Corks, Popping

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.

One thought on “Corks, Popping

  1. 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. 🙂

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