Do you prefer to pay for your phone on installments, or buy it outright at full retail price?

Instead, you can pay your phone in even installments of various lengths, usually 24 months, and even drop down payments, or throw extra money to pay it off faster, depending on the carrier and your credit history. Granted, the no-contract data plans, access fees and phone payment charges are calculated in such a way that there isn't that much of a difference in the monthly outlay to a carrier from before. A few notable exceptions make today's more competitive carrier landscape a better deal, though - you don't have to pay the usual $199 down payment for a high-end handset, but are essentially paying them off as a zero-interest loan. Alternatively, you can buy it outright, and only pay for the data bucket tier, which start at about $40-$50 a month, depending on the carrier. 

Moreover, you can now move between plans each billing cycle, if something better comes on the horizon, and, if you buy the handset or bring your own, you don't have to hassle with early upgrade restrictions. T-Mobile's installment plans for some premium phones now even include upgrades up to three times a year, so it's a better world we are living in indeed. That is why we wanted to ask you whether you would prefer to pay your phone in full upfront, or gradually on installments, given today's carrier realities. Tell us in the poll below, and argue the position in the comments.