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    Cellphones

    Why Cellphone ETFs Are Awesome For America

    By Ben Popken, 5:36 PM on Fri Feb 2 2007, 538 views

    Here are the cellphone industry's talking points on why early termination fees are the cat's tits.

    "Early Termination Fees provide consumers with numerous benefits, notably lower costs for wireless services and products...

    • ETFs Help Produce Lower Overall Wireless Rates
    • ETFs Dramatically Reduce Economic Barriers for Wireless Subscribers
    • Wireless Consumers Have Several Rate Plan Options
    • ETFs Are Used By Numerous Businesses
    • Restricting ETFs Limits Consumer Choices and Increases Costs"

    Here's our talking points on why we dislike ETFs...

    • Consumers aren't made sufficiently aware at purchase about early termination fees.
    • Consumers aren't made aware of the relationship between the discounted phones they see in-store and the early termination fee.
    • Cellphone companies never advertise that consumers can get a month-to-month plan.
    • Only through informal channels do consumers learn about the possibility of purchasing a phone not directly from the company and then signing up for a month-to-month plan.
    • Even when consumers have a legal right to exit contract without financial penalty, cellphone companies' customer service reps will go to great lengths, including outright lying, to prevent them from exercising this right.

    — BEN POPKEN

    Industry Topics: Early Termination Fees [CTIA] (Thanks to Vinny!)

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