Foo - Do emails sent from my mobile device count as a text message?

Here's the situation: I recently signed up for a 2yr contract with T-Mobile. I bought the unlimited text message plan for 9.99 a month, which seems like a good deal compared to other carriers. When I go to check my email on my mobile device, I get a notice saying that emails sent and received are charged "normal message rates." Are they referring to text messaging, for which I have no limit?

Call me crazy, but wouldn't T-Mobile know this?

Call me crazy, but wouldn't T-Mobile know this?

You seem to forget that pcow looks to Foo as his own personal Google.

You seem to forget that pcow looks to Foo as his own personal Google.

Must be SuperGoogle, even Google ya still gotta search ;)

Data is just data, and it does not count against messaging limits. For example, I have a G-1 with a t-mobile account. I use google chat and email extensively, and these never count against messaging limits.

BTW, you realize you could just run a few tests and then check your account usage? I thought you college kids are supposed to be smart. Sheesh....

Just to save you additional testing, wifi connectivity does not count towards quotas that trigger throttling on your account.

Here's the situation: I recently signed up for a 2yr contract with T-Mobile. I bought the unlimited text message plan for 9.99 a month, which seems like a good deal compared to other carriers. When I go to check my email on my mobile device, I get a notice saying that emails sent and received are charged "normal message rates." Are they referring to text messaging, for which I have no limit?

BTW, to escape messaging rates for email, you need to use a web interface and not use SMTP/IMAP for sending/receiving email. But if you have an unlimited data plan, you have nothing to worry about. Not everyone has unlimited text and data.

I thought you college kids are supposed to be smart. Sheesh....

If college kids were smart...why would they need to be educated?

t mobile even has their own forum.

Yea, they have their own forum. BUt why would I register there if I can ask here and get an answer in less time? Part of being smart is making efficient use of time ;)

BTW, to escape messaging rates for email, you need to use a web interface and not use SMTP/IMAP for sending/receiving email. But if you have an unlimited data plan, you have nothing to worry about. Not everyone has unlimited text and data.
Not really. SMTP/IMAP/POP still runs over the same data as the interwebz. So if you setup the email client on the phone to use SMTP/IMAP/POP, it should still be charged at the same data usage as the interwebz usage. Of course, most phones check email periodically, so using a mail client could potentially use more data.

Not really. SMTP/IMAP/POP still runs over the same data as the interwebz. So if you setup the email client on the phone to use SMTP/IMAP/POP, it should still be charged at the same data usage as the interwebz usage. Of course, most phones check email periodically, so using a mail client could potentially use more data.Yes, that's correct. SMS/MMS messages go across the cellular network. That's what usually counts as text-messages on those accounts that limit your texting.

Yea, they have their own forum. BUt why would I register there if I can ask here and get an answer in less time? Part of being smart is making efficient use of time ;)



phantomcow2 has not made any friends yet
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Call me crazy, but wouldn't T-Mobile know this?

:thumb:

And I would have known before signing a two year contract.:innocent:

Your standard rates apply and you have unlimited so you'd be okay.

So Pcow. Did you ever tell her to brush her teeth? Or are you emailing from a safe distance to tell her?

Your standard rates apply and you have unlimited so you'd be okay.

So Pcow. Did you ever tell her to brush her teeth? Or are you emailing from a safe distance to tell her?

THe latter. I found someone with fresher breath at another party :D

Proud of you, Pcow. *pats you on back*

Not really. SMTP/IMAP/POP still runs over the same data as the interwebz. So if you setup the email client on the phone to use SMTP/IMAP/POP, it should still be charged at the same data usage as the interwebz usage.
You would think. However if an outfit claims to charge messaging rates for email, I'm presuming they're not referring to SMS since that is not email.

It would be technically feasible to impose messaging rates for SMTP/IMAP/POP since they all run on special ports. However, if you're going over the web, the only way the company could possibly know would be if they know all the webmail sites and even though they'd only be able to tell what you were connected to and not what you are doing. If you open an SMTP connection, you are sending email. If you open IMAP/POP, you are reading it. Obviously, if you use any email service provided by the carrier, they'll know everything automatically.

Proud of you, Pcow. *pats you on back*

Not so fast. Pcow, we need some more details on this new chick before passing judgement. Based on the description we have so far, we cannot discount the possibility that she is a bull mastiff.

Not so fast. Pcow, we need some more details on this new chick before passing judgement. Based on the description we have so far, we cannot discount the possibility that she is a bull mastiff.
Some of us may count that as a given unless proven otherwise.

Not so fast. Pcow, we need some more details on this new chick before passing judgement. Based on the description we have so far, we cannot discount the possibility that she is a bull mastiff.



Bull Mastiffs can have sweet breath given the right Milk Bones.

Pcow, Milk Bone, Siu, I see what you did there...............

*snicker*

You would think. However if an outfit claims to charge messaging rates for email, I'm presuming they're not referring to SMS since that is not email.

It would be technically feasible to impose messaging rates for SMTP/IMAP/POP since they all run on special ports. However, if you're going over the web, the only way the company could possibly know would be if they know all the webmail sites and even though they'd only be able to tell what you were connected to and not what you are doing. If you open an SMTP connection, you are sending email. If you open IMAP/POP, you are reading it. Obviously, if you use any email service provided by the carrier, they'll know everything automatically.
The only time I've ever seen separate rates for email is either when the phone has an email address that gets messages sent to via SMS or on Blackberries that use their own special service anyways.

