Incoming Text Messages Get Charged by Bell and Telus

Canadians just can’t get a break, it seems. After being gouged by some less than favorable iPhone 3G plans by Rogers Wireless, Canadians are now being violated by the two other major national carriers. Both Bell and Telus have announced that they will soon be charging for incoming text messages.

Up until now, it didn’t cost you anything to receive a text message from a friend; it only cost you to send them out. Starting next month, Telus and Bell customers will be dinged 15 cents for each received SMS, the same rate that is being charged for outgoing text messages. I’d imagine that if you have some text messages included in your plan, the received messages would go against your count.

I guess this would explain why the Rogers iPhone plans made mention of unlimited incoming text messages. Maybe they got inside word that Telus and Bell would be pulling this stunt. As it stands, Rogers has “no plans” to charge for incoming SMS.