FCC probes Googlephone's double dip cancel fees The US Federal Communications Commission has questioned whether Google properly warns Nexus One buyers that the subsidized version of the inaugural Googlephone carries not one but two early termination fees. If you purchase the Nexus One with a two-year T-Mobile wireless contact, Google knocks $350 off the price of the …
"We strive to be as transparent and straightforward as possible"
Translation: "we cannot simply be straightforward and transparent because that would mean some people might choose not to give us their money"
Not that Google are the only ones at it, but it's still bullshit. Grinds my gears etc.
.... to seperate out service from hardware ?
Let the user buy their devices un-latched and then make the networks actually provide a 'service'. This would have the added advantage of providing some incentive to the NOCs to actually improve their service..... if not, the user can whip out the sim and shove in another.....
Subsidy ; the dirth of service.
"The T-Mobiled Nexus One carries a $529 price tag (versus $179 for the unlocked version). But if you cancel the contract prematurely, you may end up paying $729 for the thing."
I don't think the unlocked version is $179. I am guessing $679 is more likely. After all the T-Mobiled version should be cheaper than the unlocked or there would be no purpose, but still less than the $729 (or there would be no reason to complain about the early termination fees).
Doesn't anyone read their own articles before posting them?
Actually, according to the article *Google* is subsidising the *unlocked* phone to the tune of $350. So $529 - $350 = $179. The maths is right.
Although why it would choose to do so and piss off T-Mobile is beyond me. Is Google looking at setting up their own masts in the not-too-distant future? G-Fi?
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2024
