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U.S. House bill aims to break two-year contracts
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Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who serves as the chairman of the House telecommunications and Internet subcommittee, has introduced a new bill that aims to force carriers to offer consumers "the opportunity to purchase subsidy-free wireless customer equipment." The Wireless Consumer Protection and Community Broadband Empowerment Act instructs carriers to disclose rate plans in a "clear, plain and conspicuous manner" by breaking out ETFs as well as state and local taxes.
The most controversial language in the bill instructs carriers to offer customers the choice of buying handsets with no subsidies as well as the option of signing up for rate plans that are priced comparable to longterm plans but don't require the customer to ink a longterm contract with the carrier.
For more on the bill:
- read this article from CNET
Comments
Posted by Anonymous | February 27, 2008 - 1:49pm
If I buy an unsubsidized handset, then shouldn't my monthly rate drop accordingly? For example, if an iPhone is really subsidized $400, then if I buy an an un-subsidized device, my monthly fee should be lowered by ~$17/month over that two year period since AT&T no longer needs to recover a $400 subsidy.
Posted by DavidB | February 29, 2008 - 2:52pm
I doubt it. That iphone would probably jack up to $700 or something.
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