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Can You Block Text Messaging On The iPhone?

M

M0bile

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 9, 2008
224
0
Even though all logical thinking led me to believe, and now know, that the AIM app would be completely data and not count towards text messaging, every single person I spoke with at AT&T this morning scared me into thinking it really did. So I thought, I'll just block text messaging and if it really does count I just won't be able to use it and then I'll figure out what to do from there. Well, the lady who processed me said I couldn't block texts on an iPhone. Is this true? If not, how do I block text messaging?

I'LL SPARE YOU THE READING: YOU CAN BLOCK TEXT MESSAGING. CALL 611.
 
M0bile said:
Even though all logical thinking led me to believe, and now know, that the AIM app would be completely data and not count towards text messaging, every single person I spoke with at AT&T this morning scared me into thinking it really did. So I thought, I'll just block text messaging and if it really does count I just won't be able to use it and then I'll figure out what to do from there. Well, the lady who processed me said I couldn't block texts on an iPhone. Is this true? If not, how do I block text messaging?
Click to expand...

The AIM app is just data and does not go towards your text messaging allowance. And no you can not block texts.
 
2 out of my 4 lines upgraded to an iPhone today. However, I just noticed that the other 2 non iPhones are not sending or recieving any texts after the upgrade. I have to call them about it tomorrow. It is possible, but for me it's an error.
 
appleretailguy said:
Who doesn't text? It's at most $20 a month.
Click to expand...

I don't have $90/month. I'm not saying I don't text, but if I can have people text my email address and I have an AIM app which can do IMs and SMS text messages for free then why pay for it? And at 20 cents/text if you don't have a plan, that's a pretty big ****ing rip off.
 
M0bile said:
I don't have $90/month. I'm not saying I don't text, but if I can have people text my email address and I have an AIM app which can do IMs and SMS text messages for free then why pay for it? And at 20 cents/text if you don't have a plan, that's a pretty big ****ing rip off.
Click to expand...

If it's 20 cents a text, then $20 seems well worth it. Get another job.
 
texting is such a rip off. it costs att about $.001 per text message. so if you have the unlimited plan you have to text 21,000 times for them to lose $.01

i just have the 200 text mesage plan. so 6 a day is fine for me.
 
appleretailguy said:
If it's 20 cents a text, then $20 seems well worth it. Get another job.
Click to expand...

I already have 2 and I go to school full-time. If it's $0 for unlimited IMing+SMS texting and email-texting, then $20 seems not worth it at all. Quit being a jackass.
 
appleretailguy said:
Who doesn't text? It's at most $20 a month.
Click to expand...

On top of the minimum of 70 bucks a month we already have to fork over for this phone. If there was a free option, why not take it?

appleretailguy said:
If it's 20 cents a text, then $20 seems well worth it. Get another job.
Click to expand...

Shut the f@%k up and quit being a douche.
If its nothing per IM, then 20 bucks sounds like bull$h!t.
Get fired.

Oh, and I am 100% sure you can block txts from being sent to your phone, just go into an at&t store and ask about it. If they say you can't, tell them they're stupid, and go ask someone else who works in the store.
 
STYF said:
Do you not get free messages? Or is that just a UK thing?
Click to expand...

It's $5 for 200, $15 for 1500 or $20 for unlimited with AT&T in the US. Without specifying a "plan", it's 20 cents/message.
 
M0bile said:
Even though all logical thinking led me to believe, and now know, that the AIM app would be completely data and not count towards text messaging, every single person I spoke with at AT&T this morning scared me into thinking it really did. So I thought, I'll just block text messaging and if it really does count I just won't be able to use it and then I'll figure out what to do from there. Well, the lady who processed me said I couldn't block texts on an iPhone. Is this true? If not, how do I block text messaging?
Click to expand...
There is another thread about text blocking and acct. management buried in the forums.
I won`t dig for it either, but here is the low down since no one seems to know or wants to give you a straight answer.

Straight from the horses mouth(AT&T); http://tinyurl.com/6yfpv4
IM`ing = Data usage

Limit Phone usage to the nth degree; http://tinyurl.com/589cks
 
Originally Posted by STYF: Do you not get free messages? Or is that just a UK thing?
Click to expand...
M0bile said:
It's $5 for 200, $15 for 1500 or $20 for unlimited with AT&T in the US. Without specifying a "plan", it's 20 cents/message.
Click to expand...
Not only that, but we get charged for both incoming (received) and outgoing (sent) texts. So if I text back and forth with a friend for, say, 15 messages each, that's 30 texts (hers as well as mine) and $6. Very easy to have that happen.

...which I found out when I was in NYC last month.
 
Flhusky said:
There is another thread about text blocking and acct. management buried in the forums.
I won`t dig for it either, but here is the low down since no one seems to know or wants to give you a straight answer.

Straight from the horses mouth(AT&T); http://tinyurl.com/6yfpv4
IM`ing = Data usage

Limit Phone usage to the nth degree; http://tinyurl.com/589cks
Click to expand...

Thank you for the reply. At an additional $4.99/month to cap my texts, I might as well just pay for the 200 until all of my contacts use my new email for texting.
 
Flhusky said:
There is another thread about text blocking and acct. management buried in the forums.
I won`t dig for it either, but here is the low down since no one seems to know or wants to give you a straight answer.

Straight from the horses mouth(AT&T); http://tinyurl.com/6yfpv4
IM`ing = Data usage

Limit Phone usage to the nth degree; http://tinyurl.com/589cks
Click to expand...

Aloha Flhusky,

The only problem with the AT&T Smart Limits option, the second link you provided, is that the monthly charge for that service is $5.00 - the same that AT&T charges for 200 SMS text messages/month. In other words, it would probably make more sense to either put up with the lack of texting with the current data rate, or just pony up the $5.00/month for 200 SMS texts. I mean, why pay the same to block text messages as it costs to receive them?

Charging the same amount for removal of a "service" as the minimum for said "service" is quite common, but sometimes it's a bit more. For example, take the smoking cessation patch. The patch itself is more costly than cigarettes, so really no incentive is provided to quite smoking.

Blocking text messages is not the only "service" that incurs a cost to block. On a land line, I was charged $3.00/month to block 900 numbers. Personally, I think both of them should be blocked by default, and only incur a charge if the customer specifically requests said service. Of course, AT&T would not get as much money that way, so it will never happen :(

HawaiiMacAddict
 
Agreed its a scam corp America perpetrates on the people. But they know we have no choice but to take it.

Now on the smoking thing, yeah the quiting method my cost the same or more. BUT once you quite the $$ saved and health benefits out way the cost of quiting.
 
Yes you can block incoming and outgoing text messages. That was the FIRST thing I did once I got the iPhone.

I was the BIGGEST texter before getting the iPhone (6000+ per month) but damnit out of sheer principle I decided against paying AT&T for text messaging. I was turned off by the fact that they didn't include the measly 200 texts in the base plan. I mean 200 should be for people to get their feet wet and get hooked (and believe me, people do) and then get a better base plan as those $0.2 overages per message start becoming too much. But this way you have NONE so even if someone just sends you one you end up paying outrageous amounts for it. Total ********.


Screw AT&T!
 
BklynKid said:
I bought at an Apple store, so yea once done I right away called 611 just out of fear of getting texts and then having to pay for them.
Click to expand...

Awesome. I think the store manager at AT&T told me to call 611 when I was in line and asked him about, but the lady at the counter (who I thought was a manager of some sort) said I couldn't block it. I'm glad I can cancel my text plan and block them! :D Thanks for the help.
 
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