-CH> Youre darn right there is.  Also, those deposits
-CH> (unbeknownst to
-CH> customer usually) go to cover the sale of a cellular phone
-CH> that the
-CH> customer THOUGHT they were getting for 1 cent or some other
-CH> reduced
-CH> amount or "free".
The phone is indeed free, whether you take the phone or not, you need to sign 
a one year contract. Whether you take the phone or not, the rates are the 
same.
Bottom line, sign up on one of the 20 bucks a month plan, if you have your 
own phone you pay $240 for the year, + taxes and use, if you take the "free" 
phone you pay $240 for the year + taxes and use.
In both cases you go thru the same credit check and when you go thru it they 
have no clue as to what you're doing for a phone.
Therefore, I beleive that saying the phone is free with activation is fair 
and accurate.
If you could sign up without a contract because you already had equipment 
then I would have to agree with you but in this market, that isn't the case.
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