[AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note I717] E90 Commie:
Sometimes, the carriers offers deals like a free Galaxy Note with 24 months contract, $50 per month with unlimited talk, text and 10 GB of HSPA+ data. This is the latest Hi3G deal in Sweden (lasts until April 22).

Otherwise, you can buy the device outright or get an "elevated fee" per month, i.e you buy on credit (interest free) and pays for example $20 per month extra.

Often, a device is included if you buy a premium unlimited service. Otherwise, you have elevated monthly fees or buy it outright. Traditional subsidizing is history - i.e that the service is expensive in order to outright subsidize the device.

The included devices with premium contracts are a pure "service" to the customer since the monthly fee is around $80-100 per month (beside this time limited Hi3G deal) which makes it attractive to add an incentive.

The US market works like the Swedish one did in the 90s. I.e way behind the curve with heavy subsidizing and a horrible pricing system. The system is designed in a way that buying a subsidized device is the only logical thing to do if you want service with a major carrier. You can't get a cheaper plan by buying your phone outright since the price structure is designed to discourage it.

That's why BYOD customers here are paying the same price for their service as if they got a phone on a 24 months contract.

The main problems with the US cellular market is basically:

1. Carrier exclusive phones.

2. Subsidizing and service pricing that encourages the customer to be locked into a contract.

3. Incompatible networks and anti-competitive measures in order to lock the customer to the carrier.

4. Outrageous pricing - mobile phone service is a "luxury" which limits the practical use compared to landlines.

The carrier exclusive phones is something I absolutely hate. It is totally sick that I am FORCED to get AT&T if I want a Note or Verizon if I want a Rezound. In a normal market like in Europe, I select the device first and can then get it on any carrier = competition.

Carrier exclusive deals are also devastating since it restricts the "flagships" to the main carriers. Prepaid companies are therefore selling old fashioned antiquated devices. The proper way would be to be able to get a Note with Straight Talk or Red Pocket. Even if they would charge $599 for it, it would be a perfect option. They could also offer an elevated monthly fee like in Sweden, i.e get the Note with the unlimited $45 plan and pay $20 per month extra for the device and $0 in the store.

The pricing is absolutely sick in this country. $299 for a Note plus almost $2400 for the contract??? Really!!!!?????

In order to "save" $300, you have to pay $2400. It seems like people are unable to make basic calculations if they starts to argue that a carrier subsidized device is "cheaper" compared to buy it outright and go for a more cost effective plan. It is only "cheaper" if you have an extremely good discounted plan.

With Straight Talk, I save approximately $1320 during a two year period ($55 x 24) compared to keeping my Verizon contract.

The choice is obvious:

Pay $299 now and then $100 x 24 or pay $600-680 now and then $45 per month.

If we upgrade the carrier contract to unlimited, this price difference is even bigger.

The whole market needs a complete revamp and has to be converted into something similar to the European one. Otherwise, the country will suffer from a badly developed cellular communication market and too high reliance on landlines.

It is also detrimental for the technical development that the manufacturers are unable to deal directly with the customers but are forced to go through the carriers. The carrier devices are also often worse than the standard versions, including the AT&T Note (yes, it is worse than the international version).

It is time for this country to implement the following:

1. Standardized networks using LTE. A Verizon LTE device should be able to operate on the AT&T LTE network.

2. The devices should be standardized - one device for all carriers. Not the idiotic situation where a Rezound requires Verizon, a Note requires AT&T, An Evo 3D requires Sprint etc.

3. Subsidized devices are eliminated and is replaced with either elevated monthly fees, outright purchase or in some cases, is included with a premium contract as an incitement.

4. All carriers, including the prepaid ones sells flagships.

5. Independent mobile stores selling all devices and carriers are replacing the carrier specific stores as the main channels.

6. The service plan prices are lowered to EU levels.

7. A basic "talk" contract is lowered to $5 per month and offers $0.03 per minutes rate.

8. The sick division between prepaid carriers as something "substandard, for poor people" and main carriers as something "finer" are eliminated completely.

From now on, I will pee on those stupid "carrier specific subsidized" devices and only use completely standard, unlocked products.