Comments on: You might be paying $1,000 per MB for SMS http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/ Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:45:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 By: links for 2008-03-11 | Jonathan Coffman - Convergence Journalism Specialist and New-Media Evangelist http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-848 links for 2008-03-11 | Jonathan Coffman - Convergence Journalism Specialist and New-Media Evangelist Tue, 11 Mar 2008 20:27:37 +0000 http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-848 [...] You might be paying ,000 per MB for SMS | mobilejones addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jonathancoffman.com%2Fblog%2Fdel.icio.us-saved-links%2Flinks-for-2008-03-11.php'; addthis_title = 'links+for+2008-03-11'; addthis_pub = 'jdcoffman'; [...] […] You might be paying ,000 per MB for SMS | mobilejones addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jonathancoffman.com%2Fblog%2Fdel.icio.us-saved-links%2Flinks-for-2008-03-11.php’; addthis_title = ‘links+for+2008-03-11′; addthis_pub = ‘jdcoffman’; […]

]]> By: On Message by Ben Gross » Blog Archive » Link roundup fro 8/6/07 http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-835 On Message by Ben Gross » Blog Archive » Link roundup fro 8/6/07 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 03:01:01 +0000 http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-835 [...] You might be paying $1,000 per MB for SMS: a piece from Mobile Jones estimating the average price per megabyte of SMS messages from various carriers. While there is some disagreement over the formula in the comments, the consensus is that the prices are actually underestimates. [...] […] You might be paying $1,000 per MB for SMS: a piece from Mobile Jones estimating the average price per megabyte of SMS messages from various carriers. While there is some disagreement over the formula in the comments, the consensus is that the prices are actually underestimates. […]

]]> By: huxley http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-472 huxley Fri, 07 Sep 2007 03:04:07 +0000 http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-472 @Justin, Well, laying fibre and copper isn't free (neither are Cisco routers) ... should we pay 15 cents a KB to access the Internet? BTW, most SMS are routed entirely through the cell networks and PSTN, with only a very small fraction ever hitting a satellite. @Justin,

Well, laying fibre and copper isn’t free (neither are Cisco routers) … should we pay 15 cents a KB to access the Internet?

BTW, most SMS are routed entirely through the cell networks and PSTN, with only a very small fraction ever hitting a satellite.

]]> By: punterjoe http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-445 punterjoe Fri, 24 Aug 2007 12:51:01 +0000 http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-445 SMS is nice as an option. Sometimes it's more expedient and cheaper to send 'leaving now' or something terse than to voicecall. (esp with prepay) It's no bargain, still it can be the best available option. It's eye opening to see the numbers presented this way. Thanks for this post. SMS is nice as an option. Sometimes it’s more expedient and cheaper to send ‘leaving now’ or something terse than to voicecall. (esp with prepay) It’s no bargain, still it can be the best available option. It’s eye opening to see the numbers presented this way. Thanks for this post.

]]> By: Justin http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-441 Justin Wed, 22 Aug 2007 15:10:00 +0000 http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-441 This is wrong, you are actually paying nothing per each MB stored, the cost you pay is for sending the message through the airwaves via satellite, the storage is completely free, considering it costs millions to launch a satellite and control it, what you pay is not much. Not to mention, the size on disk is double that of what it is to type out the message. Try typing a text message into notepad then saving it, not only are you saving the text characters, but you are also saving the formatting which is a hell of a lot more than the message itself. The storage on your phone is free, thats why you can save messages or notes you write for nothing. This is like saying you are paying 30 dollars for 5mb of email space with an ISP, when in reality you are paying for the internet access, the email comes free with it. Also: 'and no wonder that despite the ease of email and that it could easily replace text messages text messages are still around' Email is sent via the internet, it does not cost anything to use the channels avalible, ISPs do not have to pay for satellites. 'I must say, I’ve never seen a charge quite that high - 10p or 12p is the standard charge for text messages over here.' 15 cents is cheaper than 10-12 pence. 'That still means it’s a higher cost than in the US; but it balances because we don’t have any incoming charges.' There are hardly any services in the US that charge for incoming calls. This is wrong, you are actually paying nothing per each MB stored, the cost you pay is for sending the message through the airwaves via satellite, the storage is completely free, considering it costs millions to launch a satellite and control it, what you pay is not much.
Not to mention, the size on disk is double that of what it is to type out the message.
Try typing a text message into notepad then saving it, not only are you saving the text characters, but you are also saving the formatting which is a hell of a lot more than the message itself.
The storage on your phone is free, thats why you can save messages or notes you write for nothing.

