annoyedAt this point, however, I run smack into one of the stupidest things I've encountered in the competitive realm of telecommunications. It seems that I, the consumer, cannot independently decide which phone and which carrier I want to use. If I stick with my current provider (Qwest), I'm stuck with a choice of 10 phones, none of which particularly appeal to me and certainly aren't a Treo. If I pick the Treo, I have to find a new carrier.
A new carrier means breaking my current contract. So I get to add a cancellation fee to the cost of a new phone and who know how much more a new plan will cost me per month. Not to mention the hassle of another bill to keep track of.
The way this should work is that I should pick a phone based on the features I want. I should then approach a carrier and sign up for a plan that fits my needs. The carrier initializes my phone for their network and we're in business.
Grr.
