is PlayStation Network free?

I signed up for the PlayStion Network this weekedn.  I was under the impression that signing up for the PlayStation Network for the PS3 was free.  However, when I checked my bank statement online today, I noticed that I had a $1.00 charge labeled as being for the PlayStion Network.  I didn't see anything on the sign-up screens about being charged, and was under the impression that the credit card info was only collected so you wouldn't have to re-enter the info if you later decided to buy any downloadable content.  So far, the only thing I've done on the network was update my system and download the Folding@home program and run it for a couple minutes.  Both of which I also thought were free.

So what exactly am I being charged here for? Its not like $1.00 is a big deal, but still, I'd like to know what I'm being charged for.  Can anyone help me out?

I never got a charge either, when you put in your credit card number maybe you didn't switch the box fomr $1.00 to 0, check your account and see if there is any money in it.

I signed up for the PlayStion Network this weekedn.  I was under the impression that signing up for the PlayStation Network for the PS3 was free.  However, when I checked my bank statement online today, I noticed that I had a $1.00 charge labeled as being for the PlayStion Network.  I didn't see anything on the sign-up screens about being charged, and was under the impression that the credit card info was only collected so you wouldn't have to re-enter the info if you later decided to buy any downloadable content.  So far, the only thing I've done on the network was update my system and download the Folding@home program and run it for a couple minutes.  Both of which I also thought were free.

So what exactly am I being charged here for? Its not like $1.00 is a big deal, but still, I'd like to know what I'm being charged for.  Can anyone help me out?

Urlacher54

Easy, the charge is made to verify that it is a good credit card.  The charge is not billed against you, just a verify method.  This is done and most people do not notice it because you will be credited back.

Edit> Taken from a google search from other sites as example....

Why is there a £1.00 charge on my credit card from Snapfish?
The £1.00 you might see is an "authorization" to charge your credit card. It is not an actual charge. We validate your card by asking your financial institution to authorize us to charge £1.00 against the card. If they do, we know the card is valid. But no real charge is ever made, and after a while, the authorization expires.

http://www.snapfish.co.uk/helpbilling

...and there was several other sites that state the same thing.

thank you jmper4.

i was thinking it might be something along those lines, although I've never seen anything else charge the card like that before, so it just seemed odd.

yeah that is all it is for

they did it to me when i ordered MKII but credited back to me 2 days later