A Surrey woman is outraged after finding out her cell phone company will be charging her 40 cents for every text message she sends to the United States — a fee she will have to accept despite having signed a three-year contract.

Kim Smith said she chose to sign up with Telus a year and a half ago because they offered a cell phone plan with unlimited texting to the U.S. and within Canada.

Smith said she has four children and one of them lives in Kansas.

"The easiest way to get a hold of, especially our son in the States, is to send him a text," she said.

But starting May 1, Telus is changing its plans that include unlimited texting by adding an additional 40 cent fee for text messages sent to the U.S.

Starting May 1, Telus will charge some customers 40 cents for every text message sent to the U.S. (Canadian Press)

Shawn Hall, spokesman with Telus, says the switch comes because international texting costs the company more.

"This helps us avoid the risk of having to increase domestic rates to subsidize international texting, which is more expensive for us to provide," he told CBC News.

Smith can still opt for unlimited texting to the U.S., but it will cost her an additional $10 a month.

But Smith says that's not what she signed up for, and is looking for a way out of her contract.