[macruadhi]

I had what I believe to be a very novel idea. I have had to pay at least one ETF in the past, it didn't hit me up side the head and suprise me. That said I believe there should either be some congressional intervention or some clever marketing. What I mean is that either congress, through the FCC, or a carrier should instate a prorated ETF plan. If I leave Verizon halfway through a 2 year contract it should be half the ETF, 1 month, 1/24th the ETF.

I realize that if it happened the carriers would find some other way to get their blood, um, money. Like a $2000 ETF and prorated from then on, they'll find a way to getcha.

Thanks

[NJBlackBerry]

<Sarcasm>

Government intervention is always good in a free market economy.
That always leads to better consumer pricing.

</sarcasm>

No one is forcing you sign a contract, are they?

[macruadhi]

Yeah, I agree with minimal government intervention too, that's why I included the realistic (yeah right) Carrier initiated sliding ETF scale.

[John Clark]

Blackberry 8100 with contract: $149-$199
Blackberry 8100 w/o contract: $349-$399

they give you a break on the price of the phone if you stay with them for service. I don't like paying an ETF either but it doesn't seem that unfair to me.

[DallasFlier]

Originally Posted by macruadhi

I had what I believe to be a very novel idea.

Man, you're just full of novel ideas! First, you think there should be a class action lawsuit against T-Mobile because although you're not a customer and don't plan to be, they should unlock a locked phone you bought on eBay, even though you knew their unlock policy before you bought it. Now you think there should be "congressional intervention" so you don't have to pay an ETF even though the company has provided you a phone at a subsidized price, saved you about $200 and paid the difference themselves. My own novel idea is to read the contracts, read the carrier's policy on unlocking - and if you don't like them, simply DON'T sign the contract and DON'T buy a locked phone from eBay! How's that for novel?

[kasperapd]

I think Verizon has already done this:

Verizon Wireless To Lower Exit Fee

[markhutchison]

Originally Posted by macruadhi

... instate a prorated ETF plan. ...

Canadian carrier's have been doing this for a while. The typical ETF scale is from a maximum of $400 to a minimum of $99. The actual ETF that is payable is determined by the number of months remaining in the contract term.

[macruadhi]

Originally Posted by DallasFlier

Man, you're just full of novel ideas! First, you think there should be a class action lawsuit against T-Mobile because although you're not a customer and don't plan to be, they should unlock a locked phone you bought on eBay, even though you knew their unlock policy before you bought it. Now you think there should be "congressional intervention" so you don't have to pay an ETF even though the company has provided you a phone at a subsidized price, saved you about $200 and paid the difference themselves. My own novel idea is to read the contracts, read the carrier's policy on unlocking - and if you don't like them, simply DON'T sign the contract and DON'T buy a locked phone from eBay! How's that for novel?

I believe you may have misunderstood me. I have no problem with ETFs, I have no problem with paying them if I break a contract it just seems that it situations like here:http://www.blackberryforums.com/rant...-me-165-a.html
that a little prorating would go a long way towards good businessmanship. And the carriers only subsidize phones because it is financially prudent, many ppl couldn't/wouldn't be able to have service without it,(subsidization). And what if the customer provides their own phone? A few I know of will provide month to month service, but I'll bet that their are some that still would require a contract.

As for my unlocking tirade, in my defense, I did not know T-mobile's policies in advance. And I was upset over it mostly because it makes no sense, it seems backwards. Unlock the phone under contract/still subsidized, but not the one that they've already made their money on?

And the word novel means something different, new, unusual. So my idea really was novel.