You are locked in at the rate if you get in before Jan 2016. I don't see anything wrong with that. It's promotional marketing to catch up to other players.
That's a legitimate opinion - but it's how the game has been played for in the CC world for a while. There's huge lock in to these providers and they know they'll get'm for years at a higher rate, and the merchants won't really be able to do much about it. It sucks.