Why people accept network locked phone?

Andyblizz

movilogo wrote: »

1. Depedning on phone model, you can make it more useful. E.g. jailbroken iPhone can work with lot more useful applications where as locked iPhone can't.

:rolleyes:

I think you are mistaken. Network locked iPhones can be jailbroken without the need for it to be unlocked.

However a Networked locked iPhone cant be unlocked unless it is jailbroken.

Guys_Dad

One very good reason to have an unlocked phone is that, when abroad, you can put a local sim in it to ring home, taking advantage of the best reception/rates available. Less important, perhaps in Europe, but elswhere it will save shedloads.

A further reason, of course, is when Orange and T-Mobile eventually come together, will their locked phones work on the new unified network?

RICK..._2

It does annoy me, but if you want the latest handset then you have to pay that price. It's how its always been and I can't ever see it changing tbh.

almillar

I don't want to defend the networks, but if they sell you the phone on a contract, they are subsiding the cost of it to get you in so want you to stay with them after the contract is up. Or at least make it more awkward for you to leave, or just make sure your phone's useless if you do. I think PAYG phones are subsidised too which makes them cheaper than unlocked.
It would be lovely if networks unlocked them for free after the contract was up, but what really annoys me is the branding and the crippled software the networks put on, that's often a bit harder to get rid of.

DarkConvict

movilogo wrote: »

Not all carriers provide unlock code free of charge!
Some phones can't be unlocked just by entering a code! (they require cables and special software)

Apologies then, i was unaware of any unlockable handsets. And i have had free unlock codes from different operators so i wasn't aware some charge for it even after the contract is over.

Guys_Dad

almillar wrote: »

I I think PAYG phones are subsidised too which makes them cheaper than unlocked.
.

I believe that all CPW PAYG phones, regardless of which sim you have , are unlocked.

This is what the local branches say, but someone may want to correct me. Certainly the spare one that I bought on Orange works with T-Mobile and O2.

Jakg

Because locked phones are cheap - in the UK we have pretty much the cheapest phone costs in the world and it's a very competitive market.

To give you an idea, I pay £35 (well £34.25) per month for a G1, with 700 minutes and unlimited texts and unlimited internet addon (I also pay £5 for a family bolt on but lets skip this). The phone was free, and via a CashBack contract I actually pay about £17.92pm.

In America, a G1 with 1000 minutes costs $129.99 (for the phone itself), and then $39.99pm for the contract. You THEN have to pay ANOTHER $34.99 for unlimited texts / internet.

Which means the phone bill is $74.98pm, or £45.54pm - which is just over £10 (or a third) more than I'm paying for 300 minutes less. THEN they have to pay an extra $129.99 (£78) for the phone itself - i.e. almost 2 months line rental...

Yes we could demand SIM free phones - but the cost of unlocking phones (£25 for the most cumbersome BB5 or whatever phones) is much much less than we would have to pay for a SIM free phone.

gjchester

Guys_Dad wrote: »

I believe that all CPW PAYG phones, regardless of which sim you have , are unlocked.

This is what the local branches say, but someone may want to correct me. Certainly the spare one that I bought on Orange works with T-Mobile and O2.

Not really, CPW is a bit of a gamble usually. CPW buy the phones at the best price so if you get common phone on all networks it will probably be unlocked, as they bought in bulk to get the best price per unit However something network specific like a G1 or an Iphone is locked before they even get to CPW.

Generally anything that's exclusive to a network will be locked regardless of it being PAYT or Contract, not always but usually. You can ask for unlocked stock, but you won't always get it

dot111

You may correct me but I thought you could have a phone unlocked for free when contract ended and after a year on payg. Vodafone did mine for free 18 months ago and as I now have a new contract and phone I shall be ringing to get my old one unlocked.

I'm sure initially I read it on this site, it was something to do with OFcom.

nomoneytoday

O2 have never locked any of my contract phones since they were BT Cellnet