The way it works is through premium SMS billing. The $9.99 monthly subscription is just ONE text that is delivered to your phone every month that costs you $9

The way it works is through premium SMS billing. The $9.99 monthly subscription is just ONE text that is delivered to your phone every month that costs you $9.99. The provider can send you other texts during the month as a part of your subscription, these are billed at standard prices. When this industry began, the texts you received during the subscription were ALSO charged at $1 or so, so you can imagine what kind of revenues those companies were making in the beginning. But Mobile Marketing Association and the carriers seem to have gained some conscience, albeit very late.