I see a huge growing problem. In one day, both my wife’s cell phone and my kids are starting to get a number of text messages, from spammers! While a new problem for us, apparently in Japan this costs consumers over the pond many Yen per year. The problem is two fold. One, you can’t reply to the message and ask them to stop, your message will just bounce back. Two, these messages cost money! This is like giving them the ability to charge something to your bill without your authority and you have nothing to say about it. This got me thinking. Which companies do the best job in shutting down text spamming. The easy way out is to just shut off text messaging entirely, which many of you resort to. In an age in which texting is becoming the norm (especially with one teenager and a preteen in the house), turning off text would be like taking away cable TV. The key though, is that will your provider let you turn off texting. Here’s your answer …
Tmobile: No, “because it’s where voice mail and billing notifications are delivered.”
Verizon: Yes,, you can ask for “data” to be shut off, which will turn off text messaging, get it now, mobile web, and mobile email, or just simply ask for them to disable receiving text messages sent from emails or web browsers.
Sprint: Yes.
AT&T: Yes.
Alltel: Yes
Verizon wins. Almost all text-message spam campaigns are run from a computer (basically, they are emails) so disabling receiving messages sent by computer, while still retaining the ability to receive cellphone text messages, is the best option.
