Welsh Eisteddfod organisers offer rip off text results service
Link: icNorthWales - Text service too dear - parents
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Have a little read of this story carried by icNorthWales. The Eisteddford (a Welsh arts festival - Wikipedia entry) organisers are offering a text update/results service — at a whopping £1.50-£2.
Absolutely ridiculous. I wonder what idiot thought this one up? If anything, the organisers should be paying for the text message costs themselves.
Even if they have to send out 1,000 message updates, that’s only going to cost £100 (on the basis of 10 pence a text — but if they shop around, they should be able to get the cost down to about at least 6 pence each).
EISTEDDFOD officials last night hit back at criticism a new text message-based results service was too expensive. Youngsters taking advantage of the service are sent two text messages to advise them if they are through from the preliminary competition to the stage. A later text advises subscribers of the eventual result. The service costs £1.50 plus the cost of the text - up to £2 for some mobile telephone providers.
So, a text results service - brilliant idea. Making premium? Stupid. Get it sponsored by S4C and create a little good will!
I think this is the Esteddfod website.
This is a real shame, being a Welsh man, I have grown up with the family watching the Eisteddfod, and it is a Welsh institution of weird and wonderful things happening culturally.
It used to be a very formal event, but I kinda get the feeling they are trying to be “hip and cool” sending out things via SMS. You are right Ewan, it should have been free, and I could have bloody offered them 5p per text message to have done it, or at the very worst, they could have charged 15p PSMS which covers their costs and make a little profit for the coffee evening.
Grrrrrr!
Posted by Justin Davies on June 3rd, 2006 at 12:53 pm.