Californians fed up with being charged for ending their cell phone service prematurely won a major victory in a Bay Area court decision that concluded such fees violate state law.

In a preliminary ruling Monday, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Bonnie Sabraw said Sprint Nextel must pay California mobile-phone consumers $18.2 million as part of a class-action lawsuit challenging early termination fees.

FUCK YES.

This court ruling is so ridiculously huge. Right now, carriers leverage exclusive cell phones to force you into shitty 2 year contracts. The only good thing about it is your expensive phone will largely be paid for by the carrier. On the other hand you're stuck with a 2 commitment.

You ever notice how everywhere else in the world you can get any phone, throw in a SIM card and you're good to go with any carrier? That's the way it should be. Pressure needs to be put on carriers to make their service plans better. No more of this baiting people with sexy cell phones into a 2 year trap.

You want an iPhone? Go ahead and pop in your SIM card. Want a better plan? Just cancel your current and sign up with someone else.

It should be that easy.

Surely this ruling will be appealed, and it's only in affect in California. But this is just a start...hopefully it foreshadows a time when we'll see unlocked phones and real consumer choice in the US.