Network Locks?

[-NEO-]

I was just wondering, why do mobile phone manufacturers even bother locking a phone to a specific network these days?

As there is now loads of software out there, and even full time businesses that just unlock mobile phones!

I think if all phones came unlocked for all networks, they could sell them for a little more and maybe more people would buy a specific phone for this reason!

The thing that made me laugh about all this is that a friend had a phone that was tri-band! So it should work in America!

He went to america thinking his phone would work fine! It did work fine, the problem was that his network did not work over there. So he had to buy a new SIM card! And yes, you guessed it! The SIM card did not work as his phone was locked to a specific network!

Saying that, this did happen about 4 or 5 years ago, and most phones should work over seas now!

But i just can't understand why they keep on locking these phones! The first thing i do when i buy a new phone is go down to the market and get it unlocked!

The funny thing is that i could maybe buy a new phone for say £190 on say vodaphone, then spend £10 to get it unlocked! Thats a total of £200!

Or i could buy the same phone for £250 SIM free! You do the math!

Im glad i got that out of my system! I now have to go get a phone unlocked! lol

[Spennyboy]

they do it so you buy the phone with THEIR sim card so your on THEIR tarif.

If they sold phones sim free there is no profit margine because you would buy the phone from the cheapest seller.

so you would have to be the best and cheapest seller to make any money.

02 never used to lock phones - dont know if they do now tho.. usualy dont have a phone long enough to find out

anyone want a 6680?

[-NEO-]

anyone want a 6680?

How Much?

[Termy]

The reason for this is not down to the handset manufacturer,,, it is down to the service provider.

They want thier particular branding on thier handsets. Its like buying a pair of Dunlops (or should I say Nike for the kids,,, lol) without having the name on them, they dont get any advertising them.

But as you state,,, you can go out and buy a sim free fone woth only the handset manufaturers branding,,, IE, Nokia, Samsung etc etc.

It is all down to the advertising and the power od the service providers.

For instance,,, at one point Three delayed the release of the 6680 because they didnt have thier branding on them,,, they recalled them all and had thier sw put on them.

[Termy]

02 never used to lock phones - dont know if they do now tho.. usualy dont have a phone long enough to find out

They still lock thier handsets on PAYG,,, but generally not on contract. They only lock thier contract handsets if the handset is exclusive to o2 (or whatever network)

[Spennyboy]

For instance,,, at one point Three delayed the release of the 6680 because they didnt have thier branding on them,,, they recalled them all and had thier sw put on them.

indeed they did - 3 aint too bad tho tbh - there themes and 'pics/sounds' are quite cool.

its fucking vodafone and orange that stick all the crap branding on that takes you forever to get through and all there 'orange world' crap all over it.

[matt1chelski]

i just got a samsung e720 for £189 and £10 to unlock. or o2 in there shop £250. and i have no branding on it thanks to a old thread with how to get it of. no orange sw either