Otherwise, email usage gets charged the same as all other data usage.

So here's my theory:

If I try to connect to the internet on my phone, it doesn't met me because I didn't subscribe to a data plan -- I can only connect to the T-Mobile website to buy stuff. However, my phone has a built in email application with a different part for each email provider. I simply enter my gmail account and it connects me. I think they're counting an email as a text, just as they count a video, audio, or picture message as a text. I guess I'll send a few messages from my phone and check data usage to find out once and for all :p

If I try to connect to the internet on my phone, it doesn't met me because I didn't subscribe to a data plan -- I can only connect to the T-Mobile website to buy stuff. However, my phone has a built in email application with a different part for each email provider.
Based on this description, I would expect email to count like messages. But let us know what happens.

Sounds like T-Mobile's doing some crazy whacko stuff.

By the way, the girl with fresh breath was the product of a lot of Everclear in one night :p. From what I remember and what I've been told, she wasn't at all a mastiff :D.

To the point, I contacted T-Mobile and am told that because I have subscribed to the unlimited messaging plan, and because I'm not sending messages by logging into a website (I'm using my phone's built in app preconfigured for gmail), the emails I send are pulled for from my messaging bundle. This means It costs me nothing :).

I have to say, I'm very impressed with T-Mobile so far. Unlimited texting -- which includes media messages and, evidently, email -- is $10 a month; that's half of what AT&T charges. I get 200 more minutes for the same cost as AT&T. I wouldn't expect anything else as they're both GSM networks, but I have the same reception as AT&T.

THe phone wont let me connect to the internet because I didn't subscribe to a data plan. I like this because I wont be hit with exorbitant fees. ATT was happy to let my phone accidentally connect to the internet and accumulate fees.

Unlimited texting -- which includes media messages and, evidently, email -- is $10 a month; that's half of what AT&T charges. That's good. My text and email is $65/mo.

Is it just text and email? No data? I have the samsung gravity 2, which isn't a smartphone. Data plans for smartphones are $30 a month, and that doesn't even include texting. Don't want to compare apples and oranges.

I pay $10 for unlimited data on AT&T because I don't have a smartphone. I have the $30 Family unlimited message package as well.

By the way, the girl with fresh breath was the product of a lot of Everclear in one night :p. From what I remember and what I've been told, she wasn't at all a mastiff :D.

Rottweilers can be mighty sweet



I have to say, I'm very impressed with T-Mobile so far. Unlimited texting -- which includes media messages and, evidently, email -- is $10 a month; that's half of what AT&T charges. I get 200 more minutes for the same cost as AT&T. I wouldn't expect anything else as they're both GSM networks, but I have the same reception as AT&T.

THe phone wont let me connect to the internet because I didn't subscribe to a data plan. I like this because I wont be hit with exorbitant fees. ATT was happy to let my phone accidentally connect to the internet and accumulate fees.
You will find that T-Mobile has less coverage than ATT. But, you'll get a decent signal most places and the price more than reflects any discrepancies.

You might want to get a phone with wifi. Just pop your chip in, and you'll have full internet when near wifi and it won't cost you anything extra.

Is it just text and email? No data? I have the samsung gravity 2, which isn't a smartphone. Data plans for smartphones are $30 a month, and that doesn't even include texting. Don't want to compare apples and oranges.Data is $45 and I think unlimited texting is $20 but it might be $10.

The data plan was $30 for personal mail but I wanted the corporate data plan.

Data is $45 and I think unlimited texting is $20 but it might be $10.

The data plan was $30 for personal mail but I wanted the corporate data plan.
Who's that with? I pay $24.95 for unlimited data with t-mobile. I pay nothing for texting, but I have a 400 message limit. But since I use IM rather than SMS for most of my messaging, it doesn't matter.

You will find that T-Mobile has less coverage than ATT. But, you'll get a decent signal most places and the price more than reflects any discrepancies.

You might want to get a phone with wifi. Just pop your chip in, and you'll have full internet when near wifi and it won't cost you anything extra.

Fair enough, but at least I know that T-Mobile has coverage in the two places I spend the most time. I may be living in Pittsburgh this summer, and I'm sure they've got satisfactory coverage there too.

I really want a phone with wifi, particularly a Samsung Omnia but I can't justify the cost. I could sell my Samsung Gravity to partially cover the cost of a phone. Even if I get a phone locked to another network, as long as it's GSM I can buy an unlock code. Even then, a lot of good phones are with verizon, which I believe uses CDMA :(

Who's that with? I pay $24.95 for unlimited data with t-mobile. I pay nothing for texting, but I have a 400 message limit. But since I use IM rather than SMS for most of my messaging, it doesn't matter.

He might have a data plan specific to a blackberry or sidekick, which I think are more expensive. I thought IMs count as texts?

He might have a data plan specific to a blackberry or sidekick, which I think are more expensive. I thought IMs count as texts?

I was told they do, but they definitely don't in my case. I rely heavily on IM (predominantly google chat) both for work and personal use.

Who's that with? I pay $24.95 for unlimited data with t-mobile. I pay nothing for texting, but I have a 400 message limit. But since I use IM rather than SMS for most of my messaging, it doesn't matter.Verizon. I just checked and its $110 for phone and texting for 3 phones plus $45 for data on one phone.


He might have a data plan specific to a blackberry or sidekick, which I think are more expensive. I thought IMs count as texts?Yes, it's so I can get my company email on my blackberry.