T-Mobile, AT&T oppose unlocking rule, claim locked phones are good for users

This is a good way for Ars to generate clicks and a more honest headline probably wouldn't move the needle much, but it's worth being clear for HN that the objection here is not that locked phones are good for consumers, but that the subsidization deals locked phones enable are.

They aren’t though. Subsidized phones are like monthly car payments drive up costs and are targeted at people bad at math.

If consumers paid out of pocket for their phones then they would be more picky about upgrading and plan prices. It would also make upselling shitty plan features harder so the carriers would loose a lot of money.

I don’t know, my phone carrier charges me zero interest to “buy” my phone on a 36 month loan because of it. It’s not a huge financial windfall by any means, but it’s absolutely money in my pocket.

I had one of those deals for 3 phones. I was paying $272 a month all in. Once I paid off the phones, I switched to an MVNO on the same carrier. I get the same level of service for $105 per month. My "free" phones cost me $168 x 24 months = $4032 for phones that cost about $3000 combined at retail pricing.

Never again.