I've come across a thread at a mobile phone forum I've been frequenting. The user asked why some people prefer to spend a lot on unlocked mobile phones rather than getting the mobile phone for free with a contract.

I'm one of those people who want the latest mobile phones but mobile phone manufacturers always releases their latest phones in Europe and we in the US get it months afterwards. Sure, you can get cheap mobile phones when you get a contract but what about the prestige or bragging rights that comes with owning an unreleased phone in the US?

Besides, I already did the math. If I compute the total monthly payment I have to pay for two years plus any cash-out for a high end phone, I'd end up paying more. Add in the fact that I can't get out of the contract and I'm tied to any price increases that our carriers impose, I'd end up paying more. Anyways, I change phones every 3 to 6 months and I can always sell my phone on eBay and get around half the price to purchase my next mobile phone. It would be hard to dispose of locked mobile phone and you can't get a decent price for it on eBay.

So if you're an avid mobile phone fan and you frequently change your phone, you're better off buying an unlocked mobile. Sure, you can't use the 3G function of a European phone model but you can always get a WiFi enabled phone.