Charging for texts is outdated and absurd. First, because phones can do actual voice these days, and second because we have the Internet. I refuse to pay for a text plan, and I do almost no texting at all. Its more often trendy than useful or fun.
Without a plan, a minimal text exchange costs $1.20! Thats crazy in the Internet age. Typically a minimal exchange is at least 3 messages: you ask/say something, I reply, and you acknowledge. Each of those 3 gives .40 cents to the carrier (without a plan): the sender pays .20 and the recipient pays .20. That comes to $1.20 to tell me you might be a little late if your hair wont dry. (Or more. And then theres MMS!)
But I still dont want a plan. If I average fewer than 50 texts per month (say, 60 one month, 40 the next) then Im better off with no plan than paying $10. Thats WAY more texts than circumstances (like meetings or loud clubs) demand in a month. Beyond those specific needs, sending a ton of texts is just because you like doing it instead of calling/emailing/whatever. Which is great, but since its optional, I can protest by not paying for it. Ive got better things to do with $120 per year than participate in an outdated fad
And luckily my friends quickly learned to email, call, AIM, Skype, Jabber, Facebook or FaceTime me instead! (Actually, some of them dont have smartphones, and AIM me using SMS... but thats their business! No cost to me. I can even reply.)
