Incoming Text Messages Will Cost You Big Time

Craig Huckerby for SooNews.ca
Tuesday, July 8, 2008, 11:45AM

If owning a cellphone isn't expensive enough, users will soon be hit with new fees for all in-coming text messages.

That means if you text message a Sault Ste. Marie councillor on their new blackberries, it's going to cost both you and the councillor.

Bell Mobility and Telus Mobility are both moving ahead with a 15 cent charge for each incoming text message starting August 8.

Up to now, pay per use customers are charged 15 cents for each text message they send, incoming messages were free.

The news isn't being taken lightly by cellphone users claiming they can not control who sends messages to them - including spam.

Text messaging has ballooned in popularity since inter-carrier service came to Canada in 2002, since then the popularity - especially among younger users has increased to 45.4 million per day up from the mere 369,000 when the service was first available in Canada, according to the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association.

Not all telecommunication companies are following suit however, Rogers Communications says it has no plans to charge for incoming messages. However those who think moving to Rogers from Bell and Telus will also have to pay - to break the contracts with those companies.

Canadians already pay more than Europeans and Americans for cellphone services. Industry Minister Jim Prentice acknowledged this fact in the spring when he opened Canada's wireless spectrum auction.

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