Verizon could charge content aggregators 3-cents per text message
By Darren Murph 
posted Oct 13th 2008 7:08PM
posted Oct 13th 2008 7:08PM
Whoa, boy, this could get ugly. A few days back, a notice was revealed to the public that explained Verizon Wireless' new $0.03 fee that would be charged to all content aggregators who sent out mobile terminated messages on its network. After the expected backlash hit, the carrier then issued another statement informing us all that the note was simply an internal memo that was meant for internal discussions alone, but that doesn't change the fact that it's at least considering the plan. Of course, it would only affect for-profit aggregators, but still, imposing such a fee could certainly shake the foundation of that sector -- particularly if other carriers follow suit. And you know how other carriers love to follow suit, now don't you?Read - Original memo
Read - Response to memo
How do toy classify a "for profit" aggregator? It might sound like an obvious question but would the likes of Microsoft alerts or Google alerts be classified as for profit. After all their sole goal is to "spread the word" in order to supplement more advertising. In the end Microsoft, Google and Yahoo would now start charging a fee for their "alert " services. Just a thought but this sounds bad. Capitalism at work. Greed begets greedier.
wow. verizon nickel and diming people? big suprise.
This shit better not go down...
@ omoks
i don't work for verizon but from what i hear and understand, it's the content providers that charge premium sms rates. like those .99 cent per text scams. google sms won't be charged. if the customer isn't charged then the company won't be charged to deliver it....
Its not 3 cents per text message, its 3/10's of a cent you jackass.
No it's three cents dumbass. This is news from 3 days ago, RCR Wireless covered it, so check it and get back with your apology to whoever you refered to as jackass.
let me follow this logic path for once.....shall we.
for profit = charges the end user
Premium spam messges for "ringtones" that charge you 9.99 for the message and a re-curirng charge.
now, those bastards dinging people for 9.99 are not geting off scott free, they have to pay for every customer they send a message too, reducing it to cover the overall cost....really it won't affect customers, this will HELP customers by reducing the junk spam text messages you will be getting.
sounds horrible, let them spam me for free, verizon nickel and diming the world to no end, screw them trying to help the consumer....blah blah blah blah ignorance blah
^ ^ ^ ^
what he said.
now maybe, just maybe, those premium sms services will stop their incessant assault upon unsuspecting people. you know, the people who get the "if you don't want this service, reply with 'stop' to cancel" even though they never opted in, yet STILL get charged both the subscription price and the sms cost (providing they don't have a sms allowance plan) and I'm sure call into customer service and yell at the rep that they never requested said service.
charge the f'kers!!! $.03 is a pisant amount. I say charge them MORE! and charge them every time they message the customer. I'm sick of these services initiating contact and REQUIRING that the customer stop a service they never requested to start with!!!!