Sign a Contract or NOT ?? 簽唔簽合約？？

Nowadays, it is common that the consumers have to sign contracts when they want to buy some service. A familiar case is the contracts of buying telecommunication service. It is usual that we always have sign a contact of one to two yrs. So, should we sign these contracts? What whould we compare when we are deciding to sign this contact?
　Being a financial consultant, the writer often sees some of his clients compare the length of product contract in order to differentiate a good product. But it does not make any sense ! An example: As the World Cup event comes, many people want to watch world cup event in their home. However, to watch the great world cup events, consumers has to sign an one yr contract with i-cable TV which broadcast world cup event exclusively in Hong Kong. So, during this period, we cannot say i-cable TV is a bad product even signing a contract is required.
In fact, the length of contract is not too important to consumers. In economists' view, there is no difference for sign a contracts of 1 or 10 years as long as their net benefit of signing a contract are the same in the competitive market. You may ask what benefit it is!? Why the companies must give the consumers some benefit when they'r willing to sign a contract? Will consumers get lose in signing contracts as it restricts them to have a change during the contract period?

Actually, benefits are the extra service, products, discount given to customers when they sign a contact. For example, when we sign a contract with telecommunication service, the companies would usually give us discounts, free mobile phone...etc. For i-cable TV, it gives its watcher a right to watch World Cup event exclusively.To be competitive, the longer the contracts, the greater the benefits the service or good providers should give. Thus, in competive market, there should be no big difference between long or short contracts.
Why must the companies give some extra benefit when their customers sign a contract? Well, it is because without the benefits, the consumers would have no incentive to sign any contracts. It is known that we can change the service or goods providers easily according to the changing market. But with contracts, we cannot. In other words, we can say that those providers would have more stable income or benefits when the customers sign a contract with them. However, the world is not perfect, there must be tradeoff!!! To promote the customers signing a contract, the service or goods provider must give out some extra benefit they can get from the contract to their customers. But ( a kind notice to consumers) these benefits given to customers may not be able to compensate their loss for signing a contract(e.g., the disability of changing service providers even the service providing is poor) before the long run equilibrium.
In conclusion, contract would give extra benefits to the customers, at the same time, it is noticed that the benefits given may not cover the loss of signing a contract.To be smart consumers, we cannot only focus on the great benefits given to us for signing a contract or the length of contract, but also compare with the case that we do not sign contract.
Happy Goods Hunting!