The law regarding unlocking mobile phone

Money_Grabber13579

macman wrote: »

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Just put a different network's SIM in it and see if it will work.

Ok. I was of the opinion that doing this permanently locked the phone so it was useless, but is this not the case?

darich

crackerberry wrote: »

Contrary to popular belief the phone never becomes the property of its user but belongs to the network provider.

Nonsense.
Why don't any providers ever come looking for "their" phone at the end of a contract then?
what abotu all the people on ebay selling mobile phones once their contract is up? Are you trying to say that these people are illegally selling someone else's property??

Once the contract has expired the phone belongs to the user to do with as they please.

robt_2

crackerberry wrote: »

Contrary to popular belief the phone never becomes the property of its user but belongs to the network provider.

Total garbage. What applies to Cable TV boxes or a bank card doesn't apply to mobile phones.

macman

Money_Grabber13579 wrote: »

Ok. I was of the opinion that doing this permanently locked the phone so it was useless, but is this not the case?

No it will not lock it. It just won't work wit the new SIM in if it is network locked.

mobyfix

OK....This is the norm..

Firstly phones are your property ( PAYG or Contract ) In the same way Sky give you a box free at the start of your contract.

All pay as you go phones are locked UNLESS bought from the Carphone Warehouse ( see below )

Contracts on Orange, T Mobile and 3 are always locked. Some contract phones are unlocked on Voda and O2.. Phone models available on PAYG and contract are normally locked ( 02 and Voda )

Contracts taken from Carphone Warehouse are normally unlocked 99%.

It is perfectly legal to have your network locked phone unlocked to use another sim.

It is illegal and an imprisonable offence if you UNBLOCK a phone ( This is completely different and related to IMEI serial number changes to change the identity of a stolen phone )

Networks have the facility to unlock your phone and will charge for this service. If they are not going to continue to benefit from your custom they may as well sting you one last time.. This does not relate to a manufacturers charge. Vodafone keep most unlocking codes on their database regardless of if you want them or not. They should be able to unlock your phone instantly for a £20 charge. Most other networks have a slow service of code access as it makes it harder to leave and maybe you will change your mind during the ensuing weeks waiting.

I hope this clarifies the situation

Browntoa

the phone is Free for you to do wish as you wish , sell or give to a friend

the contract is for the sim card , if you fail to honour that part then they will chase you for the debt, not the return of the phone

been at this for many years so trust me that I'm correct

MRSCARNEY

Vodafone didn't charge me for an unlock code. It was at the end of my contract and I had just taken out a new contract with them - don't know if that makes a difference?

gjchester

If you have met your contract terms Vodafone will usually give you the onlock code for free. Withing your contract they'll ask you to pay the rest of the contract cost up front and may add an unlock fee.

geoffW

T-mobile didn't charge me for unlocking my phone,it was towards the end of my contract.You have to write to a special address,which I forget,Sunderland area I think.You might find it on this forum as it's been mentioned before,thats how I found out about it.

chris_spackman

Orange state that they lock the phones for security and others at Orange say that the likes of Nokia and Sony Ericsson lock the phones not at Oranges request but thats just what they do. As we know this is utter rubbish and the networks do it after they put lots of their own rubbish software on the phone to try and stop you from using other sims in the phone.

As the networks request for the phones to be locked before they get them then the network should not charge you for the code. I have just requested a code from Orange and i have been told it could take up to 4 weeks to get it, but of course i said that won't be the case.