Carl Tyler's Blog :: Got my first ATT bill for the Blackberry today.

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Can anybody see in this "unlimited data plan" where it states that to send an International SMS it will cost you $0.25, and to send one with in the US will cost $0.10?

MONTHLY SERVICE CHARGE¹	$49.99
Monthly Service Charge with Calling Plan Discount²	$44.99
Included Megabytes (MB)	Unlimited BlackBerry email and Internet browsing using the BlackBerry browser
Additional Data per Kilobyte (KB)³	No additional per kilobyte data charges
U.S./Canada Roaming Per Kilobyte (KB)	No roaming charges on the AT&T Wireless network
International Roaming Per Kilobyte (KB)	$0.0195

1,024 kilobytes (KB) = 1 megabyte (MB)

¹ Voice service is not included in this pricing.
² Must also sign up for and maintain optional, eligible AT&T Wireless voice calling plan price at $19.99 or above to receive discounted rate.
³ Usage other than BlackBerry email and Internet browsing within the AT&T Wireless domestic GSM/GPRS network is subject to additional changes of $0.0048 per kilobyte. Roaming rates apply on the BlackBerry Access $39.99 plan.

I decided to get to the bottom of this, as I had sent quite a few SMS's to my brother and niece since I got the RIM. After holding for about 25 minutes (the first 10 were spent trying to navigate a voice recognition system just to try and speak to a real person) I got to speak to a very helpful telephone rep. Here's the scoop, the unlimited plan is for unlimited data, AT&T does not consider SMS messages data they are considered voice calls, which if you ask me is just plain crazy, her advice to me was to go back to the woman in the AT&T shop and ask her why she said I could send unlimited SMS messages, when in fact you have to pay for them. So if I want to keep sending SMS messages, I will keep paying for them. Why do telephone companies always manage to do something to piss you off?

Comments

1 - Why do telephone companies always manage to do something to piss you off?

Because they have found a way to make a quick buck? Lots of bucks over a long period of time actually. The SMS business is a gold mine.

Posted by jmichael At 01:49:23 PM On 02/23/2004 | - Website - |

2 - So SMS is voice not data. Thats like saying a newspaper is the same Today on Radio 4 or an email is the same as a telephone call.

Gimps.

Posted by Tony C At 07:03:53 PM On 02/25/2004 | - Website - |

3 - I would definitely challenge it. A promise is a promise, and there are laws against fraud.

Posted by Ben Langhinrichs At 01:55:56 PM On 02/27/2004 | - Website - |

4 - This is from Vodaone UK..

Who gets the better deal?

Mobile Email 200 price plan details
Cost per month ■45
Voice calls on Vodafone UK network 10p/min
Voice calls on other UK mobile networks (daytime) 50p/min
Voice calls on other UK mobile networks (evening & weekend) 30p/min
Voice minutes included 200
Vodafone live! & internet access ■2.35/Mb
Send and receive emails whilst abroad approx ■10.28/Mb
(Currently within Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong
Text messages within UK (per message) 12p