Ata point when cell phone service providers are behaving likeimperialistic forces with their authoritarian ways, rigid rules andhefty termination fees, Verizon has made an announcement that comesas a whiff of fresh air. All of Verizon's new customers will now befree from their annual contracts. Their plans will be valid only on amonth-to-month basis. For those who wish to have one-year andtwo-year contracts with cell phone service providers, the plans willstill exist. So, no more contracts, no termination fees and freedomto choose any Verizon phone or plan.

Ofcourse there is a catch here. The month-to-month plans areunsubsidized, which makes them more expensive than phones withcontract. Also the existing customers with valid contracts must playout their existing contracts to switch to the new plan. On comparisonof the cellphone planwith other service providers, one finds that T-Mobile has a similarplan called ?Flexplay?. AT&T's similar plan is called?GoPhone Pick Your Plan?. Sprint does not seem to have acomparable plan. You can try to comparecell phone plansand choose the best one and get liberated from annual contracts.