It doesn't just cost consumers either. If you're a developer who wants to implement SMS in an app, you're looking at probably $.05 per message, maybe shaving a bit off with a volume buy.
I had a fun app that I have largely given up on once I realized it was just too cost prohibitive to offer the service for free and allow SMS messaging.
Is this true? My server sends SMS' to cells without problems. I've been sending them to email addresses like 6175551234@vtext.com (for a verizon cell). Is it because my volume is low that I am allowed to do this for free, or because I am using the email address format?
Yeah, you can send them via email for free. There may or may not be other restrictions that I"m aware of.
Your method, however, requires the user to know the provider of the number. In the application I had made, users could send messages via SMS by just typing in the number.
(Also, at least for my own provider, AT&T, some crud ends up in the message, e.g the subject line of the email.)
Thanks. I hope there aren't restrictions but if there are, I'll find out the hard way in the next few months. Yeah, crud ends up in my Verizon messages to. I'm using PHP though and have been able to mess around with headers and such to send clean messages.
I had a fun app that I have largely given up on once I realized it was just too cost prohibitive to offer the service for free and allow SMS messaging.
(This was using Clickatell btw.)