Scientist Says Texting is More Expensive Than Downloading From Hubble

ID:42873
 
May 13 2008, 11:05 am
Does your cell phone bill ever reach astronomical proportions? Maybe you're doing too much texting. One space scientist has worked out that sending texts via mobile phones works out to be far more expensive than downloading data from the Hubble Space Telescope. Dr. Nigel Bannister from the University of Leicester looked at the cost of obtaining a megabyte of data from Hubble and compared it with the cost of sending a text. His calculations? “The bottom line is texting is at least 4 times more expensive than transmitting data from Hubble, and is likely to be substantially more than that."

Full article here: http://www.universetoday.com/2008/05/12/ scientist-says-texting-is-more-expensive-than-downloading-fr om-hubble/
May 13 2008, 12:11 pm
I forget where I read it, but someone did the math and calculated at the price it costs to send text message. It'd take over $4000(USD) to download a movie.
May 13 2008, 2:26 pm
That's funny.

It also cost a few billion dollars to put that telescope up there.
May 13 2008, 4:37 pm
God bless capitalism!

Also, note: "The maximum size for a text message is 160 characters, which takes 140 bytes because there are only 7 bits per character in the text messaging system, and we assume the average price for a text message is 5 pence"

That's wrong, I pay 10 pence for each text (that's standard rate for pay as you go. Not sure what it is for say, a contract). So it could even be 8 times more expensive.
May 13 2008, 5:21 pm
Elation wrote:
God bless capitalism!

Also, note: "The maximum size for a text message is 160 characters, which takes 140 bytes because there are only 7 bits per character in the text messaging system, and we assume the average price for a text message is 5 pence"

That's wrong, I pay 10 pence for each text (that's standard rate for pay as you go. Not sure what it is for say, a contract). So it could even be 8 times more expensive.

It's very inexpensive in contract. I can get 500 text messages for 4.99 with Verizon, so that's a penny per text. But, since I don't have a contract, or if I went over that 500, it's 15 cents per text message.

Then again, who's going to use exactly 500? So it's still more than a penny per text.
May 13 2008, 6:14 pm
Elation wrote:
God bless capitalism!

Also, note: "The maximum size for a text message is 160 characters, which takes 140 bytes because there are only 7 bits per character in the text messaging system, and we assume the average price for a text message is 5 pence"

That's wrong, I pay 10 pence for each text (that's standard rate for pay as you go. Not sure what it is for say, a contract). So it could even be 8 times more expensive.

I pay one cent for my text messages provided the people I'm sending messages too are on the same network. They are.
May 13 2008, 11:47 pm
I don't use texting at all, but the plan I have on my phone (I don't pay for the phone, that's another story for another time) has unlimited texting and it doesn't cost any extra on the plan. I'm using Altel with a contracted phone plan. (I also have unlimited web access and voice calls, it's a good plan).