Verizon has told content partners of its plans to apply a $0.03 charge to messages sent to its customers, reports Silicon Alley Insider.

The fee applies to select messages, including SMS-based search and text alerts — services that advertisers occasionally try providing to fickle mobile users.

Calling the fee a "major precedent" that other carriers may try to model, RCR Wireless wrote:

Countless companies could be affected by the new fee, from players in the booming SMS-search space (4INFO, Google Inc. and ChaCha) to media companies (CNN, ESPN and local outlets) to mobile-couponing startups (Cellfire) to banks and other institutions that use mobile as an extension of customer services.

The wireless provider even claimed Verizon's act could impact politics, which only this year began exploring mobile's promotional possibilities in earnest.

Over the summer, Obama revealed his vice presidential pick to fans via text message. The number of texts sent were not revealed.