[QuantumNomad_]

In Norway several of the mobile phone telecom operators sell phones on down payment plans that cost nothing extra compared to buying it cash up front.

It has been like this for several years and it’s great!

You can pay a pretty low monthly down payment over a period of 36 month.

As far as I’ve been able to tell, I don’t even have to enter into any binding contract for any phone plan to buy the phone this way. And even if I did have to do that the most they are allowed to bind me to is 12 months, by law.

Consumer protection laws in my country are fabulous :)

[rjh29]

Yes but you will generally pay more for your monthly plan in those cases vs. buying an unlocked phone at full price and a dirt-cheap SIM like Lebara.

[moi2388]

In my country you do not. No idea how they do it, but the plan and buying the phone separate (iPhone 16 pro Max) phone costs about 300 more than the phone and plan combined.

[mrgaro]

You can still do that as well

[SanjayMehta]

A new thing in India is a zero-cost EMI scheme where some intermediary company refunds the cost of the interest over a short period: typically 6 months.

I haven't tried it yet, but a dealer told only to use such a scheme if I didn't plan to use the credit card for anything else during that period.

I can't figure out how they're making money on this scheme.