Forget Plain Old Subsidized Handsets; Now They're Paying You To Get A Mobile Phone
It's well known that carriers subsidize mobile phone handsets to encourage you to purchase them. Some were wondering how low the prices would go, and apparently, the answer is now: below zero. That's right, more and more handsets have rebates that are effectively giving people up to $150 to "buy" their handsets. Since phones are usually tied to plans, and the carriers want desperately to keep people from switching now that number portability is (sort of) working, expect more such deals.
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