system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: What does Verizon ending phone subsidies mean for their customers?
gpt
Not particularly much. You now have the option of buying the phone up front (~ $650 for a high end phone) and paying $20 less per month or getting a payment plan, which is basically the same price you were paying before except you're not "paying an early termination fee for breaking a contract", you're "paying off the phone".