Good times for new AT&T customers: starting on May 25th, the carrier will begin to prorate ETF, or Early Termination Fees by $5 each month of the contract. The deal is for folks with new or renewal plans, so if you’ve just started a contract, you’ll have to deal with cellular servitude for a bit yet, or pay the $175 flat fee to take your business elsewhere.It’s a fine line between having the freedom to leave your carrier without financial penalty or to have said carrier subsidize your equipment here in the U.S. I’m betting that there’s a few opinions on this topic, so have at it in the comments. Which do you prefer: subsidized equipment or ETFs? Or is this pro-rated method a nice “middle-ground” even though the carrier still comes out ahead ($5 x 24 months = $120 vs. the $175 ETF)?
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