[JinSD]

www.boygeniusreport.com/2008/10/10/verizon-wireless-to-charge-3rd-party-messaging-services-a-fee-for-sending-text-messages-to-vzw-customers

Before you know it banks and other companies will start charging to send us messages we already are paying the carrier too much for. I have to vote with my wallet on this one, VZW will not be seeing any of my money.

This sucks, I was really looking forward to the Storm being my first BB. Guess I will have to wait for the Bold now.

[biclocal]

doesn't that mean it'll charge others to send texts to us (verizon users)?? Let's all just get the storm on vzw!

[biclocal]

Actually, just read the article, not good news...

[phikai]

Both of you FAIL at reading...

The article says COMPANIES will be charged for sending text messages to its companies...like when you get facebook alerts via text or ebay, or whatever else the article mentions those companies pay a fee to send the text messages, now they want to raise the fee.

It's not going on your bill...

[gregerator]

"It's not going on your bill..." yet.

[creeker191]

but how long till the end user ends up getting charged more,bad precedent.

[someone]

You get what you pay for

[Habious]

I read the article and my first thought was "Great, now maybe they'll stop sending me those unsolicited SPAM text messages".

[phikai]

I read the article and my first thought was "Great, now maybe they'll stop sending me those unsolicited SPAM text messages".

haha, so true...I'm not sure what the first to guys read...

[briankeith513]

This article says it will charge "3rd-party-messaging-services" not customers.

[stratman103]

I read the article and my first thought was "Great, now maybe they'll stop sending me those unsolicited SPAM text messages".

That's exactly what I thought. This is a good thing

[money69]

If any of you guys who think companies like Google and anyone else who sends messages to Verizon customers is just going to eat the cost you're sorrily mistaking. They will either pass the cost on to you eventually or what they should do is just not make those services to Verizon customers and explain why and urge them to call Verizon.

This is a very bad precedent and not only that but 3c a message is absolutely outrageous!

[Primate#CB]

This is a very bad precedent and not only that but 3c a message is absolutely outrageous!

I disagree. I LOVE this idea. If all cariers did this then there would be little to no spam on phones. It is great to see someone being proactive about stuff like this. That has always been my fear, that the txt messaging will be like email were it gets flooded non stop with all kinds of crap I did not sign up for.

I understand your fear about being charged for txt eventually but it won't happen any more than it already is. If you sign up for unlimited txt then you are good but if you sign up for a small plan and go over then they charge you for the message. This is nothing new so I am not sure why you think this will all the sudden become a huge deal.

[pltaylor]

I doesn't affect you YET. http://forums.crackberry.com/f71/ver...e-elses-81052/

[BerryThumbs]

In the long run it will probably do two things.

1: Reduce spam msgs since companies won't want to throw money away texting people who don't want their stuff.

2: The cost will be passed on to the customers of legit companies like Ebay etc who are signed up to receive text alerts

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[petschska]

Yeah I don't see this being a bad thing really.

Like already said, it will reduce spam.

Txt alerts are kind of luxury in my opinion anyway, plus I don't see people with smartphones needing this anyway. They can just fire up their browser and get all the info they need. I don't see how this will affect Blackberry users much.

[GingerSnapsBack]

I read the article and my first thought was "Great, now maybe they'll stop sending me those unsolicited SPAM text messages".

Wishful thinking. I can't tell you how many places I've unsubscribed only to have more spam texts take the place.

[notabun]

Wishful thinking. I can't tell you how many places I've unsubscribed only to have more spam texts take the place.

Sometimes unsubscribing is the worst you can do because then it confirms to them that it's a valid email address and someone is getting it. I hate junk mail in snail mail too.

[alan8385]

Ever since I got a blackberry about 3 years ago, I never sign up for the text alerts. The email alert is enough! One of the advantages to having a smart phone and another reason this should not affect us much.

[JinSD]

I read the article and my first thought was "Great, now maybe they'll stop sending me those unsolicited SPAM text messages".

According to the article, companies were already paying a fraction of a cent to send messages. I believe this charge was levied in the past to discourage SPAM. Now VZW wants to raise the fee 3 cents more, and we are already paying 20 cents for each message or $20 a month to get those messages.

My bank was willing to eat the fraction of a cent charge before but I doubt they will eat the 3 cent charge. This means that it won't be long before the bank decides it needs to pass these costs on to me. We will end up paying for this in the end.

If you are like me and enjoy getting semi-free texts (we still pay the carrier) with sports updates and transaction notifications, this is definitely not good news.

[teal]

If I understand correctly the proposed policy, it would reduce spam and etc which in my book is good. Hasn't VZW been struggling with this issue? Thats what they told me in June when my new Curve got hammered with over 100 spam text messages as soon as it came off the charger and I complained.

[sarfrazfamily]

I didn't read the replies Im just commenting so if Im out of line correct please.

Anyway, Telus is doing this as well but they said if you HAVE a text package like I have a 250 text plan for 5.00 then it will just come off of my 250 it doesn't actually charge you. for example my dh doesn't have a text plan so when ANYONE friend or not text him we are billed .15 cents per message.

[vndlewis]

I too just have my alerts sent to email. I don't have unlimited texts. I hope this does stop my spam texts. This may be better than being able to block numbers from texts.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[JinSD]

Ever since I got a blackberry about 3 years ago, I never sign up for the text alerts. The email alert is enough! One of the advantages to having a smart phone and another reason this should not affect us much.

I have to admit, this is a pretty convincing argument. Plus, from what I am reading in other posts, people seem to be getting a lot of SPAM which this fee will surely discourage (this is something I thankfully have not experienced). I am still concerned that this fee will affect legitimate texts, but if I switch to a BB, I can switch to email and it is not my problem any more, right?

That's it, label me a flip-flopper ... I am going to VZW for the Storm!

[devman]

Someone explain to me why you couldn't instead just get email alerts sent to <yourphone#>@verizon.net ?