Premium SMS services: what you’re really paying

We’ve already provided you with tips on how to avoid signing up to unwanted premium services. But if you are happy to sign up to a premium SMS service, whether it be to receive a ring tone, vote or enter a competition, it is beneficial to know what you’re really paying before you reply to an offer.

Remember, for premium SMS services you are charged for each text message that you receive. Premium SMS’s can cost you anywhere between 55 cents to six dollars per message. You also need to determine what type of service you are signing up to.

One-off Service

A one-off premium SMS will generally be services such as voting or entering a competition, but you should read the fine print to verify this. The once-off charge should be indicated in the terms and conditions.
Subscription Service

A premium subscription-based service is ongoing. It could be anything from a dating service to receiving mobile media. You will continue to be charged as long as you are receiving the premium text messages.  Check the full terms and conditions for the price details.

For instance, while each text message you receive may only be $3.54, you could be receiving these messages three times a month, adding a total of $10.62 per month to your bill. Bear in mind that premium SMS’s are not included in your cap allowance. So if you are on a $49 cap, you can automatically add $10.62 on top of this – for three text messages!

If you are signed up to multiple premium services, you will be charged separately for each, and this will reflect on your bill or usage details.  You will notice a different sent number for each different service. If you decide to opt out of both services, you will need to go through the opt-out procedures for each.

Click here to find out how to opt-out of a subscription-based service.