This is like saying you are paying 30 dollars for 5mb of email space with an ISP, when in reality you are paying for the internet access, the email comes free with it.

Also:
‘and no wonder that despite the ease of email and that it could easily replace text messages text messages are still around’
Email is sent via the internet, it does not cost anything to use the channels avalible, ISPs do not have to pay for satellites.

‘I must say, I’ve never seen a charge quite that high - 10p or 12p is the standard charge for text messages over here.’
15 cents is cheaper than 10-12 pence.

‘That still means it’s a higher cost than in the US; but it balances because we don’t have any incoming charges.’
There are hardly any services in the US that charge for incoming calls.

]]> By: giada http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-426 giada Fri, 17 Aug 2007 22:39:07 +0000 http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-426 Hi, I would like to know if Sprint or Cingular mobiles have a contract with Tim Mobile (Italy mobile operator).I am not able to text from here(L.A.) to Florence,Italy. I have both Sprints and Cingular cell., and as I know Verizon is not compatible with Tim Mobile. Could you tell me if also Sprint and Cingular have the same Verizon problem about txt? Thank you very much ciao Giada Hi,
I would like to know if Sprint or Cingular mobiles have a contract with Tim Mobile (Italy mobile operator).I am not able to text from here(L.A.) to Florence,Italy. I have both Sprints and Cingular cell., and as I know Verizon is not compatible with Tim Mobile. Could you tell me if also Sprint and Cingular have the same Verizon problem about txt?
Thank you very much
ciao
Giada

]]> By: Elwyn Jenkins http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-425 Elwyn Jenkins Thu, 16 Aug 2007 23:10:59 +0000 http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-425 I was not aware that SMS are actually that costly per MB. However, SMS is a very convenient method of communication and is attractive as a means of keeping contact with lots of people. I wonder if email phone-to-phone is going to be anywhere as popular in the future? Phone companies won't want email to take over from SMS because they make too much from SMS. What ways can we get around phone companies spoiling the email traffic phone-to-phone? I was not aware that SMS are actually that costly per MB. However, SMS is a very convenient method of communication and is attractive as a means of keeping contact with lots of people. I wonder if email phone-to-phone is going to be anywhere as popular in the future? Phone companies won’t want email to take over from SMS because they make too much from SMS. What ways can we get around phone companies spoiling the email traffic phone-to-phone?

]]> By: Joe http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-423 Joe Thu, 16 Aug 2007 21:13:51 +0000 http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-423 SMS would be super useful if the phone companies weren't so damn greedy. 15 cents for a message. No wonder they cripple email, and no wonder that despite the ease of email and that it could easily replace text messages text messages are still around. WTF! SMS would be super useful if the phone companies weren’t so damn greedy. 15 cents for a message. No wonder they cripple email, and no wonder that despite the ease of email and that it could easily replace text messages text messages are still around. WTF!

]]> By: Clark http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-413 Clark Sat, 11 Aug 2007 11:14:29 +0000 http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-413 For comparison, my mobile plan in Taiwan gives me 200 free sms plus 3 cents US per sms afterwards. International is 5 cents. It's possible to have plans that cost less. For comparison, my mobile plan in Taiwan gives me 200 free sms plus 3 cents US per sms afterwards. International is 5 cents. It’s possible to have plans that cost less.

]]> By: Bruce http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-405 Bruce Wed, 08 Aug 2007 23:17:36 +0000 http://mobilejones.com/2007/07/27/you-might-be-paying-1000-per-mb-for-sms/#comment-405 Your math is correct, but inaccurate. While the amount of text sent with an SMS is 140 bytes, there is substantial overhead. (It seems to vary somewhat depending on the specific network technology being used, but the overhead and handshaking can be 10+ times the data contained in the message.) Of course, the basic point remains valid -- wireless carriers are often charging data rates that far exceed the equivalent voice traffic. Your math is correct, but inaccurate. While the amount of text sent with an SMS is 140 bytes, there is substantial overhead. (It seems to vary somewhat depending on the specific network technology being used, but the overhead and handshaking can be 10+ times the data contained in the message.)

Of course, the basic point remains valid — wireless carriers are often charging data rates that far exceed the equivalent voice traffic.

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