When you win a mobile phone . . .

HurdyGurdy

. . . are they generally unlocked to any network?

I *wish* I'd had cause to find out lol, but I was just musing this while browsing the competitions listed.

andrew71

I think it depends who the prize is from. For instance if it is a mobile network then I would presume a very high potential it was locked to their network. Really couldn't see Vodafone doing a competition and you being able to add a Orange sim card in the phone.
On the other hand if the phone is from company like Phones 4 U and they don't specify the phone is locked to a specific network then it would be unlocked again unless the competition said something like "win an iphone with Phones 4U and EE)
Finally if the competition is from an actual mobile phone maker then the phone would be unlocked.

lomaxsylvia

Hi. I won a nokia lumia mobile this month with fonehouse and it came unlocked.

jaibaby

I won a Blackberry with Orange and it was locked to them (only cost 99p for an unlock code though and two seconds to do)

The Xperia I won through Xperia was unlocked and the iPhone I won through Airwaves was unlocked.

So I think if it's through a normal company then it will be unlocked but through a network provider it'll be locked to that one.

But, as I said, unlock codes are pretty cheap to get and easy to use

Soosieboo

I won an xperia from 3 and that was unlocked too. When I had the WEM I asked if I had to take out a contract and they said 'not at all', but would send me a PAYG sim for their network.
I just popped in my O2 PAYG sim and off it went..(although I did ask O2 for a new 3G sim as some features of the phone wouldn't work.

It'll really come down to the T&Cs.

barginmad

I won a Samsung Note with Asda and Nature Valley it came unlocked. As I already had a Iphone on contract i just got a pay as you go sim for when I go anywhere but use it mainly at home off Wifi to go on the net (great for doing the Mag Dailies whilst watching tv!) rather than as a phone!

peppermintangel

I won an Sony Xperia with Holy Moly and a Motorola with All About You and both of these came unlocked

lilrahi

I'm probably the exception, I won a Xperia T from wired.co.uk and it was locked to o2. Luckily my sister has a contract on o2 and they unlock phones for free for their contract customers so I didn't have to pay anything.

Last week I won a Nokia Lumia 920 from them again but this time I haven't tried it yet to see if it is unlocked.

randomchiick

I won a HTC from EE (Orange/T-Mobile) and sold it to my friend and she's on Vodafone so...

robbies_gal

my motorola i won from p4u was unlocked but then all their phones seem to be

andrew71

randomchiick wrote: »

I won a HTC from EE (Orange/T-Mobile) and sold it to my friend and she's on Vodafone so...

What what?? the suspense is killing me :rotfl: