AT&T now ends phone subsidizes...

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http://www.droid-life.com/2015/05/19/at ... ng-june-1/

It's official folks, AT&T (the second largest carrier in North America) is now ending phone subsidizes.

What does this mean?

Those who wish to stay on the standard 2 year contract will have to pay full retail price for their phones or switch to AT&T NEXT and pay more to "rent" their new phones.

Full retail phone prices are:

~$780 for Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge (32GBs)
~$680 for Samsung Galaxy S6 (32GBs)
~$530 for Samsung Galaxy S5 (16GBs)
~$700 for Samsung Note 4 (32GBs)
~$750 for iPhone 6+ (16GBs)
~$650 for iPhone 6 (16GBs)
~$650 for HTC One M9 (32GBs)
~$500 for LG G4 (32GBs)

Price vary by retailer to some degree.

Verizon and Sprint are expected to follow suit in the coming months.

I am not too surprised. I like my HTC One (M8) but it won't last forever. I am currently with AT&T but I'm hoping that some more competition hits the market soon so we will have better choices, if that's possible.

It's not possible for more competition in carriers, due to the fact that AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-mobile (includes Metro PCS) control the over 85% of the wireless spectrum in the U.S.
The remain ~15% is held by other companies and regional carriers.

The big 4 bought most everyone out leading to market consolidation, which both the government and carriers promised it would lead to better competition and cheaper prices.
Though in a few years, I reckon we will be down to 3 major carriers in the U.S., control 90% of the market.

Anyways Practically all the wireless spectrum for has been sold off in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, EU, etc.., no more spectrum for new competitors.