Yahoo: California judge rules early cell phone termination fees illegal

[ChocolateCitySkin]

OK, everybody, get ready for another "interstate commerce" ruling.

lol... when are people gonna challenge this???

[GoSkins561]

When are people going to start reading contracts before signing them?

The next you think you know, California judges will be over ruling lease agreements, loans and other business contracts. F-ing commies.

[jpillian]

And yet, you seem to buy what I suspect is a complete myth, that cell phone prices are incredibly subsidized.

So, you don't think an iPhone really costs approx. $400 for Apple to make and sell for a decent profit?

There are certainly cheap phones out there, even today. This ruling, if it is not made moot by the FCC or on appeal, may even make them more prevalent. However, you're talking completely out of your arse if you don't think that wireless providers subsidize the cost of phones.

[ChocolateCitySkin]

hey since some of you don't get why this is a good thing... lemme explain. by allowing subscribers out of their contract it creates greater competition between the companies. greater competition = better services for the consumer.

[techboy]

only if they buy the expensive cell phones. news flash, you don't need an iphone to make phone calls.

In reality, poor people don't need a cell phone at all. The fact remains, though, that cell phone prices will go up if this ruling is enforced.

Screw the poor, how am I going to afford to upgrade my Treo?

[The 12th Commandment]

:rotflmao:

Goddam activist judges.

[Larry]

In reality, poor people don't need a cell phone at all. The fact remains, though, that cell phone prices will go up if this ruling is enforced.

Screw the poor, how am I going to afford to upgrade my Treo?

You know, the phone company said the same thing when the FCC ruled that they had to allow people to buy their own telephones.

They said it again when they were forced to allow competition for long distance.

And again, when they were forced to allow people to buy modems from third parties.

I may be wrong, but I can't think of a single case in which competition raised prices.

[Larry]

Goddam activist judges.

Actually I could agree with that statement.

I frankly think that this whole "sign a contract or else" thing is a fraud, perpetuated by an industry that, while they may not be actively conspiring to screw the customer, certainly don't seem to mind if everybody does it.

However, I fail to see any legal justification for this ruling. I believe the cell phone companies are screwing their customers. But that's a long way from proving it. And even that's a long way from finding a legal justification for voiding a contract.

[ChocolateCitySkin]

You know, the phone company said the same thing when the FCC ruled that they had to allow people to buy their own telephones.

They said it again when they were forced to allow competition for long distance.

And again, when they were forced to allow people to buy modems from third parties.

I may be wrong, but I can't think of a single case in which competition raised prices.

eh its the whole hollerith business model -- they (the phone companies) try and control every aspect of the business when its clear that generative models are far more flexible and allow for greater innovation.

can you imagine if the courts had ruled that the phone companies could actually dictate what the phone lines were used for... ugh. we'd never have had the internet and still be communicating via person to person calling on landlines.