Nearly every operator has its own tariffs and charging structure for the sending of multimedia data such as music and images. A bigger problem is that prepay customers are currently excluded access to these services. These customers make up the largest group of mobile phone users and could prove the hardest to convert unless the costs fall.
Consumers who do use multimedia messages will have to spend a lot of money on handsets and charges. A Sony Ericsson handset with a camera costs around GBP200, while service prices differ significantly between the operators.
One of the simplest charges is T-Mobile’s flat rate of GBP20 per month for unlimited multimedia messaging. But this price is unlikely to attract teenagers, who are expected to be a key customer group for MMS.
