If you’re AT&T cellphone customer on a messaging plan and you like to send pictures, check your bills. After noticing he was getting overcharged for sending pictures, reader Robert says an AT&T CSR told him that AT&T is having a nationwide computer glitch that could be overcharging you too…
text messages
![Sprint Charges Developmentally Disabled Girl $10,000 For Text Messages](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/textmessagescam.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Sprint Charges Developmentally Disabled Girl $10,000 For Text Messages
Red Tape Chronicles has followed up on the Developmentally disabled 18-year old Amanda Clark who ran up $10,000 in premium text messages whom we told you about last week. The text messages were part of teenage text chat services advertised in the back of her teen mags. “Hook a hottie,” they said. Sprint agreed to cut the bill in half but won’t budge further. The UK-based text message company says that since she texted “Y” in response to the message, ‘Y’ to: ‘74447’ to start. 14+ textconnectusa.com Help?1-866-662-7132. Send STOP to end.100c per msg rcvd + std msg fees,” the girl should have been completely informed as to the service’s cost and the family is plumb out of luck. In all, 642 messages were received.
![Does It Make Sense To Get A Text Message Plan?](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/gogetaplan.jpg?w=300&h=82&crop=1)
Does It Make Sense To Get A Text Message Plan?
Here’s the current text-message rate plans for the different cellphone providers. Most providers also offer unlimited text message plans: AT&T: $19.99 a month, Sprint: $20 a month, T-Mobile: $14.99 a month, Verizon: Unlimited messaging isn’t optional feature, but it is part of the America’s Choice Select Plan.
../../../..//2007/09/27/after-first-saying-no-verizon/
After first saying no, Verizon decided to allow a pro-choice group to send text massages, but in so doing, didn’t disclaim the right the block text messages they deemed inappropriate in the future. [NYT]
![Which Cellphone Company Is Best About Fighting Text Message Spam?](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/spamphone.jpg?w=178&h=208&crop=1)
Which Cellphone Company Is Best About Fighting Text Message Spam?
Cellphone text message spam is still rare, but annoying, especially as each one usually costs you. If you’re experiencing a deluge, often the only way to fight it is to turn off text messaging entirely, but which providers let you?
![Executive Email Carpet Bomb Also Effective Against Cell Phone Spammers](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/cellphone-kiddie.jpg?w=190&h=225&crop=1)
Executive Email Carpet Bomb Also Effective Against Cell Phone Spammers
I want to share a recent experience that involves a cell phone spammer. I would never think I’d be writing to tell you a positive story, but in the light of what happened I think it would be worth sharing. Last week, on 8/16 to be exact, I was spammed with an unsolicited text message to my cell phone. I recall reading a post on Consumerist about the Attorney General for Illinois along with Cingular would be suing a cell phone spammer. I also recall your Executive Email Carpet Bomb postings and decided to try it out.
![Why Are Text Messages Marked Up 7314%?](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/cellphonesuits.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Why Are Text Messages Marked Up 7314%?
Verizon and other cellphone companies mark up the cost of text messages by at least 7314% when compared to their rates for data transfer services. [More]
![Break Your Verizon Contract Without Fee, Thanks to TXT Msg Raise](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/verizontext.jpg?w=300&h=170&crop=1)
Break Your Verizon Contract Without Fee, Thanks to TXT Msg Raise
Do we sense a theme here? Verizon is raising their text message rates for those without a messaging plan. Loyal readers of this blog will know what comes next, if the rate increase constitutes a “MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT ON YOU” you can “CAN END THE AFFECTED SERVICE, WITHOUT ANY EARLY TERMINATION FEE”.
![Cingular Declares Your Legal Rights Waived](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/emptycourtroom.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Cingular Declares Your Legal Rights Waived
The latest Cingular bill includes a nice fat contract change clause declaring that by remaining a Cingular customer, you’ve waived your right to a trial by jury or participate in a class action lawsuit.
![WABC Looking For Angry Cingular Customers](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/screwcingularsmaller7.jpg?w=100&h=81&crop=1)
WABC Looking For Angry Cingular Customers
WABC wants to hear from NYC-area Cingular customers who are against the text-message rate price hike.
![Ask The Fray: What’s The Legal Definition of ‘Subscribe?’](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/screwcingularsmaller6.jpg?w=100&h=81&crop=1)
Ask The Fray: What’s The Legal Definition of ‘Subscribe?’
In the correction Cingular offered on our, “Break Your Cingular Contract Without Fee, Thanks 2 Txt Msg $ Raise” post, Cingular contends that text-messaging is not a service that users “subscribe” to.
Cingular Responds
Cingular sent us this email in response to “Break Your Cingular Contract Without Fee, Thanks 2 Txt Msg $ Raise.”
![We Interview Cingular About Cancelling Over Text Message Plans](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/leakpic.jpg?w=100&h=131&crop=1)
We Interview Cingular About Cancelling Over Text Message Plans
JackLeaker: yes, I’m sure they are…
![What Cingular Tells Customers Canceling Over Text Message Rates](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/screwcingularsmaller5.jpg?w=100&h=81&crop=1)
What Cingular Tells Customers Canceling Over Text Message Rates
This is what Cingular will probably tell you if you call up trying to get out of your cellphone contract and service without paying an early termination fee based on their recent text message rate raise.
![Break Your Cingular Contract Without Fee, Thanks 2 Txt Msg $ Raise](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/screwcingularsmaller4.jpg?w=100&h=81&crop=1)
Break Your Cingular Contract Without Fee, Thanks 2 Txt Msg $ Raise
Gimlet-eyed Cingular customers may have noticed the cellphne provider changing its text message rates from $.10 to $.15 and realized they can use that to escape contract without early termination fee.
![AOL Weather Alerts Only Happy When It Rains](../../../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/screaming-infant-thumb.jpg?w=150&h=191&crop=1)
AOL Weather Alerts Only Happy When It Rains
We like to Technorati up companies that are on Gawker overlord Nick Denton’s Nixonesque ‘Enemy Hit List’ from time to time and see if anything’s slipped through the cracks. A juicy stream-of-conscious rant about AOL on some MySpace idiot’s blog can really shoot rainbows through those Slow Tuesday doldrums.