I have been looking for the answer to the following questions for a while now: When is it time to switch to a new cell phone provider? and Which one to choose?

Everyone I have asked so far can only give me one of two answers: “Because So-And-So Sucks…” or, “Because So-And-So gave me a better deal…”

Well, I guess those answers are fine, but what bothers me about the `Big-4` [Cingular, Verizon, Sprint/Nextel, T-Mobile] cell providers is that they lock you into these crazy contracts. So if it is true that So-And-So Sucks, or a better deal comes along… You’re pretty much stuck, or face the penalty of crazy fines.

So I guess what my problem is, if one of these providers felt that their service/network was so superior — Then why don’t they offer real Month-To-Month contracts, or at least 30-Day `Demo` Simcards [GSM need only Apply] so people can try out their networks on their own phone, in their own daily environment… Sure some have 30-Day money back guarantees, but you still need to go through the whole signup process… etc. etc. Pain in the ass..

This whole process is just lame… I guess I realize why I have been with “Cingular” for 10 years now (Cellular One -> Att Wireless -> Cingular) It’s because of their business model :: “Just as long as our competition is just as incompetent and incapable as we are, people will have no reason/easy way to leave…”

I think I’ll call this `Corporate Unified Monopolies Screwing Unrestricted Commerce` — Or we can refer to these companies as CUMSUC’ers for short…. Huh… Might need to work on that acronym…