Columns
September 6, 2011
By Jon Jackson
Consider the irony. Wireless carriers spend billions of dollars to acquire new customers. They spend billions more to market their products and services to consumers, and even more billions to subsidize handsets to make them more affordable.
{"ct":"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","iv":"f072008c0b316576a227e1c4370339ef","s":"ddab24069fb96e3c"}
Share your thoughts. Click here