Get a grip!
Good ole American marketing. And how long was that service plan you signed up for? They "gave" you that free phone that you can't switch to any other service and can't cancel for a minimum of a year at $35.00 a month.
Does not sound cheap to me. Sounds like a rip-off.
You are talking though your hat now ... there have been a variety of plans available through the years - some as reasonable as 66 cents a day plus 10 cents a minute for 'security' use ... my use during my time with a carrier was 'non-rev' (non-revenue generating since it was a company phone that was allowed to be used for personal calls as well).
So much for me (or the public) getting 'ripped off'.
Thanks for playing here on FR and be *sure* you put something in the kitty on your way out ...