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Caveat emptor: Purchase a subsidized Nexus One from Google (GOOG) and you\u2019ll pay dearly if you cancel service early. According to the device\u2019s terms of sale, the search company charges an “Equipment Recovery Fee” of $350<\/a> in the event users cancel service before 120 days have passed. This, in addition to the $200 in early termination fees that carrier T-Mobile assesses<\/a>.<\/p>\nFrom the Nexus One Terms of Sale:<\/p>\n
\n\nYou agree to pay Google an equipment subsidy recovery fee (the “Equipment Recovery Fee”) equal to the difference between the full price of the Nexus handheld device without service plan and the price you paid for the Nexus handheld device if you cancel your wireless plan prior to 120 days of continuous wireless service. For example, if the full price of the Nexus handheld device without service plan was $529 USD and the price you paid for the Nexus handheld device was $179 USD with a service plan, the Equipment Recovery Fee you pay will be $350 USD in the event you cancel within the first 120 days of carrier service. <\/p>\n
… You agree that the Equipment Recovery Fee is not a penalty but is for liquidated damages Google will incur as a result of such cancellation. These damages may include, but are not limited to, loss of compensation and administrative costs associated with such cancellation or changing of wireless service provider(s), market changes, and changes in ownership. Please note that the Equipment Recovery Fee is imposed by Google and not your chosen carrier and is in addition to any early termination fees that may be charged by your chosen carrier<\/b> in connection with termination of your wireless plan prior to fulfillment of your chosen carrier\u2019s service agreement term.\n<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The costs of canceling a T-Mobile Nexus One contract within the first four months after purchase, then, are as follows:<\/p>\n
\n
- $179 USD, the purchase price of the device.<\/li>\n
- $200 USD, the early termination fee T-Mobile asesses for contracts cancelled with more than 180 days remaining on term<\/li>\n
- $350 USD, Google\u2019s \u201cEquipment Recovery Fee\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Grand total: USD $729.<\/strong><\/p>\n
That’s $200 more than the cost of the device unsubsidized.<\/p>\n
So if you\u2019re unhappy with the Nexus One you purchased on contract<\/a>, do yourself a favor and wait at least 4 months before terminating it.<\/p>\n
What was it Google VP of Engineering Andy Rubin was saying last week<\/a>? Something about making the cellphone purchasing process simple and worry-free? If that really is the goal here, implementing ETFs that make canceling a Nexus One contract more expensive than the price of the unsubsidized device itself hardly seems a good way of going about it.<\/p>\n
I’ve asked Google to explain the rationale behind its $350 “Equipment Recovery Fee” and will update here if I’m given one.<\/p>\n
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