You don't really want that: most if not all of the 10 points apply to Europe as well (especially, but not exclusively, if you take into account roaming charges).

One thing I hate?

They never have the handsets I want (the bleeding edge ones). Just a couple of months ago I had to go to the Nokia Store in Chicago and buy a N97 for a friend because we were sure it wasn't going to be here for a long time. Heck, they are just announcing the incoming launch of the 5800 Xpress...

In the US, the FCC and FTC are the largest culprits for our situation. They are supposed to be our watchdogs over industry, and prevent monopolies (overt and de facto) from forming. They don't do their jobs.

Companies deserve to make a profit... but consumers deserve fair treatment.

Do you get to keep your number when you switch cariers in USA?

After much fighting for years, we finally do... but they don't necessarily make it easy.

So there's hope!

I think it was a token appeasement.

I never understand why consumers often don't even take their own side in these matters. It seems as if there's an extreme priority to protect big businesses but an intense aversion to protecting small competitors and consumers, at least in the US.

A lot of that was the fault of the previous FCC chief. The new one is going like a madman (or as fast as he can) to correct the previous guy's screwups, intentional or otherwise.
Fully agree.
Actually, that's not true. The "protect big business at the expense of everyone else" is a montra started by, get this, politicians owned by the big businesses. So the politicians are merely protecting their own, and in some cases, their profits. He who has the biggest pocket book speaks the loudest in Washington. Us little guys are barely heard, since we're just pipsqueeks to be taken advantage of. It's the ultimate example of David vs Goliath, except for the fact that David's repeatedly getting the crap beaten out of him every day.

Trust me, I see it all the time in the FOSS world, so I can imagine it's the same or worse out in the regular tech/consumer arena. There's also a prevailing mentality among big companies that, you're just a number, or one among millions. If you leave, you will simply be replaced by someone else. So why care about you? Or as Microsoft says, "We don't want to be the best choice. We want to be the *ONLY* choice." Under Gates they followed the 80% rule, like a lot of companies did. Now just about every big corp has thrown out that rule for the "all and nothing" rule. IE, all for me, nothing for you. Companies thrive under competition, yet it's the one thing they hate the most and will go to some incredible ends to ensure doesn't occur.

Nono.. that I get, sadly. What I mean is that I also hear it out of ordinary people too, usually very politically conservative. On the one hand they do that--then on the other, they'll complain outrageously when they individually feel some sort of pinch.. but they still feel justified in that the government shouldn't stick its nose in there to force some sanity on the public's behalf.