So I came across an article today that raised my eyebrow. I was excited to see that I am not the only one that uses the service of text messaging the way I do. However, there are haters out there that say text messaging is for the birds. They say things like, “just pick up the phone and call” or “you can call me as fast as you type that message” or “text messaging is a waste of time and finger strength.” Whatever the reason they feel this way is I beg to differ. I am absolutely in love with text messaging. I text in the morning. I text at lunch. I text at night. I text in my sleep. (OK, that last one is not really true. I have had dreams about text messaging, but I do not physically text in my sleep.)
I want you to know that I have in previous months calculated the number of texts that I do in fact send. The number has been as far up as this California girl who the Washington Post reported on today. Not every month is that high, but it is close. I am sorry but I enjoy having conversations in a text message. There is just something that a text and response can do for you. I am not sure what it is but I enjoy it.
So this California girl texts like I do. She texts so much that when her father found their recent 440+ page bill that she had sent 14,528 text messages in one month. This number, is of course, total messages. She sends and receives that many. If she actually sent that many she would never be able to place her phone on the charger. But how does that break down in a time point of view. Well, let’s break this down.
This works out to be 484 text messages a day. That is a message for every 2 minutes of the day. Think about that.
Now, with that being said, think about the cell phone bill that is over 400 pages long. Does that come in a box? Yeah, probably. But here is my question. There was a video that came out the very first month the iPhone bills went out when at&t still did paper billing. They still do paper billing, but it is not a break down from call to call and text message to text message. It is just a total usage bill that states the basics. They are roughly 3-4 pages long these days. So, where did he get this 440+ page bill from? Are other companies out there wasting paper to tell their users what messages they sent and received? I mean, what happened to the green economy we are all supposed to be living in? Because I guarantee that she is not the only one sending that many messages a month. I mean, hello, look at me.
Now, the one thing that gets me is why the parents have allowed their daughter, who is 13 mind you, to have access to a phone. Let alone one that has unlimited messaging on it. So who’s fault is this in the end? Not the daughter’s, no. It is the parent’s fault. But the parent’s have told the newspapers that they have given her a new restriction on her text plan. Oh, good work folks. Cut off her messaging. How can she make plans for this weekend or ask her new boyfriend how his day was?
One last thing about this story. The price that the cell phone carriers are charging for texting over your desired plan is absolute robbery. Without a plan you will spend $0.20 to send a message. If someone sends you a message back, and you accept it (read it) you pay that total yet again. So, you are paying $0.40 for every message that you send. Think about what 14,528 messages would cost. That would equal $2905.60. Yeah, that is a $3,000 bill. Now, assume that you pay the $40 a month for the unlimited texts. Do those numbers seem to add up to you?
Long story short the more and more technological we get the more and more we will text. And for those of you that do not quite get the picture at why texting is so crucial you will, or you will be paying insane monthly rates because texting is a thing of the not so distant future.
I used to be one of those people who said, “Why not just pick up the phone and call them?” Soon after, I got unlimited texting and then the iPhone. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
I feel like some little high school, immature teen texting sometimes, but I love it! It’s convenient and really quick, now that I am fast.
Texting will be a normal communication in the very near future. Agreed.
Although, I do not agree with you ever so DUMB cynicism for Slumdog Millionaire, and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to get over that. Our relationship as friends and professionals now has this hole in it, quite large to be precise, so I just hope you get me some work that reconciles yourself!
Ha ha ha ha. That’s funny. Did you post this before we talked last night or after? You like texting because you can multi-task and it keeps you from emotionally (and physically) connecting with the person. You get to hide behind the keys… the screen. It’s less emotional, though people tend to be more open and honest. It’s easier because there’s no chance you’ll see disappointment, anger, or hurt. It gives people the chance to hide, to lie easier. I hate that.