Is it really possible to get smart phones for free?
We are all literally addicted to the word ‘free’. Most of us listen with rapt attention when anyone says that anything that comes for free, even though we are aware of the fact that nothing in this world comes for free. Also, if something does get something for free, we all are indirectly paying for it in some way or the other. We constantly hear this word ‘free’ in the modern-day markets both online and offline. Companies are using this trick to attract customers and make them use their products. This is far clearer and prominent in the mobile phone and telecom market today.
Most of the smartphones in the US are sold on a contract basis. The operator, thus, puts a $0 price to the smartphone they are selling, but the condition is that you need to stick on to the mobile operator for a period of 2 years or so and you need to pay in installments a certain amount every month. This price also includes the price of the phone, the data plan that you are using, text and the calling plan as well. This package is a plan that is given by the company.
The other trick that is used by the companies is ‘Buy One Get One Free’. AT&T has such promotional offers on iPhones. However, here the fact is that in order to get a $700 iPhone, you need to pay $25 to $30 a month for about 30 months continuously. This includes the line access fee which connects your operator and phone. So, you are actually paying the whole money back but only slowly.
Regardless of all these, free phone services exist prominently in the United States but it is for people of certain category. It is given by the government through a program called the ‘Lifeline Assistance Program’. You need to qualify for the program to access this service. You will also get up to 250 minutes absolutely free to anywhere in United states per month in this program.
Carriers like Freedompop are providing free data plans and talk times as part of promotions but one needs to buy a phone from them and start using it. The call quality of this carrier is not up to the mark too. So, we should conclude that in order to get some premier service we need to pay it from our pocket and all the ‘Free’ deals are paid by us in alternate ways.
