On Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:56:14 +1100, Kwyjibo wrote:

> "Horry" <horacewachope@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:11upbg44hl4u7.1g7j34x4udpug.dlg@40tude.net...
>
>> Three prevents prepaid customers from using mobile data because it can't
>> monitor data usage in real-time. There's a 24-48 hour lag. In other
>> words, Three has no way to allow prepaid customers access to mobile data
>> without running the risk that they'll use more data than their "available
>> credit" entitles them to.
>
> Telstra used to have the same limitation with sms on prepaid. It was
> possible (and actually happened) that people with $5.00 credit would run up
> a couple of hundred dollars of SMS within a day. The debt was wiped
> automatically during the billing cycle.

Yeah, I know. Someone suggested setting up a recurring, automated Bpay
payment into their Telstra Prepaid account of $1 per day.

It effectively gave you unlimited SMS for $30 per month (which seems like a
lot, but it's only 4 SMS a day -- and, as you implied, some people send
hundreds each day).