bring it up... take it off and block the service! problem solved and $15 per month saved!
Click to expand...

I like txt messaging and need it, but I just don't require 1500 or an unlimited amount.
 
eezing said:
Really, you don't see my point? I understand if you may not agree with me, but please tell me you understand my point.
Click to expand...

i don’t... what you are saying can translate to almost everything in life

i have been paying for car insurance for 10 years... i have yet to get in an accident (knock on wood)... so one might say im not utilizing my car insurance dollars
(a bit of a stretch i know, but... we don’t utilize prob 75% f the stuff we pay for... )

your only talking about $15 a month

you use say 350 so even if you drop down the 200 txt plan its going to save you $10 per month...

whats $10 per month? cut out a cup of coffee and a muffin one morning for breakfast?

there are bigger fish to fry.
 
eezing said:
Yes, If I was able to split the costs with someone else too, then I would have never posted this thread.
Click to expand...

I'm going to go ahead and leave this thread of yours because it just seems like a live journal now. You don't want our thoughts, you want to rant. Blogspot may be a better place for this.
 
BigKyle said:
i don’t... what you are saying can translate to almost everything in life

i have been paying for car insurance for 10 years... i have yet to get in an accident (knock on wood)... so one might say im not utilizing my car insurance dollars
(a bit of a stretch i know, but... we don’t utilize prob 75% f the stuff we pay for... )

your only talking about $15 a month

you use say 350 so even if you drop down the 200 txt plan its going to save you $10 per month...

whats $10 per month? cut out a cup of coffee and a muffin one morning for breakfast?

there are bigger fish to fry.
Click to expand...

"we don’t utilize prob 75% f the stuff we pay for" - and we wonder why were in a deficit.

"whats $10 per month? cut out a cup of coffee and a muffin one morning" - damn, that's an expensive cup of coffee and muffin.

It's not about the money, its the principle. It's like buying 8 hot dogs and a package of 6 or 12 buns... I need exactly 8 buns, no more and no less.
 
There comes to a point where you have to realize that you are the one who is doing the texting. Cell phone providers are just charging for your own wants. Text messaging is not a necessity to having a cell phone. You, the consumer, say it is because you make it so not because the telcos say so.

Moral: If you have a problem with pricing, elect the no pricing method of not texting. Ever hear the phrase "vote with your wallet?"
 
I've gone unlimited and I try to screw them over as much as I can.
I sent roughly 4,000 text messages a month. Use 6 gigs of data


I feel like I have to get my money worth. sign up for those twitter sms feeds. Subscribe to SMS promotions etc etc
 
I went to Wendys and ordered a single for lunch and asked them to hold the onions. I wish they had an option for a cheaper burger without onions. I feel I am paying for onions, but not using them.:D
 
You aren't getting screwed.

Here's the way I look at your situation:

You're paying $15/month for 1500 texts, but only use 350. Like you said, this means you're basically paying $.04 per text.

If you dropped to the $5/month plan for 200 texts and still texted 350 a month you'd pay $30 for the extra 150 texts ($.20 each). This would be a total of $35 a month for the texts.

So you're really saving $20 a month (on average) by only sending 350 texts per month and having the $15 plan. Plus you also don't have to worry about overages since you aren't anywhere near the 1500 text limit.

This is my "glass is half full" rationale. :)
 
schwell said:
I went to Wendys and ordered a single for lunch and asked them to hold the onions. I wish they had an option for a cheaper burger without onions. I feel I am paying for onions, but not using them.:D
Click to expand...

I hate to say it, but that's exactly what's going on in here. Of course, I would eat the onions.
 
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