Many cell phone carriers are perfectly willing to provide their customers with premium cell phones and handheld devices at little or no up-front cost - as long as the customer signs up for the carrier's service plans. But customers who decide to switch carriers before their contracts ends can be unpleasantly surprised to find hundreds of dollars in early termination fees on their final bill.
Congress has introduced legislation aimed at putting reasonable curbs on these fees. The Cell Phone Early Termination Fee, Transparency and Fairness Act would link carriers' early withdrawal fees to the cost of the phone and the amount of time remaining on a customer's contract.
What's more, a recent study indicated the average cell phone customer overpays for his or her cell phone service. Don't wait for new legislation to get enacted; find out what you can do now to minimize the charges from your own cell phone provider.