The truth behind the cost of text messaging

[suzy]

What are you currently paying for your text messaging? Is it 20 or 25 ps or are you one of the millions of users who buy a text messaging package with your phone every month?

Regardless what you pay, you're over paying. Not that this comes as a surprise to many but the New York Times has divulged in great detail how bad your actually being ripped off.

Wireless carriers have a "control channel" for sending text messages, This channel is used for that task, in fact every time your cell phone communicates with the tower it uses the "control channel" regardless if you text or not. Simply, the text message is small enough that it piggy backs in the control channel if needed; there is no impact on the tower because of the message; but text messages are not just tiny; they are also free riders, tucked into what's called a control channel, space reserved for operation of the wireless network."

The reasoning of the limit length of 160 characters has nothing to do with the handset or networks capability. It revolves around the control channels extra space to allow for a text message to piggy back its way to the tower. In fact, it doesn't cost the carrier much more to send 100 million text messages versus the cost of sending 1 million text messages. Plain and simple, you're being ripped off and the carriers don't care.


Source: http://www.neowin.net/news/main/08/1...text-messaging

[mrintech]

So is there any effect on Indian Networks? I want free SMSs

[freshseasons]

And to think that the Companies actually sell bulk Sms services at cost.
However SMS is where the Service Provider actually earn.So def this is not coming down anytime soon.

[mrintech]

Send this to TRAI

[victor_rambo]

As if erecting towers comes at zero cost ot dirt-cheap. Also, most of the times we pay for the premium rather than the technicalities behind it.

[pr.itdude]

Originally Posted by mrintech

Send this to TRAI

what do u think TRAI dont know this......!!
Buddy they know all these.....!!
but they cant do anything.....!!

[x3060]

well thats how somethings are...you pay more first time, when competition and awareness rises, prices will fall.

[infra_red_dude]

Guys.. be happy.. here in the US you pay even for receiving an SMS.. Beat that!!! (Apart from paying for incoming calls on weekdays!)

[mrintech]

^^Strange. US mein sab cheez ka paisa lagta hai kya?

[MetalheadGautham]

Originally Posted by infra_red_dude

Guys.. be happy.. here in the US you pay even for receiving an SMS.. Beat that!!! (Apart from paying for incoming calls on weekdays!)

WHAT!

[infra_red_dude]

^^^ Yeah... cellphone services (calls/sms whatever) is cheapest in India. In the US its shamelessly high.. I pay 20 cents for each incoming and outgoing SMS.. believe it or not!

[Pat]

Originally Posted by infra_red_dude

^^^ Yeah... cellphone services (calls/sms whatever) is cheapest in India. In the US its shamelessly high.. I pay 20 cents for each incoming and outgoing SMS.. believe it or not!

Well, if you do a Dollar to Rupee conversion, ofcourse you will find it high. But you need to look at it from a broader perspective. People over there also earn a lot more than us. It may still be more expensive than India, but the difference is not as much as you first think it is.

[Vishal Patil]

stupid US operators.. They can reduce sms charge to even 10ps/sms, that not a bad deal..

[Ramakrishnan]

see this excert from a news.

"A consumer commission imposed a fine of Rs 1 crore on Airtel and Star Plus over alleged unfair trade practices practiced during ‘Kon Banega Crorepati’ shows. The alleged misconduct was for the ‘Har Seat Hot Seat’ contest which according to the commission violated the consumer protection Act.

“Star Plus and the Bharti Airtel Ltd are directed to pay jointly damages of Rs.10 million. They are hereby directed to deposit the said sum of Rs.10 million with the registrar of this commission, who in turn, shall deposit the same to the credit of the Consumer Welfare Fund,” said Justice Shah.

According to the commission Airtel netted huge amounts since the SMS was charged Rs 2.4 to the number against normal charging of Re.1. Airtel had reportedly received about 5.8 million SMSs."

[IronManForever]

What's new in it? I knew that. You think the towers are there for free, and no electricity is used? A lotta power is required. Also, how will the operators earn without charging us?

[infra_red_dude]

Originally Posted by Pat

Well, if you do a Dollar to Rupee conversion, ofcourse you will find it high. But you need to look at it from a broader perspective. People over there also earn a lot more than us. It may still be more expensive than India, but the difference is not as much as you first think it is.

Isn't like what you think. If you "text" (the synonym for SMS) here, then its a big deal! People act as if they've done heroic act (just exaggerating but its still a big deal, sending SMS is not common here).

Just that the people in this thread were whining about SMS and stuff made me point that that we pay even for receiving an SMS here.

Regarding being expensive.. well it sure is, even the Americans feel so.

