Premium charges for texting radion stations

dinneenp

Most of the radio stations charge premium rates (newstalk, 2 FM I think) for texting the shows. Only 1 or 2 stations (not sure which one) charge standard texting prices.

Why do people accept this, why isn't there a protest, with people not listening to the show 1 day a week until they agree to reduce the price of text messages?

http://www.village.ie/Media/Commentary/Controversy_in_Newstalk_over_texting_charges/

Pa, Galway

betonit

Not that I think its right but I beleive the reasons why people would not be protesting are, they can choose not to text, and if they do text, most people see 30c nothing. Thats why texting is such a huge industry, people dont look at the cost. It doesnt cost to listen to the radio so why would anyone tune out in protest of a cost they may never incur?

Doctor DooM

dinneenp wrote: »

Most of the radio stations charge premium rates (newstalk, 2 FM I think) for texting the shows. Only 1 or 2 stations (not sure which one) charge standard texting prices.

Why do people accept this, why isn't there a protest, with people not listening to the show 1 day a week until they agree to reduce the price of text messages?

http://www.village.ie/Media/Commentary/Controversy_in_Newstalk_over_texting_charges/

Pa, Galway

Under what grounds would you protest? You'd need to go after televised texts as well, and perhaps all subs services.

Toto Wolfcastle

dinneenp wrote: »

Most of the radio stations charge premium rates (newstalk, 2 FM I think) for texting the shows. Only 1 or 2 stations (not sure which one) charge standard texting prices.

Why do people accept this, why isn't there a protest, with people not listening to the show 1 day a week until they agree to reduce the price of text messages?

http://www.village.ie/Media/Commentary/Controversy_in_Newstalk_over_texting_charges/

Pa, Galway

Newstalk charge 30cent for texts but afaik 2fm charge normal rates, apert from certain competitions.

I find not texting the way to go really!

Our man in Havana

It is a good revenue earner for the stations.

Predhead

Or you could email them at your convenience. I know it's not ideal and you won't be in the position to do it everytime but it's an alternative all the same.

6th

As some have said if you dont want to pay, dont text.

Bard

I know Today FM only use the premium (53102) number for certain shows (Just the Last Word, possibly) and for other shows they use 085-4100102, which is a standard number and therefore the price of a standard text.

Toto Wolfcastle

Bard wrote: »

I know Today FM only use the premium (53102) number for certain shows (Just the Last Word, possibly) and for other shows they use 085-4100102, which is a standard number and therefore the price of a standard text.

Free for a lot of meteor customers to text so.

Our man in Havana

6th wrote: »

As some have said if you dont want to pay, dont text.

That is all well and good but the little kiddies don't care about the price and they make up the vast amount of their text revenue.

Doctor DooM

Bond-007 wrote: »

That is all well and good but the little kiddies don't care about the price and they make up the vast amount of their text revenue.

http://www.comreg.ie/

These are the people to talk to.

If kids want to spend their pocket money sending into radio shows, thats their look out. Im sure they are smart enough to watch their credit, tbh

Our man in Havana

What gets me is that 2FM don't have to advise people that their texts cost the same as a standard text. I would not be familiar with 5xxxxx numbers or their costs.

Bard

Bond-007 wrote:

That is all well and good but the little kiddies don't care about the price and they make up the vast amount of their text revenue.

Surely not on shows like The Last Word, The Right Hook, Moncrieff (in fact, most of Newstalk's output) to be honest...

Pigletlover

Bard wrote: »

I know Today FM only use the premium (53102) number for certain shows (Just the Last Word, possibly) and for other shows they use 085-4100102, which is a standard number and therefore the price of a standard text.

The Last Word's text number is 53102, but Matt Cooper is always stressing that texts are charged at standard rates (and he usually gets a little dig in about other stations charging premium rates).

Bard

Oh right... well in that case... 1> what's the point in the station using 2 different text numbers?... and 2> I guess Today FM aren't guilty here.

Our man in Havana

If it is standard rate why did they bother changing to a 5xxxx number?

Big Balls

Because short codes are easier for listeners to remember. Also, no stations bar Newstalk, charge 30c. 53xxx is 20c and if you are on prepay mobiles, works out at 7c dearer than a standard text number. Big swingin' mickey.. ''Protest by not listening one day a week''... You need to take a look at some serious stuff going on in the world mate.. 7 poxy cent, you wouldn't stop on the street to pick 7 cent off the ground or maybe YOU would!!

Our man in Havana

And it is inertia that allows people to get away with it. All those 7 cents add up. As I said earlier it is a big revenue earner for them.
I do not text into any stations so it don't affect me at all, just offering my opinion.

Gran Hermano

Big Balls wrote: »

Because short codes are easier for listeners to remember. Also, no stations bar Newstalk, charge 30c. 53xxx is 20c and if you are on prepay mobiles, works out at 7c dearer than a standard text number. Big swingin' mickey.. ''Protest by not listening one day a week''... You need to take a look at some serious stuff going on in the world mate.. 7 poxy cent, you wouldn't stop on the street to pick 7 cent off the ground or maybe YOU would!!

