Text Messaging..

[LChoy]

OT slightly
But I always wondered how you text "of" in the T9 setting (on a phone without a lettered text pad). It always changes to "me" for mine. "Of" and a few other words always makes me switch from T9 to Alpha, just so I can use those words. Minor annoyance, but if anyone knew, I be very appreciative

[The Ditch]

Originally Posted by HOOT

Most USA carriers charge $0.20 for incoming and outgoing text messages, Canadian carrers charge $0.15 for incoming and outgoing text messages.

Companies like Sprint may have these $99 unlimited packages but they also have more customers than the population of Canada, so I would say that helps keep costs down.

What's there to be heated about? A company making profits...damn them, when I signed up they told me it was a charity outfit

Yes, thanks for the condescending reply, I always thought everything was free

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Lchoy

OT slightly
But I always wondered how you text "of" in the T9 setting (on a phone without a lettered text pad). It always changes to "me" for mine. "Of" and a few other words always makes me switch from T9 to Alpha, just so I can use those words. Minor annoyance, but if anyone knew, I be very appreciative

"Game" also switches to "hand" in T9.

I was texting for a while until I found that in T9 when it gives you the wrong word, you can press "0" and it will scroll through some other options for you.

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by worth

Yeah, with Fido there is no incoming text fee and with their $25 plan you get unlimited text and evenings and weekends.

That is not TOTALLY true. Any sort of MSN alerts or if you have you put your number on MSN messenger where people can send messages to your phone... those get charged

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by The Ditch

Yes, thanks for the condescending reply, I always thought everything was free

It wasn't mean to be condescending, thats why the was at the end. It was more of a smart a-- comment.

Honestly though for what you get for $99 with Sprint, you could build a package with a company here for around $130-140. Take into exchange, population, customer base, etc.

I just don't get the whole "ripping us Canadians off" argument, like I have said before they are not holding a gun to your head to use their service, if you think they are over charging then don't use a cell phone.

[The Ditch]

Well, technically I couldn't because Rogers doesn't offer unlimited data plan(I have friends who have crunched through their 6 gig from Rogers fairly easily). In the end I don't pay my phone bill the company does but I probably wouldn't shell out what it costs right now.

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by HOOT

It wasn't mean to be condescending, thats why the was at the end. It was more of a smart a-- comment.

Honestly though for what you get for $99 with Sprint, you could build a package with a company here for around $130-140. Take into exchange, population, customer base, etc.

I just don't get the whole "ripping us Canadians off" argument, like I have said before they are not holding a gun to your head to use their service, if you think they are over charging then don't use a cell phone.

People toss that out all the time. The population is greater in the USA than in Canada and it is more dense, etc. I'm not sure I follow exactly how that affects the difference in price. Perhaps someone can explain that to me or (hopefully) point out some actual numbers or studies that shows how much of a difference it makes.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Lchoy

OT slightly
But I always wondered how you text "of" in the T9 setting (on a phone without a lettered text pad). It always changes to "me" for mine. "Of" and a few other words always makes me switch from T9 to Alpha, just so I can use those words. Minor annoyance, but if anyone knew, I be very appreciative

Mine gives me a drop-down list of choices when you start typing something, and if the first selection isn't the word you want, you just hit the down arrow to search through the list.

[ShaolinFlame]

Originally Posted by fredr123

People toss that out all the time. The population is greater in the USA than in Canada and it is more dense, etc. I'm not sure I follow exactly how that affects the difference in price. Perhaps someone can explain that to me or (hopefully) point out some actual numbers or studies that shows how much of a difference it makes.

I haven't read any studies, but from what I have been told it largely has do with infrastructure. Since America is so dense a larger percentage of their towers are servicing a profitable number of people. Canadian providers (especially out west and in the mountains) have to set up a lot of towers that comparatively to their southern and eastern counterparts see very little data. The cost of all this infrastructure drives up the price.

There are other factors at work too I would have to assume. Labour in Canada may cost more. High taxes and more governmental regulation also lead to an increase in price. The lack of competition probably doesn't help (although I would attribute a lot of the lesser used towers to competition - IE- Telus vs Rogers who has better 'coverage').

So yeah, I'm with HOOT, we aren't getting ripped off. Just use a freaking computer to access the internet, and your phone to make phone calls. These days it seems the data phone people are the ones paying crazy jack to the Telecom giants.

[HOOT]

Verizon Customers: 67,000,000
Rogers Customers: 7,000,000

So even if the American company had to put up 5 times as many towers they would still have a huge advantage, in costs and pricing.

[Barnes]

I am going to start a natural gas company where I charge different prices depending on whether the gas is going to your furnace or your hot water tank.

Maybe Shaw should be charging per email if you don't pay for unlimited email AND internet. After all, they have an infrastructure to pay for!

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Barnes

I am going to start a natural gas company where I charge different prices depending on whether the gas is going to your furnace or your hot water tank.

Maybe Shaw should be charging per email if you don't pay for unlimited email AND internet. After all, they have an infrastructure to pay for!

These comparisons make no sense to me. But okay...maybe you can explain how this is comparable.

[Barnes]

Shaw has infrastructure. I pay Shaw to access the Internet through that infrastructure. No matter what the application or transport layer. POP, IRC, HTTP, UDP, TELNET all treated the same.

Fido has infrastructure. I pay Fido to access their GSM network. I pay different amounts to access different application or transport layer even though they are part of the GSM protocol. SMS, HTTP, voice are all treated differently and charged at rates that make zero sense when compared to each other.