12 days in cellphone hell

[Commentary] Have you ever heard anyone — anyone — rave about their phone carrier's service? Say, "Wow, that customer service rep solved my problem in no time flat"? If you haven't, there's a reason: The companies don't compete on service.

Indeed, their service contracts are designed to keep you from jumping to other carriers unless you pony up several hundred bucks. "Phone carriers aren't trying to gain consumers through quality service," says Parul Desai, the communications policy counsel for Consumers Union. No phone company "says we'll take care of this; we'll come right over and fix it." They have no reason to: Their mandatory arbitration clauses make it all but impossible for disgruntled customers to sue them, and their early termination fees lock those customers into their contracts. [Meyerson is editor at large of the American Prospect]