> if you do the analogous thing with a cell phone plan -- buy the phone upfront -- you still have to pay the implicit "interest" in the higher monthly fee. Act

> if you do the analogous thing with a cell phone plan -- buy the phone upfront -- you still have to pay the implicit "interest" in the higher monthly fee. Actually, with T-Mobile (the company in this story) you DO have this option. http://www.t-mobile.com/bring-your-own-phone.html http://www.t-mobile.com/bring-your-own-phone.html