I realize that this is a deviation from the tech norm, but it's a rant that I've been wanting to vent for quite some time, and is loosely connected with technology, so here goes:
Those who know my "love" for cellular carriers understand that I abhor being tied to a carrier for the duration of a two-year contract. I'll admit that I am often with a carrier for far longer, but I don't like being under contract for that length of time. If I get furious with a carrier's service, or if a must-have gadget comes along on another carrier, I want the ability to switch without paying early termination fees.
To this end, I usually purchase my phones outright. Yes, it's expensive, but it guarantees that I'm not locked in to a contract. The carrier recovers the full cost of the device over time by charging a higher rate for service. The problem? There's no LOWER rate for subscribers who haven't purchased a subsidized device.
A user who is only paying $200 for a $600 device should expect their monthly service fee to be higher to cover that cost over the life of the two-year contract. Likewise, a user who has paid the full retail price of the device up front should expect to NOT pay the same monthly fees as the one under contract.
There are consumer protection laws in place to stop things like this from happening, yet I haven't heard of anyone employing them, and that is long overdue. People are being double-charged for a product, and in some cases, being charged for a product that was not even purchased from the cellular service provider in the first place. (The case of the Google Nexus One is a prime example, as is any case of a person activating a device purchased used from a third party.)
To be fair, T-Mobile is the only carrier I'm aware of that has different pricing plans for contract vs. non-contract pricing, and the non-contract pricing (using your own device) is in fact $10-40/month lower than the pricing plans for those who purchase subsidized devices.
AT&T? Verizon? Are you listening? If not, make sure your attorney retainer fees are paid...
