Protecting Wireless Consumers: Google over Government

Meinan Goto / December 16, 2009

In the latest salvo in the war against wireless, media activist group Free Press last week proclaimed that “carriers are using…inflated early termination fees to lock millions into long-term contacts — and customers want out.” It then urged for the FCC to intervene to stop the practice.

This would be a mistake. There are plenty of reasons why termination fees make sense for consumers. More importantly, consumers who don’t like them have plenty of choices. In fact, only days after the folks at Free Press released their statement, Internet giant Google expanded those choices, announcing that it would offer a phone directly to consumers, which they can take to their provider of choice – with no need for a contract.
(more…)