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FYI about text messages

S

shaidtan

Member
So for anyone who doesn't know, AT&T now charges per-use fees for text messages they generate if you don't have a plan.

I just got off the phone with a rep. When I added a second line for my Mother months ago I requested the $5 text messaging plan be added. She had never sent a text so I didn't bother checking (paperless billing and autopay for the win) that they had actually added it. They hadn't. Now that I've realized, it's unlimited or nothing.

I use Google Voice and have for a while so I rarely get text messages. However beware. If you don't have a plan, and you dial *DATA#, you'll get a text and a $.20 charge. AT&T will then send you a text informing you that you're getting text messages and don't have a plan, which is another $.20. I got two of the latter last month and was charged for both.

I have a feeling they're going to be hearing from me a lot and this is going to weigh heavily when it comes time to decide whether or not to renew with them.
 
This is OLD practice for them. My ex-wife and I had this go-around with them back when it was still CINGULAR. That was 2006'ish.

Basically, AT&T (Then Cingular) has always charged per txt unless you have a plan.
 
The USSD messages are bad enough, but what really has me pissed is that they send advertisements and then charge for them; and they just increased the cost of the privilege of not being charged overages. Not only that but they screwed up my plan by not adding what I told them to.
 
I really hate when you're charged for receiving texts :/ Though technically they can't carge you unless you *open* the text. Well that's the case with my carrier. I'm not sure if AT&T does this.

Shaidtan, I moved your thread to the AT&T forum :)
 
Sorry about the wrong forum thing. I tend to not look beyond the one for the phone I happen to have at the time.

I plan on calling AT&T today and inquiring about blocking messages, etc. I'll report back my findings. With luck when I ask them to do something this time they'll actually do it.
 
A quick update. During a chat with AT&T they said that star option messages (such as *DATA#) should not incur charges, and neither should solicitation or billing/notification messages. They weren't sure why I wasn't charged for them, but a working theory is that the texts were too long and were fragmented between sender and receiver and charged multiple times as a result. Either way they were credited and will be in the future if they can't be explained.

Robby, I agree with you about Cingular. Worst company ever. I resisted going to AT&T for a very long time and only did because my girlfriend is there. For the most part they've been OK but they do have a tendency to screw up billing changes. That pretty much sucks when it ends up costing us extra money and definitely raises a red flag.
 
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