My two-year AT&T contract has expired, so I'm free to select any wireless suitor without the outrageous $325 cancellation penalty. But, AT&T carries three of the phones I'm considering. I pay that company $59 per month for a 900-minute voice plan, $50 for unlimited data, and $5 for insurance in case of loss or theft. That's $114, not counting $12 in taxes, plus any overage fees, each month. To renew my service for two years, an AT&T representative over the phone offered the following for a handset:

Verizon

Only Verizon carries the Motorola Droid X, which could ship to me by the end of this month. A rep at a San Francisco store said the $569 cell phone drops to $199 with two years of service, but it costs $70 more if I only sign up for a year. Calling plans cost the same as AT&T's, but bundled with Verizon's unlimited data plan, I'd pay $89 monthly for 900 calling minutes and unlimited data plus $8 for insurance--$17 less than with AT&T.

Sprint

Sprint's HTC EVO is sold out online. Nobody knows for sure when it will be available. I called a Sprint store in San Francisco and learned that whenever that day comes, I could get the $449 handset at a $149 discount with a two-year contract. After a $100 mail-in rebate, the EVO would ultimately cost $200. If I cancelled after the 30-day grace period, Sprint demands a $200 penalty. No HTC EVO for me. That said, the Sprint monthly plans sound decent: $69 or $79 per month () for unlimited data with 450 talking minutes. It's $99 for unlimited U.S. calling plus all-you-can-eat data.