Would the DOJ get involved if the 3 Big Carriers end phone subsidy at the same time?

Do not worry about FCC, DOJ, FTC. These are manned by political hacks who have rubber stamped 99% of take overs and made the US wireless market the most concentrated in the "free market" western world. At 80% of the market Verizon Wireless and AT&T can pretty much decide what the subsidy mechanism will be. AT&T has the largest number of lobbyists on the hill. Do you seriously think DOJ is going to go anywhere near AT&T? Heck, they even almost rubber stamped AT&T's take over of T-Mobile based on 100 faceless and unidentified congressmen "supporting" the take over. Senator Al Franken was the only guy standing on the side of the middle class saying the buy out would increase price for consumers.

MattMJB0188 said:

It would be so typical that one A*hole
would take this to the DOJ. I think ending phone subsidies would be awesome. T-Mobile definitely has lit a flame under the other carriers' asses haha.

I have purchased at full retail for so long now and love it!!!

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EbookReader said:

Subisdy: $199 upfront and $100 each month
No subdidy: $199 upfront and $20 each month + 80 each month


sorry if it is not clear

Subsidy: $199 upfront for the device and $100 each month for 24 months contract

No Subsidy: $199 upfront for the device and $20 a month installment for 24 months to pay off the phone + $80 a month for the wireless service for 24 months.


After the 24 months is up, your monthly bill will now be $80 a month because you have paid off your phone cost.

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If you remove the subsidy your upfront cost WILL be the price of the handset off contract plus any activation fees and taxation.

ftaok said:

Do they lock the phones if it's bought without a subsidy? Locking a phone that's under a subsidy is OK in my eyes ... as long as they allow for free unlocking after the contract is up.

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If you pay the phone in instalments during the length of the contract, they lock it to their network (I reckon "subsidised" is the wrong word, since you're actually paying for the phone in the end). If you opt to pay the full amount at once, they don't lock it.

viperGTS said:

Maybe because 2 year agreements exist because of the subsidies?

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Haha, no. No they don't. "Subsidised" phones came into play as an attempt from carriers to increase their market share. Being able to get out of a contract without having to pay any fees, as well as prepaid SIM-cards, is a fairly new thing in comparison to signing a contract stretching 12 months, 24 months or what have you.

It's okay that you're young and don't know this, but your attempt to be cool was kind of a failure...

hafr said:

It's okay that you're young and don't know this, but your attempt to be cool was kind of a failure...

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It's okay that you have a condescending tone, but your attempt to seem superior over me was kind of a failure... Don't let that high horse attitude get to you now.

viperGTS said:

It's okay that you have a condescending tone, but your attempt to seem superior over me was kind of a failure... Don't let that high horse attitude get to you now.

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I wasn't condescending or superior. The fact that you're young and uninformed was clear when you rolled your eyes at me after having made a false statement.