MMS cheaper than SMS?

September 30, 2009 12:36 PM

Is MMS cheaper than SMS for long text messages?

Years ago when I first & last used MMS it was like 50 cents even when SMS was 10 cents. Apparently now on my standard iphone AT&T plan they are treated the same as SMS messages. That intrigues me because it suggests that if I'm writing a message longer than 140/160 etc that it would cheaper to add a photo to it. I am curious about the extent of the perversity of SMS billing and in sticking it to the man.

Secondarily is it currently common for MMS to be billed the same as SMS? (If I felt inclined to include my recipient's financial burden into my calculation.)

posted by Wood to Technology (5 answers total)

AT&T standard billing for MMS is more expensive than SMS, but I believe they are counted the same if you have a messaging package (might be just limited to the iPhone)

I other countries, MMS can count as 4 SMS if you have a messaging package.
posted by wongcorgi at 1:33 PM on September 30, 2009

i don't know how it works for at&t, but for verizon, a messaging package includes MMS as well as SMS and i do not believe there is a conversion involved (i.e. 1 MMS=4 SMS). at least, i have never noticed this to be the case. i think it's just all the same... despite the obvious difference.
posted by itsacover at 1:44 PM on September 30, 2009

Believe me, there's nothing you can do to stick it to AT&T. In one scenario you're letting them have a 1,000,000% profit margin on text messages. The other, they get a 10,000% profit margin. Either way, SMS/MMS is the absolute worst deal for the consumer in the world.
posted by paanta at 2:41 PM on September 30, 2009 [2 favorites]

You don't have to add a photo to an MMS. I have sent and received (in the UK) MMS messages that were just text.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:51 PM on September 30, 2009

Why not just spend the $5 and get a messaging plan?
posted by gjc at 4:06 PM on September 30, 2009