First, I don't text and, for the most part, have not felt any need for that service. But, my grown kids *do* text and occasionally they send one my way.
SInce I have not paid for texting in my ATT plan, I do not get the messages.
I stopped at the ATT store today to inquire about the plans and costs.
As many of you already know, the options are few. Basically the least I can pay is $5/month per phone for some set number of text messages.
SInce I might use perhaps ten or so a month, five bucks seems a bit high. So my wife got me wondering if there isn't some app that can take advantage of the data surplus that we have and somehow create the ability to send/receive text messages -- outside of the ATT text plans.
Thoughts?
iPhone ATT
I use text + (plus). It allows texting without charge. It is a bit tricky to set up conversations but once set up there is a specific number for each one. I do not delete the conversation I start with each person so the number to each person doesn't change. Each person can save the number and text to you easily. I have used it for 8 months. It is reliable as far as I can tell. There are complete directions for starting a text conversation. -----
That's strange. I don't have a texting plan, but the couple of times a month someone sends me one, I get it. I'm charged .20
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That is what AT&T told me--20 cents per message.
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That's the way it works for me too.
Shows up on the bill as another charge.
Are the kids sending to the correct #?
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Yeah, that's how it used to be for me. I think it changed when I upgraded to the iP4
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I have an iP4 & no texting plan.
I get charged 20cents per text-message.
I think you need to check your settings & call ATT about this if it's not working for you. Even if you don't *use* the feature you should have it *available* in case you do want it.
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Let's you send and receive SMS from the app. Also has a PC version. You will be given a Chikka number which is based on your original phone number only with some prefixes. Then let your children send their SMS to you through your chikka number. They will be charged extra for sending though. But they won't mind hopefully.
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I use TextFree unlimited. It is free app and you can text and receive messages without charge. You are assigned a phone number to give to others. People who use regular AT&T SMS can send to your special number. Works great for the few that I give my text number.
My 6 year old and 9 year old granddaughters have an account on TextFree Unlimited on old iPhones that we have setup as iPod Touches with no AT&T service and we text back and forth at no cost to any of us.
The immediate family, husband, kids and grandkids all use it and send text messages all the time. My daughter uses it on her iP4. My husband and I use on ip3GS and it even works to send to other non iphone users.
Hope this helps. When I do get a regular text message on my 3GS I am charged the per text fee of 20 cents per text, 30 cents per photo. You can also have AT&T block all text messages so that you won't incur these extra fees if you like.
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Just download that app for free texts. Like text free. So you don't have to use text messaging.
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As I mentioned in my initial post, the visit to the ATT store was not too helpful. The person just gave me the quick review of plans that are available.
I was in a bit of a rush so I didn't fully explain that I'd previously gotten texts at 20 cents a pop.
Anyway, I called ATT and got the most helpful customer service person imaginable.
Turns out that texting (for the per msg fee) had gotten turned off on my account.
(Who knows how that happened!)
And, the 200 message plan had been activated on my wife's iPhone -- we had not ordered it.
We quickly got it straightened out -- including a test text from ATT to my phone, and the cancellation of the 200 msg plan.
BTW, the reason I had not noticed the fee on my bill was the variable nature of the billing after changes with the iP4 upgrade.
So, thanks to all who suggested various apps and other solutions.
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Do you have the (free) ATT app on your phone?
Makes it easy to check what your plans are & what your usage has been.
I know what you mean about variable bills -- I'm currently trying to sort out the bills from ATT & Verizon after making my switch. Even though I was a brand new ATT customer my first bill included a charge for an *upgrade*! which I quickly got removed. VZ also charged me for a month of service because they only suspend, don't disconnect right away after a number port-out, they wait a while ("to be sure it goes through successfully" they say) & then do the disconnect & credit for the post-exit non-service. (I'm supposed to know this or something? sheesh! another cust. svc. call)
That's why I want paper bills! easier to spread out & peruse.
I think they do these things on purpose (if not on purpose, at least not trying not to....) and hope we Just Won't Notice. A few (hundred? thousand? zillion? "upgrade" $18 charges for *new* customers who might not notice in the confusion & you're talking Real Money. I have no way of knowing if VZ really would have credited me my (non) service & stopped my month-to-month contract if I hadn't called about it.
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No, I did not have the ATT App, but I do now.
Two quick reactions:
WOW, that End User License Agreement that you're required to approve/accept is a doozy.
I am not a lawyer, but that thing gave a lot of them a lot of work.
And because it was *so* much more detailed than anything I've read for an app, I went through it pretty thoroughly.
But, most interesting is that I discovered via the app that my wife's phone has two services, both of which incur monthly charges which were not ordered. (I turned them off via the app).
Rest assured that I will scour the next bill carefully!
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the pay per Text at 20¢ each is automatic. Something is wrong if it was not working, and you had no Text plan at all. The per text plan is a minimum requirement.
If the App showed you getting two for charge services, turning them off by means of the App will not get you a credit for any charges. Besides making the EULA in-descipherable, all telcos' billing is the worst accounting I have ever seen, and is only designed to baffle with bull, instead of clarifying things. It will take you months to get any credits back for services you may have been charged.
It is ok for them to take months for a refund, but they expect you to pay in full each month.
I would call them, ask them to review your services for each account with you, and to initiate any refunds, now. Be sure to get a name, ticket number, and notes, although you will never be able to get back to that person and if they ever do follow up, that your lucky stars.
And while you are at it, ask them about FAN discount, or senior discount if those apply. FAN discounts are where your company may have an arrangement for their employees to receive a discount. It was not common knowledge where I used to work, and they were all over North America. Senior discount is if you take a different minimal plan. I don't think it is that good.
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