It's things like this that would make me want to switch back to an iPhone. In Ireland we are still charged ~€0.11 per SMS though it's possible to buy bundles. My usage doesn't warrant a bundle but charged separately it would still be a considerable chunk of my monthly usage. iMessage would effectively halve my monthly bill and make little dent in my data usage so it's a win win.
Yeah, I don't think everyone in US understand that people are way more conscious about the cost of each SMS message in other countries
Honestly it's a huge pain in the ass, so much so that I've actively tried to stop using it. I can reach more people on Facebook or through IM and email in equivalent time and not be charged through the nose for it. The carriers should look to smaller bundles for non-smartphone people. Other than that iMessage will kill them off.