[untog]

I don't understand why our expectations with mobile phones should be any different.

The vast majority of people receive their cellphones under subsidy- signing up for a cellphone contract and getting a discounted price. In effect, you don't "own" the phone until the end of that contract, because they could (in theory?) take that phone away from you if you stopped paying every month.

Now, I'm not saying I agree with the line of thought but it's there. At the very least there should be the ability to root your phone after contract, or whenever you want if you buy the phone full price. Sadly, that doesn't happen often. But when I bought my Nexus One outright, it was very simple to root it.

[dangrossman]

No, you own the phone the day you sign the contract. The remedy for terminating the contract early is spelled out in that contract -- an early termination fee to cover that subsidy you didn't pay back by staying a subscriber.