The following email was sent out to the Columbia Journalism School new media alumni email list today. We post it not to mock the unfortunate sender, but rather to gently question just how well they're teaching "new media," over there.

To: New Media Alumni
Subject: [new-media-alumni] cell phone question

Ok. I may be the last person in America who doesn't have a cell phone.

That's about to change.

But there's something I don't understand.

I can buy any make of phone. I can, for instance, buy a Samsung phone.

But the servicer providers tell me that in order to sign up with them — be in Verizon or AT&T or Spring — I have to buy a phone that has their name on it.

So for example, if I want to sign up with AT&T, I have to buy a phone that says AT&T on it.

So here's my question: what servicer provider can you sign up with if you buy a Samsung phone?

thx.

[Pic via]