5:45 PM -- Are we getting the worst of both possible worlds when it comes to cellular service in the U.S.?

The thought crossed my mind as I was yapping away on the message boards this Tuesday afternoon: Consider that capped, tiered or metered data plans -- the norm in Europe -- are now becoming the standard here too. Yet, unlike Europe, those capped plans still lock the consumer into a two-year contract.

So, basically, you lose the cheap unlimited plan in favor of a more European-style capped plan but without the -- admittedly more expensive -- freedom of choice to switch plans and jump to new devices.

I'm originally a native of the U.K., but it's been a long time since I had to go shopping for a phone there. I'd be interested in opinions on this topic from either side of the pond.

Could we eventually see U.S. carriers moving to a more European-style model were you pay more upfront for a device? Seems like Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) tried to push it without much luck. Maybe the major U.S. carriers standardizing on Long Term Evolution (LTE) could give the concept new life?

— Dan Jones, Site Editor, Light Reading Mobile