People in my family use text messages occasionally, but probably about 2/month on average. Every now and then we think that the $5/month for 250 text messages package that Verizon offers is a good deal, but then realize that, at 20 cents a text message, we’d have to use 25/month to justify it. And we never have, so we pay individually.
So I just got a text message:
Free VZW MSG: Why pay $.20 per text message? Get a $5 text package with 250 messages. Call 800-856-1695 for details. Reply Q to opt out.
Oh yeah, that’s right. My cell phone company is text-messaging me to encourage me to sign up for their text-messaging plan, so that each unwanted text message people spam me with doesn’t cost me money. In their defense (if it’s possible to defend this), it’s a “Free VZW MSG,” so I presumably won’t be charged. Or I will and they’ll pretend it was an accident and take it off our bill 3 months later. One of the two.
I could apparently reply “Q” to opt out. (Of future spam from my cell phone company.) But I’d rather reply DIAF.
Edit: Speaking of text messages, did you hear that, when Obama chooses a running mate, he’s going to announce it via text message? As my post may have indicated, I’m not terribly pleased with receiving text messages from people I don’t know, so I didn’t sign up. We’ll find out in short order anyway. Washington political blogger Garrett Graff has an article in the NY Times explaining the reasoning behind why they’re doing this.
I find that I text quite a bit these days. It is the best way to contact my son for example. Also I work with a lot of 20-something people (well one just turned 30) who text a lot. My wife and brother are using text more and more as well. In both cases their children are responsible. So I have a good text plan now. 🙂