aren't mobile companies supposed to give unlock codes for free?

qwertyjjj

I bought a Mifi on Three with no contract (pay as you go).
It appears to be locked and I want to use it on another network outside of UK.
Three want to charge £20 to unlock it, is this legal considering that I paid for the device without contract?

DUTR

Yes it's legal, when you purchased the device the purchase price was subsidised.

Jon_01

Perfectly legal, they can change a fee and the average seems to be £20.

If you buy on payg the network subsidies the device and expect to make their money back through your top ups.
If you don't want to use it on the network supplies it, then buy it sim free.

qwertyjjj

DUTR wrote: »

Yes it's legal, when you purchased the device the purchase price was subsidised.

Subsidised by who, the manufacturer?
It was a Pay As You Go contract so I didn't have to purchase any air time and paid for the actual phone.

gjchester

qwertyjjj wrote: »

Subsidised by who, the manufacturer?
It was a Pay As You Go contract so I didn't have to purchase any air time and paid for the actual phone.

Subsidised by the network, you probably paid somewhere between £50 and £100 for it, they were probably more to buy, and the network will work on the logic you need to buy credit and some of that pays back the subsidy.

Taking the example of a phone (as it's not a network specific device, 3 will sell you a Nokia C2 for £39.99, To buy iot Sim Free from Expansys is £59.99. Three expect to make the £20 difference by your topups.

DUTR

qwertyjjj wrote: »

Subsidised by who, the manufacturer?
It was a Pay As You Go contract so I didn't have to purchase any air time and paid for the actual phone.

I think when I purchased mine I had to get a £5 top up (well it was sim zero) . It is subsidised by 3 as they were the only network offering it at the time, nowadays you maybe more cost effective to get an unlocked budget android handset 2.1 which can create a wifi hotspot.

grumbler

qwertyjjj wrote: »

Subsidised by who, the manufacturer?
It was a Pay As You Go contract so I didn't have to purchase any air time and paid for the actual phone.

I think you confuse PAYG and sim-free.
Sim-free are neither locked nor subsidised.

i_love_cats

if you are on a pay montly contract some phone companies EXP O2 will let you unlock the phone for free.

But 90% of phone companies charge for you to unlock a phone. Always look on their website first because it will state on there

grumbler

What's "EXP"?

i_love_cats

grumbler wrote: »

What's "EXP"?

exp= example

sorry shorten it different ways.