Verizon Wireless to Impose New Fees for Text Messages

By: Mary Couchman
Staff Writer
Published: Oct 11, 2008

Verizon Wireless plans to impose a 3 cent fee on text messages starting November 1. The cell phone carrier has not made the details clear. Business technology companies are now protesting the fee.

Verizon Wireless is set to impose a new 3-cent fee on text messages. Beginning November 1, the carrier will charge 3 cents for each text message that gets delivered to the phones of it Verizon subscribers.

The new plan has prompted waves of protest among many business technology companies that use text messages. Moreover, Verizon isn't clear on the details of the new plan.

Mobile text messages have are a popular way for companies to communicate with customers. Some of these text messages include sports scores, flight delays and bank balances.

The new charge by Verizon Wireless may prompt companies to rethink their strategies. In fact, many of them may stop sending messages to Verizon customers.

Many companies argue that sending alert services to subscribers does not work for three cents.

Verizon spokesman Jeffery Nelson said the company was exploring ways to charge fees to commercial senders of text messages.

"It is not a free service," Nelson said. "It didn't cost us zero to build or to buy spectrum rights."

However, despite companies that received the notice from Verizon, Nelson said the company had not set any specific price or a date that a fee might go into effect.