Why Is Email Free, But Texting Costs Money?

I'm one that's lazy when it comes to texting, haha!~I'd rather call anytime!~ The plan we subscribe to is a family plan so I get to call my wife free every month for 20 hours & 1500 free sms messages. We never finish them anyway as we stay in the same house & work from home?!Should have had that while we were courting but was not available back thenHmm...but why is email free I wonder...

Here in the Philippines, we have a variety of subscription plans with different providers as well. We even have different postpaid plans and different sort of prepaid plans. Mine is a postpaid plan for only about 5 dollars a month. It includes free texting from within the same network and a 20 minute per day allocation for calls. What is good with this plan is, you will get a rebate of about a dollar if you pay early and a free phone after a year, if you did not fail to pay your dues on time. Aside from that, I get free Facebook connection. Different plans, different providers, each has their own way of attracting subscribers.

I have no clue on this. I do not text at all. I do not have family and friends that text either, so I am in a good place. My home phone is still the best choice for me as well.

I have free texting on my phone, I pay $5/month for unlimited text. I don't have a home phone, and I even have free long distance on my phone, but I don't need it. My phone doesn't have data on it, it's just a basic phone through Public Mobile, but I like their service.

all I have on my cellphone is texting for $10 a month. I don't even use it for the phone services. I also play some simple games on it and use it as an alarm clock. I travel a lot and everytime I change my number it costs money. I have to call long distance and the calling cards are way cheaper than the long distance on a cell phone. Everywhere I have lived has a phone line for me to call out on local calls for free. I use texting to chat with friends at home and thats about it. I get unlimited texting in canada for $10 a month.

We have both unlimited date and texting on our cell phones. About to dump it, though. Used to need it when hubby's 14 year old daughter was texting us all the time. Now she can't be bothered with us, so she can communicate via Facebook if she needs to or phone (which never happens).

I think texting is just ridiculous. I see kids do in the middle of church . Unless you don't have access to the internet or a home phone I do not think it is necessary. And I will be quite ticked off if my kids or someone used texting if it was no in my plan or not there.We pay enough for everything as it is .

You got me! I have one friend who almost ALWAYS texts rather than calls. Now, I think he can type silently and get away with it were calling would make noise, still... I, on the other hand, would rather take care of it on the phone in a few minutes rather than texting back and forth...

There are different cell phone plans where texting is free however, it might cost more depending on which company you're with. My husband and I have that plan but it costs a bundle too. I'm almost betting there's cheaper ones out there but since we're under a two year contract, we'll have to wait before shopping around again. Now in your case, you need to tell everyone that it costs you to use the text feature to use email instead or call you unless they want to pay your cell phone bill.

im not too good with this but i think...e mail was paid under license...that why is free...texting cost money coz' owning a cellphone is the cheapest one ...another is peple do a lot of texting rather than using an e mail....

Didn't know all that was available like that! I am not a techie person and hate texting and cell phones. But if so, you have a very valid point! But then again, land lines are like $30 a month..and all calls in the USA are free now, so...what's wrong with that?

It depends on the plan though. You pay extra for data which includes e-mail, or you pay extra for texting. Even if you plan has data "free" it's still included in the price. Personally I like to have both, but I think of texting as for when I need to get somebody immediately, but I can't call, and e-mail for when I don't need to get them immediately...

I feel no need for texting these days. I haven't had the service in about a year now, and I don't miss it. I tend to email or call people, and I also stay connected with people through various social networks. I'm as connected as I need and want to be.

texting is one of the fastest, easiest way to get a hold of anybody. Using e-mail through your phone's web browser will still cost you money when you are out of hot spots or your home. Texting plans are also extremely inexpensive. I would rather have gotten rid of the data package, and put texting on my plan instead.

I'd like to know what the difference is between texting and email...

Well the only time I have gotten text's are when someone is in the hospital and you can't really use the cell phone due to them wanting quiet or something like that.....you are right though....strange that they don't charge for emailing especially from a phone.

I understand where you are coming from on this one. I think congress in the USA here was looking into why texting costs soooo much money for something that costs the company a fraction of a cent. They eventually came out with bundles of sort where you can get say 1000 texts a month for such and such monthly fee. I have a cheap pre-paid phone and because I'm not under contract I pay .15 a text so I tend not to use it much and the only people I text is the GS troop leader and my hubby if needed otherwise I don't use it cause I don't have anyone to text to regularly.

It doesn't mean anything at all, both are form of communication., but because texting includes a smaller locality rather than sending email.

That's a fair point. That's probably debatable.