Locking Handsets...

[rohanbhade]

Hi,
Before you guys delete this for being an unlocking query, read the post please because you'll know I have a Nokia 6630 on O2 which isnt locked to the network.
My question is that the networks lock their phones so as to prevent use on any other networks, now, almost all networks dont allow plan switching for 6 months which means they pretty much recover and profit on the handset price in this 6 months which explains different handset pricing for different plans.
If the user is paying for the plan and agreeing to be bound by contract for atleast 12 months, and the user gets to keep the phone in the end, it is the operators responsibility to unlock these damm things...
Isnt there anyway that the Otelo (UK) has set guidelines for these, because my friends are frustrated and am planning to write to the watchdog because this isnt fair...in my opinion

[nk6600]

I feel that NO phone should be locked or branded like networks do. The only modern phone I have at the moment this isn't branded is my Nokia 7600 from 3. The worst offender is Orange.

We pay through the nose for line rental and then we have to put up with network ****e plastered all over the phone. I've just come back from my holidays and I really needed my NK6280 but because it's locked to 3 and can't be unlock at the moment I was stuffed as 3 doesn't work where I went and had to take my 7600 with me and buy an Orange sim as my other contract sim from T-mobile doesn't work in the 7600. Have no luck with phones.

We have a choice when it comes to contracts, get a low user tariff and pay far to much for a phone or get the same phone for free when we join up for 18 months (they all seem to be long contracts now) and pay £35+ for line rental.

[rohanbhade]

I've heard of Orange phones having all kinda stuff on them, I agree with you that they shouldn't be locked at all, same goes for the branding but the unfortunate part is that once the contract is up, it should be the network's responsibility to unlock and debrand the mobile phone for the consumer.
These new series of Nokia handsets are even more painful, as they cannot be unlocked by the local phone shop neither have the networks been able to do it for you, bare aside some 6630's on Vodafone if am not mistaken.

Apart from Orange, the biggest crooks are 3, my friend who recently completed his contract was bluntly told that his 6630 cannot be unlocked. What is shocking is that he was assured of getting it unlocked by 3 for 15 quid after he finishes his contract, and they quoted a whopping 100 + when he queried them in the middle of his contract.

[Jacob_Stevenson]

Rule 1 with networks never believe what they tell you. If they tell you something that you think is bull get them to put it in writing, because it will be bull.

And ALWAYS do your research into the phone you are going to buy to find out how much it will cost to unlock/debrand.

[rohanbhade]

Since am presently doing some research on this unlocking mess for the BB5 handsets, I've scoured the forums for all related info and in one of those, these cannot be unlocked by code understood...Jacob you mentioned that the networks have the resources to unlock these phones.
Is this true? That networks have the resources to unlock them? Because if so then 3 especially has lied to my buddies regarding unlocking the phones.

[Jacob_Stevenson]

Is this true? That networks have the resources to unlock them? Because if so then 3 especially has lied to my buddies regarding unlocking the phones.

Yes, they are lying.

[fox]

Yes, they are lying.

It depends on when he asked 3 to unlock his Nokia phone as they only recently (like in the past few weeks) started to provide codes for BB5 handsets

[brad]

It depends on when he asked 3 to unlock his Nokia phone as they only recently (like in the past few weeks) started to provide codes for BB5 handsets
Just because they only just started providing them, doesn't mean they didn't have the capability to generate them before.

[fox]

Just because they only just started providing them, doesn't mean they didn't have the capability to generate them before.

But even if they did I'm sure the average call centre person on the phone wouldnt have known that, even if they did they wouldnt have told customers that. They wouldnt have lied by saying "we cant give you the code for your N70" because they couldnt have given it to them!

[rohanbhade]

Well, agreed he asked 3 to unlock his handset in the early part of this year but even then he was asked upwards of 100 bucks for the unlocking which is ridiculous, whats amazing is that when he did call in the middle of the contract, he was "assured" that they would unlock the phone for 30 bucks once he finished his contract.