Comment Re:There needs to be a way to avoid the subsidy. (Score 1) 355
T-Mobile does this:
http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/Packages/ValuePackages.aspx
For $50/month you can get 500 voice minutes, unlimited text, and 2GB of data.
In comparison to AT&T, they offer a subsidized plan for $90/month and that includes 450 voice minutes, unlimited text, and 3GB of data. Let's say with T-Mobile you get the above plan for $50/month and a phone for $550. At the end of 24 months you will have paid $1,750. If you got AT&T and paid $200 for a subsidized phone, you will have paid $2,360 at the end of 24 months. This is pretty much the primary reason why I am a T-Mobile customer.