Yup- and this is key. <i>You didn&#x27;t have a choice</i> before, at least not with the big carriers. They were going to take you for a full subsidy&#x2F;installment&#x2F;whatever phone plan, <i>whether or not</i> you reaped the rewards of it. As such, it was silly to not sign a new contract and pay a couple hundred for a new $800 phone every 2 years.<p>Even back into the turn of the century, if you bought an unlocked phone off eBay, you were paying full whack for your rate plan, even though you didn&#x27;t use a subsidy. I even had Cingular once try to tell me I was under contract, simply because I had signed up less than 2 years ago -- even though there was no contract (I paid for my own phone).<p>Then a couple of years ago, they started offering &quot;BYOD&quot; pricing plans, so I paid my $300ish ETF, got my iPhone unlocked, and &quot;saved&quot; $15&#x2F;mo. It was roughly breakeven.<p>Now I just pay full price for my phone if and when I want a new one. It helps me recognize the full cost of what I&#x27;m buying, and it means I&#x27;m not tied to a carrier.