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Microsoft to make users pay for mobile phone spam There's gold in that, there spamBy Tony Dennis, 01/07/2002 18:09:08 BST MICROSOFT HAS LAUNCHED a cellular-enabled 'Instant Messaging' service into Europe through MSN, its Web portal. The catch is that cost of the service will be bourne (via reverse billing) by the mobile users themselves. Given that both Microsoft's MSN Mail and Hotmail email services are badly afflicted by spam messages, this could prove extremely costly for participants. Especially since a since premium rate (reversed billed) message can cost as much as £1.50 [pounds] a time. Once spammers discover your mobile's...

Has anyone out there had this problem? My mom (a lurker here) is having trouble with Sprint. She sends in her payments on time, but they don't clear the bank for 3-4 weeks. Then Sprint calls her and demands to know why she hasn't made a payment. Mom insists she did, but they say she now owes a late fee. This has happened now 3 months in a row. Mom really can't afford the extra cost. She can't get out of the cell phone contract without a hefty fee. Should she send payments electronically, like I do to Verizon using...