[mrintech]

Ye bahut tension rehti hogi ki kahi message na aa jaye... Hey Bhagwaan please message mat bhijwana... Give me your Cell Number I will sms you via jaxtr for free Please Give

[confused]

Originally Posted by infra_red_dude

^^^ Yeah... cellphone services (calls/sms whatever) is cheapest in India. In the US its shamelessly high.. I pay 20 cents for each incoming and outgoing SMS.. believe it or not!

when u consider PPP, it comes out that on a avg, stuff is 4 times costlier in USA than India. hence in reality $1 = Rs.12.5/-
so ur paying Rs 2.5/- (in indian equivalent) for every message.... not too bad except that they charge for incoming!!!

PS:atleast computer hardware is dirt cheap over there!!!

[infra_red_dude]

Originally Posted by mrintech

Ye bahut tension rehti hogi ki kahi message na aa jaye... Hey Bhagwaan please message mat bhijwana... Give me your Cell Number I will sms you via jaxtr for free Please Give

Exactly dude! But a good thing is that you can block incoming SMS.

Originally Posted by confused

when u consider PPP, it comes out that on a avg, stuff is 4 times costlier in USA than India. hence in reality $1 = Rs.12.5/-
so ur paying Rs 2.5/- (in indian equivalent) for every message.... not too bad except that they charge for incoming!!!

Hmm.. I wudn't fully agree to the factual part but surely agree with the conceptual part. There still is much value for $1. You can get quite some stuff which you will probably not get in India for its equivalent.

Originally Posted by confused

PS:atleast computer hardware is dirt cheap over there!!!

No comments

[amitava82]

Originally Posted by infra_red_dude

Isn't like what you think. If you "text" (the synonym for SMS) here, then its a big deal! People act as if they've done heroic act (just exaggerating but its still a big deal, sending SMS is not common here).

Not true. Most teens n college students are text addicts like in India. And most of them get unlimited txt package for as low as $10. Definitely you pay more probably you are using some prepaid connection. I pay $25 for unlimited 3G and 400 text. Definitely cheaper than India in terms of PPP (as well as direct conversion too).

[infra_red_dude]

^^^ Now that is news to me! Yep, I'm on pre-paid. Gotta check out the post paid offers. Unlimited text for $10??!!

[iNFiNiTE]

Originally Posted by mrintech

Ye bahut tension rehti hogi ki kahi message na aa jaye... Hey Bhagwaan please message mat bhijwana... Give me your Cell Number I will sms you via jaxtr for free Please Give

Compare this to those vodafone ads which advertise numbers as 'Call me' for 10p for each incoming call.

[MetalheadGautham]

Originally Posted by amitava82

Not true. Most teens n college students are text addicts like in India. And most of them get unlimited txt package for as low as $10. Definitely you pay more probably you are using some prepaid connection. I pay $25 for unlimited 3G and 400 text. Definitely cheaper than India in terms of PPP (as well as direct conversion too).

Kahani mein Twist ?

@Amitava: here, you get 3000 text for Rs. 30/-, roughly 60cents.
But yeah, 3G is different.

[IronManForever]

Originally Posted by infra_red_dude

^^^ Now that is news to me! Yep, I'm on pre-paid. Gotta check out the post paid offers. Unlimited text for $10??!!

Sounds like you are single!

[mrintech]

Check out: http://mrintech.com/send-free-sms-wo...e-and-in-india and do messaging like hell

[naveen_reloaded]

i am paying daily rental of 1 ruppe to get sms for 5 paise... how ridiculous...

this wht people call as DAY ROBBERY....

and how u beat or get back the money ??

use free gprs through some trick.. and let them eat S###T )

[MetalheadGautham]

I think best thing is to get a Symbian S60 phone, install SymTorrent, get one of those mobile internet browsing CDMA 144kbps internet plans for 120 rupees per month and download the sh!t out of your service provider. Low power consuption by phone helps

[mrintech]

Originally Posted by naveen_reloaded

i am paying daily rental of 1 ruppe to get sms for 5 paise... how ridiculous...

this wht people call as DAY ROBBERY....

and how u beat or get back the money ??

use free gprs through some trick.. and let them eat S###T )

You are from India na? So what sort of plan you are using? Post Paid

Originally Posted by MetalheadGautham

I think best thing is to get a Symbian S60 phone, install SymTorrent, get one of those mobile internet browsing CDMA 144kbps internet plans for 120 rupees per month and download the sh!t out of your service provider. Low power consuption by phone helps

Nice Idea! But sab log to nai khareed sakte hai na dost?

[thewisecrab]

It's unfair to compare our rates to the US.
My cousin there mentions the same as infra_red_dude and amitava82 that call and text rates are really cheap in India as compared to the US (then again, cell phones are cheaper there than in India, so maybe that balances everything to some extent)

[rosemolr]

Originally Posted by mrintech

Send this to TRAI

what do you think..these TRAI people Don't know this ha..They All know this and they are kinda cheating us..