Text Messaging (rant)

**Karding** · June 23rd, 2005 07:49 AM

I have been a customer of Cingular Wireless for 4 years. I opt to use their service since they offer a FREE text messaging feature and unlimited mobile to mobile. Well, that was back then.

A month ago, I downgraded my mom's text feature from 500 text messages to 200 text messages. She only uses at least 180 text messages in a month.

I got my bill later and I incurred extra charges. I looked at my bill and they charged my mom's cell 0.20cents per international text message! :swear: I talked to the CS and complained.

Karding: I want to pay my bill but I have a quick question before I do that
Cingular CS: Sure, what is it sir?
Karding: Why and when did you started charging your customer 0.20 cents per int'l text message? I was never told about this, I didnt sign any contract about the extra charges.
CCS: Sir, as far as I know we have been charging int'l text messages ever since.
Karding: You..have..got...to...be...kidding...me. I have been a customer for almost 5 years and I was never charged!
CCS: You were never charged?
Karding: Never. You guys started charging me when I downgraded my mom's cellphone from 500 text to 200 text. And you know that I just extended my contract with you for another 2 years. This is why you do this, I'm stucked!

Then a silence...

CCS: Well, the only thing I can do for you is give you back the extra charges as a courtesy. But be advised that this courtesy is only one time.
Karding: Okay, you do that. I guess I dont have a choice but to cancel one of my phones under my account.

Found somewhere on the web that AT&T, T-Mobile, and Cingular started charging their customers last August 31, 2004.

And a possible solution:

Okay, alot of points brought up. First thing - the charge is .15 to send the intl sms but to recieve it comes out of your bucket of messages. IF you subscribe to a bundle of sms then its free for that number of messages, IF you do not subscribe then its .05 per messages like domestic. There is a nice way around the intl charge. Send it to the email address of your friends phone - for instance your T-Mobile address is yournumber*tmomail.net. If you send a message to an email address it is not billed intl sms charges and once you initiate the conversation you merely have to hit "reply" to volley messages back and forth.

Regarding the inquiring on "bypassing" the charge by using GPRS, it won't work. Even if you select GPRS as the bearer it still gets routed to the SMSC, simply via GPRS. I hope the number*provider.xxx solution works for all of you. Keep us updated!

Regards