Which online shops sell unlocked phones?

MarkBargain

I am looking to buy a phone with a QWERTY keyboard, such as the Nokia C3, but I want to use it abroad so don't want it locked. Am I right in thinking that only the Carphone Warehouse, e2Save and Mobiles.co.uk (all part of the CPW group) sell PAYG phones which are all unlocked? The cheapest I get get a C3 from from them is £69.95 + £10.00 top-up.

(I know some stores sell SIM-free phones, but these are much more expensive).

JJ_Egan

O2 have sold me to phones that turned out to be unlocked but branded .
Though staff say the phone is locked .

jje

hicky45

All phones4u handsets are unlocked

MarkBargain

hicky45 wrote: »

All phones4u handsets are unlocked

Are you sure? They have the Nokia C3 for £64.95 on Vodafone and Virgin, plus £10.00 top up (which I don't need but have to buy), so with £6.56 Topcashback that is a final price of £68.39. I don't want to order it and find it locked however!

gjchester

MarkBargain wrote: »

I am looking to buy a phone with a QWERTY keyboard, such as the Nokia C3, but I want to use it abroad so don't want it locked. Am I right in thinking that only the Carphone Warehouse, e2Save and Mobiles.co.uk (all part of the CPW group) sell PAYG phones which are all unlocked? The cheapest I get get a C3 from from them is £69.95 + £10.00 top-up.

(I know some stores sell SIM-free phones, but these are much more expensive).

The best answer is no-one knows. There is no hard and fast answer, I've had locked and unlocked phones from CPW on both PAYG and contract. It all depends what stock they have to shift at any given time.

Big chain shops like CPW/P4U buy stock in bulk and if it's cheaper to get generic stock so they can sell it on any network they will. If any network offers them a cheap deal they'll take that and use that for that network. even just a few quid cheaper makes a difference when you buy in the 10,000 unit mark.


For any given phone if it's an network exclusve (or even just a exclusive colour of a phone available on all networks) it will be most likely be locked, if it's branded most likely it's locked.

There really is no way to tell until you get the box. If it'as that impostant to you you need to consider buying one in store where you can see the box before you buy, You could buy ahnd return under the DSR, but some networks (three) will not allow returns if the phone has even been turned on.

essexman77

The worst case is you have to pay about 12 quid to get it unlocked theres plenty on ebay unlocked but did not see any for 68 or cheaper.

MarkBargain

Thanks for the responses.

Mobiles.co.uk advertise refurbished C3s for £44.90, but they are out-of-stock and I've no idea whether they will get any more in. I don't want to over pay for one. Perhaps I'll wait to see if they come back in stock and keep an eye on Ebay in the meantime.

hicky45

I know 100% that all phones4u stores sell unlocked handsets and you can upgrade your payg sim so you dont have to buy the top up. I can confirm this in regards to the stores and not to online though

gjchester

hicky45 wrote: »

I know 100% that all phones4u stores sell unlocked handsets and you can upgrade your payg sim so you dont have to buy the top up. I can confirm this in regards to the stores and not to online though

Not always true.

The new HTC Salsa and the Playstaion phone in White are o2 exclusives, regardless of where you buy them they'll be from o2 stock and so most likely locked.

As I said anything thats network exclusive will most likely be locked. There is no way you can guarantee every phone from any particular retailer will be unlocked.

MarkBargain

hicky45 wrote: »

I know 100% that all phones4u stores sell unlocked handsets and you can upgrade your payg sim so you dont have to buy the top up. I can confirm this in regards to the stores and not to online though

Thanks, that's good to know. Phone4U's £64.95 price for the Nokia C3 is the best I can find, but that's on Virgin and Vodafone - I'm not a customer of those networks so would need to buy a £10.00 SIM unfortunately.