This is actually an issue I have with AT&T but I expect the same thing
applies to Cingular.
I recently downloaded 2 pictures for wallpaper and a few ring tones to my
new cell phone out of curiosity, to see how they would sound and look on the
phone. At the AT&T ringtone/video download page there were lists of
ringtones that I could buy for around a dollar each and lists of pictures I
could buy for around $4 to $5. After downloading  a few files I continued to
browse the AT&T website and wound up in the billing area. Under "My Minutes"
I saw entries for data download charges for around 950 KB for a cost of over
$25!
I called AT&T and was informed that even though the cost of a picture file
(jpg) was $4, I had to pay normal download rates of 3 cents per kilobyte.
That's $30 per megabyte! I asked the service rep to show me where on the
ringtone page it warned me that I would be charged such an outlandish rate.
Sure enough, she pointed me to a sentence way down on the bottom of 3 pages
of scrolling that said "normal data transfer rates apply". Although, on that
page, I couldn't find the actual cost of a "normal data transfer rate".
Personally, I feel that implying that an item costs $4 when in fact it ends
up costing 2 or 3 times that is legally and ethically questionable at best.
I certainly will never download anything again and will take steps to ensure
mMode is deactivated, lest I accidentally access mMode and end up with a
bill for $50 for "normal data transfer rates".
Since it could be argued that all the information needed to determine the
actual costs of moving data is available, however circuitous the route, I
guess that AT&T is not doing anything illegal (which explains why the
service rep pretty much said word to the effect of "tough you bought it, you
own it - no refunds"). My bigger question is how can anyone afford to do
this? I see lots of commercials about downloading information via internet
or taking and sending photos with the phone but it seems that this would be
incredibly expensive at $30 per MB. Is anyone else incensed at these costs
that boarder on usury? I just saw an article on the development of wireless
phone based TV. My God, how much would it cost to watch a 30 min TV show on
your phone? (Never mind why would anyone want to?)
By the way, I decided to calculate how much it would cost me to fill my hard
drive at 3 cents per kilobyte. Good news, it would only cost $3,330,000!