But they have no problems "eating the cost" for shipping the gear to you.
Again, I'm not saying they're not allowed to charge to return equipment, just that it's not a good impression to leave with a customer that you would presumably want back.
I fully understand your point. I doubt that most people have the same reaction that the OP has, though. If I'm terminating service with a company, and I have some of their equipment, I think it's reasonable to believe that they want their equipment back. I would be very pleased to learn that I can return it for a mere cost of $10 and not have to find a box to ship it in. Just my perspective.