Aug. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Canadian Industry Minister Jim Prentice said he won't interfere with the country's biggest phone companies' decision to increase prices on text messaging, saying dissatisfied consumers should seek alternatives.

BCE Inc. and Telus Corp. last month said they'll start charging wireless customers 15 cents for each text message they receive. Prentice met with executives from the two companies after their July announcement.

The companies assured the minister that they won't charge customers for unwanted ``spam'' messages, Prentice said in the statement. Canadians already have the second-highest wireless phone bills among developed countries, trailing only Ireland.

To contact the reporter on this story: Alexandre Deslongchamps in Ottawa at adeslongcham@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: August 8, 2008 14:10 EDT