With the new "GOBI" global high-speed wireless chipset from Qualcomm, you can use any HSPA or EV-Do carrier world-wide. HP has already announced they will start using it. I can't imagine that Asus and others will not soon follow. If the netbooks are offered free with contract as seems probable, you will be able to change carriers as soon as the contract is up, or buy your way out if you don't like the carrier you signed up for initially. You will still have a usable device that you can take to a different carrier. Netbooks or smart phones with GOBI and 802.11n could be a market changer with as much impact as the first handheld cell phones.