As our pal Jeremy points out in the forums (and is widely being reported today), if you buy a subsidized Nexus One (the one you get alongside a T-Mobile Account) and then cancel within 120 days, you're going to pay more than you would have if you bought the Nexus One unlocked in the first place.
The breakdown:
- Equipment Recovery Fee charged by Google: $350.
- Early termination fee charged by T-Mobile: Up to $200.
That's $550 in penalities if you break the contract. Sure, that's causing a bit of an uproar. But is it really greedy? Google sold you a subsidized phone. As in: Somebody (in this case, Google) paid the difference so you'd be more likely to buy a cheaper Nexus One. Google took the hit. Not you.
Then there's T-Mobile. For math's sake, let's say you had a brand-new $50-a-month plan along with your Nexus One. That $50 a month over two years is $1,200 that T-Mobile planned on collecting from you, and you signed a contract stating you'd be good for that money over the 24 months. Sure, you probably have a perfectly good reason for wanting to get out of that contract. Just like the next guy.
Wanna play it safe? Make up your mind during the 14-day grace period. Or, better yet, just buy an unlocked Nexus One for $530. Yes, you pay more up front, but there's no carrier hassle, you can use it on AT&T if you want, and you don't have to worry about anybody breaking your legs if you want out.
This is the real world, boys and girls. You don't get something for nothing. I know, it's coming in the comments. Fine. But if you really want to get mad about something, remember what you're paying for text messages, m'kay?
