Is there any reason, beyond corporate greed, for SMS messages to cost so much?

If I get it right, an SMS message is just a short string of data, no different from a message we send in a messenger. If so, then what makes them so expensive? If we’d take Internet plans and consider how much data an SMS takes, we should pay tiny fraction of a cent for each message; why doesn’t that happen?

  • FluffyPotato
    1·
    2 months ago

    It also includes calls and Internet. Also I have never sent more than 50 SMS messages per month so I guess I haven’t ever cared, most of my communication is either Signal, WhatsApp or Discord. On average it’s probably like 3 sms’ per month though.

    I guess I always though it was pretty cheap since I never ran out of data or anything, I don’t think I could send 500 SMS messages if I tried.

    • Mkengine@feddit.de
      1·
      2 months ago

      I’m curious, what exactly are you sending SMS for nowadays? I can’t remember sending and SMS since at least 10 years, I only receive them for some services.

      • FluffyPotato
        1·
        2 months ago

        A relative in their 80s with a dumb phone is the average usecase for me.