SMS New Year’s greetings & the cost

I’ve had 8 Happy New Year text messages so far today. All of them appear to be bulk messages authored once and then sent to (possibly?) the sender’s entire address book.

Which raises a question in my mind. I didn’t want to phone any ‘normal’ non-mobile geeks at the moment, it being 10pm on New Year’s Eve with, no doubt, most parties in full swing.

So I pose this question for anyone: When these ‘normal mobile’ users (“normobs”), how do they do bulk texting? Are they literally addressing the text ‘to all’, do you think? Or perhaps, are they cycling through their address book looking for everyone they want to send a message to then hitting send?

Next question: Do they recognise the cost? 12.5p with Vodafone here in the UK per text after you have used up your allowed amount, which you probably certainly have sending out Christmas greetings.

What’s the budget? I truly wonder if people are actually conscious of the fact that clicking the checkbox next to someone’s name means another 12.5p AND they value that person and the greeting they’re sending so much that they’re quite prepared to pay?

What got me thinking is that about 4 of the texts I’ve received are from acquaintances — what’s more interesting is I haven’t spoken to any of them for months — and I’m willing to bet that if I did call, I think they’d be a bit surprised (“Er, what’s up?”) because I wouldn’t ever be expected to call unless there was a specific requirement.

… beep beep. Just got another New Year’s text from an acquaintance … and rather interestingly, I don’t have a clue who it’s from. I just see a number. The person isn’t in my address book. Unusual, because everyone I speak to or know is *IN* my address book. I wonder who the hell it is? What is the protocol here. Do you gladly accept best wishes for the New Year without responding?

Or if you do respond, do you say ‘You too?’

Or do you say, ‘Wow, how are you? Happy New Year…’ when really, the person might not have actually wanted to engage you in dialog?

Move along, move along.

These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.