And if the media never covers the fact those are valid (and much liked) options in other countries, all you get is confirmation bias, and a continuation of the (broken) status quo.
Yeah, a big problem is that no one offers unsubsidized plans, so you can either pay $199 for your phone and $100 a month for three years, or $699 for your phone and $100 a month til you decide you no longer need phone service.
About the only advantage paying for your phone gives you is the opportunity to leave your carrier, but since the buyout is usually less than the subsidy on a smartphone it's usually better to use the buyout.
