Signing a two-year contract in order to pick up an Apple iPhone 4 or Apple iPhone 4S for $199.99 does not appeal to all cell phone users, after all AT&T, Verizon and Sprint simply increase the cost of data and other fees in order to recuperate their losses. That is why regional carrier Cricket Wireless announced on Thursday that the company will soon offer no-commitment required iPhone devices.
Cricket Wireless customers will soon be able to pick up the iPhone 4 at a cost of $400 or the iPhone 4S for $500. While those increases in pricing may seem high the company points out that the average customer will save $1000 over two years because of the company’s cheaper data, text and talk plan.
Under the plan Cricket Wireless will charge customers just $55 a month for talk, text and data.
While the deal is a great way to avoid becoming shackled down to a wireless carrier for two-years it should be noted that Cricket Wireless currently offers service to just 60 million users in isolated parts of the country.
The idea of selling cell phones at full or close to full price is not a new approach, carriers throughout Europe offer non-subsidized phones with discounted carrier plans and in the United States major wireless carriers including AT&T, Verizon and Sprint have hinted at similar plans for the future.
While convincing US customers to pay more for an unlocked device with cheaper data and calling plans may not be a simple process it is likely the future of US based wireless phone service.
