Although one message costs two or three cents, they are major source of income for providers

I'm not surprised they are a major source of income. In the UK they typically cost 10 pence each, which is about 15 US cents. They must cost well under a cent for the network to send, so they are a total rip off.

...that doesn't stop me sending dozens of them a month though...
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Remind me to change my signature to something more interesting someday