Cheaper smartphones hit Alltel, T-Mobile USA

Alltel Corp., the nation’s fifth-largest carrier, discounted two smartphones over the past week, dropping prices on the Palm Inc. Treo 650 to $150 (from $200) and the UTStarcom PPC6700 to $200 (from $250).
T-Mobile USA Inc., fourth-largest in the nation, also lowered the price of its Research In Motion Ltd. BlackBerry 7105t to free (from $100). The carrier’s Web site heralds the price as a “Web-only, blowout sale” with limited supplies.
The logic behind handset pricing gyrations is said to be so multi-faceted as to render it as obscure as tax law, but the smartphone segment has gotten attention of late for its growth potential. The nation’s other top carriers have discounted certain models of smartphones in recent weeks, though they took a breather last week.