It's a nice little revenue earner for the stations, I think you're misguided with
the 'short codes are easier to remember' excuse; shortcodes for texts
at standard rates exist, why can't they use one of them?

Toto Wolfcastle

Gran Hermano wrote: »

It's a nice little revenue earner for the stations, I think you're misguided with
the 'short codes are easier to remember' excuse; shortcodes for texts
at standard rates exist, why can't they use one of them?

Free shortcodes also exist.

Gran Hermano

janeybabe wrote: »

Free shortcodes also exist.

Having worked in the telecoms sector in both Ireland and the UK, I'm
aware of both short text codes/NGNs and their associated
rates - not to mention the potential rebate revenues

I can appreciate that a commercial station may not want to operate
a free text system as they would end up paying for the callers texts;
but there is nothing stopping them from offering their listeners the
option of texting at a standard rate. This shortcode text scam also means
that listeners can not text in and have it covered by their call/text monthly
bundle thus ensuring both revenue for the mobile operator and radio station.

Toto Wolfcastle

Gran Hermano wrote: »

Having worked in the telecoms sector in both Ireland and the UK, I'm
aware of both short text codes/NGNs and their associated
rates - not to mention the potential rebate revenues

I can appreciate that a commercial station may not want to operate
a free text system as they would end up paying for the callers texts;
but there is nothing stopping them from offering their listeners the
option of texting at a standard rate. This shortcode text scam also means
that listeners can not text in and have it covered by their call/text monthly
bundle thus ensuring both revenue for the mobile operator and radio station.

I wasn't suggesting you weren't aware, I was just pointing it out.

And I fully understand that commercial stations rely on revenue from these texts. I wouldn't expect them to offer free texts, but I agree that they can also offer standard rate messages.

When they say standard rate does that mean the standard rate you would pay to send a message based on your network? If so, which network charges 13 cent for text messages?

Our man in Havana

Vodafone pre pay charges 13 cent a message.

The question is do the stations get any revenue from the "standard rate" shortcode texts?

byte

Bond-007 wrote: »

Vodafone pre pay charges 13 cent a message.

The question is do the stations get any revenue from the "standard rate" shortcode texts?

They charge 11c now, not including the text bundles or other offers.

Big Balls

I can assure you the revenue generated by stations using short codes is quite minimal. The main appeal is it's easier to remember....

Gran Hermano

Rebates will vary depending on the volumes - higher volumes will lead to
higher rebates as the telco will be more than happy to share the profit
with the radio station.

Finally, if revenues to the radio station from the 30c PSMS shortcodes
are 'minimal' why aren't they offering standard rate or 20c shortcodes
to their listeners? The revenue is obviously more important than alienating
and annoying their listeners, just check the numerous threads on Boards
to see how much it annoys the audience yet they persist.

Big Balls

Gran Hermano wrote: »

Finally, if revenues to the radio station from the 30c PSMS shortcodes
are 'minimal' why aren't they offering standard rate or 20c shortcodes
to their listeners? .

As has been pointed out already, only Newstalk charge 30c.

Our man in Havana

Which suggests they are receiving revenue from them.

dinneenp

Okay, maybe it was OTT saying to have a protest to get them to reduce the charge.
what annoys me is that they're obviously making a quick buck from listeners- the people that they should be treating well, instead of making an extra profit.

(another thing that annoys me (slightly) is 'competitions' that a mentally challenged rat could answer. The very, very occasional time you have competitions that actually have testing questions.

while I'm ranting :mad::mad: other radio things that annoy me:
having ads in between the news and sports
having the weather sponsored. The mentioning of the sponsor usually takes longer than the weather itself!
Donál Dineen's shoe being pushed back to after midnight (that's old by now)...

Our man in Havana

dinneenp wrote: »

(another thing that annoys me (slightly) is 'competitions' that a mentally challenged rat could answer. The very, very occasional time you have competitions that actually have testing questions.

I believe that the Gaming and Lotteries Act require a "test of skill" for these competitions to be legal. Now it seems the test need not be very hard at all.

Gran Hermano

The easier the competition question the higher the number of entrants
and in turn the higher the value of the rebates from the short-code PSMS

dulpit

Ya, what someone else said: for those competitions to run a question must be asked... Which is why if you look at boxes of pringles (at least i think it was pringles) whenever they have a competition it's usually open to UK & ROI, and it says in small writing that if you're from ROI you must answer a simple question...

byte

dulpit wrote: »

Ya, what someone else said: for those competitions to run a question must be asked... Which is why if you look at boxes of pringles (at least i think it was pringles) whenever they have a competition it's usually open to UK & ROI, and it says in small writing that if you're from ROI you must answer a simple question...

Interesting.. I didn't know that.

Radio Mad.

Gran Hermano wrote: »

The revenue is obviously more important than alienating and annoying their listeners, just check the numerous threads on Boards to see how much it annoys the audience yet they persist.

Newstalk owner Denis O'Brien has been well trained in the fine art of sticking two fingers up at annoying customers. He once worked for the man who founded Ryanair. Say no more...