OT: Bell, Telus to charge for INcoming Test Mesages!

[suprgrlx]

On cbc.ca today:

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/07/08/text-messages.html

Bell, Telus customers to pay for incoming text messages

Cellphone users with Bell and Telus are going to have to fork over a little more to receive incoming text messages under new pricing plans slated to roll out in August.

Under the new plans, customers will be charged 15 cents to receive incoming text messages, including uninvited spam messages. Previously, customers without text plans were only charged for outgoing messages.

Customers with a text messaging rate plan or bundle will not be affected by the new charges.

Bell's new pricing plan takes effect on Aug. 8, while Telus will begin charging customers for messages on Aug. 24.

Spokespeople for Bell and Telus were not immediately available for comment.

Kaan Yigit, an analyst with Solutions Research Group, criticized the pricing strategy, suggesting users who rely heavily on text messaging may consider switching to other carriers, including Rogers and Virgin.

"The user has much less control over the messages they receive so it's a terrible customer experience to be charged for such a thing," he said in an e-mail interview.

"A 14-year-old kid gets 30 Happy Birthday messages and gets saddled with the bill, for example."

Customer Debra Messinger, of Halifax, said she plans on switching to another provider once her contract expires.

"Oh baby, when my contract's over, I'll be long gone, for sure," said Messinger.

Tom Kriskie, also of Halifax, said charges for incoming messages were unfair.

"You're at the whim of other people if they send you a message," Kriskie said. "Bam, you're charged …15 cents, and I don't think that's very fair at all."

Steve Yang, an analyst with IDC Canada, said the charge is a method to push consumers to subscribe to a bundling package.

"You can get rid of that 15-cent charge if you had a package," said Yang. "That's probably [what] operators are encouraging you to do."

In the first three months of 2008, Canadians sent 4.1 billion text messages, according the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association. In 2007, Canadians sent more than 10 billion messages.

Any thoughts? Will this make you switch, or just get a bundle?

 

[VMK_MagicalLadee]

Thats.. insane.
I can't control who sends me messages. I also cant know if Bell has got people to send us spam to make themselves more money.

I think I'll just switch to Unlimited.

 

[highland3]

Another scam by the big industrial giant that is Bell!!!

Charging you to send and receive texts... what a joke. Talk about double dipping.

 

[minnie56]

We have unlimited texting w/Bell so no change for us but nothing surprises me anymore.. a nickel here and dime there..and on and on it goes.

 

[suprgrlx]

Thats.. insane.
I can't control who sends me messages. I also cant know if Bell has got people to send us spam to make themselves more money.

I think I'll just switch to Unlimited.

That's what they're speculating that Bell/Telus really wants - to get everyone to pay for unlimited texting.

I was a bit surprised about this move after how annoyed people seemed with Roger's inflated iPhone pricing a couple of weeks ago. So I really didn't expect Bell/Telus to come out and say they were going to start charging for something that you could currently get for free and had no control over anyway.

My Telus contract is up at the end of the month and I had been debating between them and Bell. But maybe it would be better to look into something totally different, like Virgin maybe.

 

[F4disneyfan]

Another scam by the big industrial giant that is Bell!!!

Charging you to send and receive texts... what a joke. Talk about double dipping.

Funny thing is Bell will shortly be owned by the Ontario teachers Union so I can see this as one of their cash grabs mind you it is said that Rogers and Fido are moving to the same system for text messages with texting becoming so prevelent they all want their piece of the pie.

 

[minnie56]

You know--we have the 'Family Plan' with Bell...4 cell phones all this free and that free and yet the bill still manages to push in excess of $250 per month? How is that with all that freeee?????

 

[F4disneyfan]

You know--we have the 'Family Plan' with Bell...4 cell phones all this free and that free and yet the bill still manages to push in excess of $250 per month? How is that with all that freeee?????

Wow my corporate plan makes me happy I get free mobile browser free text messages free call display free call answer call waiting 3 way calling free downloads yada yada yada all for 29 bucks a month including free evenings and weekends starting at 6PM.

 

[CdnDisneyNut]

Might have to look at one of the text bundles

 

[bunnyfoo]

From what I've heard on the news, Bell and Telus say the number of text messages are overloading their systems. Don't voice and text messages all travel on the same network? It seems like the text messages have less data than voice calls. Seems like a big cash grab to me. I hope Rogers doesn't follow suit.

 

[minnie56]

BTW
If you do receive spam text messages, call Bell anyways, they will remove the charges.

 

[declansdad]

I think this only applies to the pay as you go customers.

 

[Mickey1Fan]

declansdad - It is for all customers.

F4disneyfan - Are you a Bell, Bell Mobility or Rogers employee?

The notice was on my June statement. Apparently no one reads the information that the telephone companies provide us!

 

[F4disneyfan]

declansdad - It is for all customers.

F4disneyfan - Are you a Bell, Bell Mobility or Rogers employee?

The notice was on my June statement. Apparently no one reads the information that the telephone companies provide us!

None of the above but in my line of work I talk to many higher ups from both companies and I was talking to the marketing director for rogers last night and he was telling me that Rogers and Fido are set to follow along come Sept sometime. They see this as a way to earn some extra money from their customers either by the number of texts or by a texting plan.

 

[declansdad]

declansdad - It is for all customers.

This is what is being reported on CTV.ca as well as what I heard on the CBC news last night.

The move will affect pay-per-use wireless customers who had previously only been charged for each message they sent.

 

[MaryannF]

Wow my corporate plan makes me happy I get free mobile browser free text messages free call display free call answer call waiting 3 way calling free downloads yada yada yada all for 29 bucks a month including free evenings and weekends starting at 6PM.

My DD and I both have corporate plans that sound exactly like yours. My daughter got her letter from Bell 2 weeks ago and I got my last week. My contract with Bell was just renewed in May! Now, no more free text messages. How is it that Bell can change the terms of a contract on a whim, yet if the consumer wants to make changes or leave altogether, they pay dearly?

 

[minnie56]

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080708/text_charges_080708/20080708?hub=Canada

 

[F4disneyfan]

My DD and I both have corporate plans that sound exactly like yours. My daughter got her letter from Bell 2 weeks ago and I got my last week. My contract with Bell was just renewed in May! Now, no more free text messages. How is it that Bell can change the terms of a contract on a whim, yet if the consumer wants to make changes or leave altogether, they pay dearly?

I had nothing in my recent bill from Bell so I called and no I am not going to be charged for incoming text messages not that it really matters as I think I get one text a month if that.

 

[minnie56]

Bell keeping calling us...we are 4 as mentioned on a plan and all have expired contracts except for one DD who will expire in Sept. They remind us that we are all entitled to new phones yada yada and I say thank you-I know but we're good for now. We're good till the last one expires then we get into some negotiating if they want us to stay! I called awhile back questioning something on my bill and approx 10 days later I received a letter offering all kinds of goodies if I re-commit. I tore it up...all together I hope we have more weight!

 

[suprgrlx]

This is what is being reported on CTV.ca as well as what I heard on the CBC news last night.

According to the CTV article:

The move will affect pay-per-use wireless customers who had previously only been charged for each message they sent.

Now, they will be charged the same amount, 15 cents, for every message they receive.

The change will not affect customers who have text messages bundled into their phone plans.

I think this actually means that it affects the people who "pay per text-message" or "per use of the text messaging system". I think this is why they point out that it won't affect people with bundled text messages, since they don't pay per text message. I don't think it means pre-paid.