n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY
 ·Optimum Online
| Locked Phones
Personally, I make it a priority to get all of my GSM phones unlocked as I use SIM's from different countries. However, from observing friends and co-workers, I find that the majority of people consider the phone a throwaway device that is changed when they change carriers. Despite the fact that an unlocked 2G GSM phone will work with both AT&T and T-Mobile, switching from one carrier to another usually involves getting a new phone anyhow so why bother getting it unlocked?
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I support the right to keep and arm bears. |
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adisor19
join:2004-10-11 | It will happen sooner rather then later
With CDMA providers going LTE, SIM cards will be much more common and this is good for the consumer.
Adi |
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ISurfTooMuch
join:2007-04-23
Tuscaloosa, AL
| Unlocked? What???
I'd be willing to bet that only slightly over 5% of American cell users even know what unlocking is. Actually, if we were to assume that half of all users here are on GSM, then that means perhaps 10% of GSM users have unlocked phones. Sounds about right to me.
I've found a surprisingly large number of people have no idea how their phones work, that they can be unlocked, or even that they use a SIM card. |
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PhoenixAZ
Joshua
Premium
join:2004-01-04
Phoenix, AZ
1 edit | said by ISurfTooMuch  :I'd be willing to bet that only slightly over 5% of American cell users even know what unlocking is. Actually, if we were to assume that half of all users here are on GSM, then that means perhaps 10% of GSM users have unlocked phones. Sounds about right to me. I've found a surprisingly large number of people have no idea how their phones work, that they can be unlocked, or even that they use a SIM card. And that is exactly what Verizon wants. They do not want thier users to know that a "SIM Card" exists. |
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moonpuppy
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD
 ·Verizon Online DSL
1 edit | When phones are throwaways...
....no one cares about unlocking.
In many other countries, phones are sold full price with no contracts so people are a LOT more cognisant of which provider they use.
In this country, when many phones are free with a 2 year contract, by the time that contract is over, you get the latest and greatest for next to nothing or free. Just checking today, a Palm Centro is $10 with 2 year contract and a few others are $50 (HTC Ozone, Motorola Q (certified used.)) |
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glinc
join:2009-04-07
New York, NY | Leave it
They should leave it as it is, I make enough money from walk in customers who want their phone unlocked for $25-$30 because they don't know that calling CSR can get it unlock. |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| reply to n2jtx
Re: Locked Phones
said by n2jtx : Despite the fact that an unlocked 2G GSM phone will work with both AT&T and T-Mobile, switching from one carrier to another usually involves getting a new phone anyhow so why bother getting it unlocked? Also, most people WANT a new phone after 2 years in order to get all the latest hardware & software features that keep coming out non-stop. So for most U.S. users this is pretty much a non-issue.
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My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page |
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miball
join:2005-08-17
Seattle, WA | Unlocked Phone
I have had unlocked phones for the past 3 years, I don't think I would ever go back to carrier subsidized phones. I haven't been under contract in awhile. I would rather pay the cost up front for the phone. |
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD
·Comcast
| reply to moonpuppy
Re: When phones are throwaways...
Agreed. Locking of phones is a non-issue in the USA because phones are so cheap.
I have to ask why does any logical, reasonable person want to force US consumers to pay the full price for a phone "just like they do abroad?" What possible good could come of forcing consumers to pay full price?
People who want to pay full price for an unlocked phone in the USA can already do so. I think we are better off having choices in paying full price for phone or not.
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Blagojevich / Madoff 2012! |
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ISurfTooMuch
join:2007-04-23
Tuscaloosa, AL
| reply to moonpuppy
The thing is, these people really are paying full price--it's just that they don't realize it. The carriers recover that subsidy over the course of the contract. In many other countries, many people use prepaid service, which means they have no contracts. |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| reply to adisor19
Re: It will happen sooner rather then later
said by adisor19 :With CDMA providers going LTE, SIM cards will be much more common and this is good for the consumer. Adi As was pointed out to me a week or so ago, LTE is a data-only std(unless the 4 major wireless carriers can soon agree on a voice over LTE std). Given that fact, there would still be separate phones needed for different carriers. Without some regulation DECREEING some interoperability std from the FCC, we will not reach the nirvana of picking a phone and then a carrier - at least not because of the migration to LTE.
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My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page |
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moonpuppy
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to pnh102
Re: When phones are throwaways...
said by pnh102 :Agreed. Locking of phones is a non-issue in the USA because phones are so cheap. I have to ask why does any logical, reasonable person want to force US consumers to pay the full price for a phone "just like they do abroad?" What possible good could come of forcing consumers to pay full price? People who want to pay full price for an unlocked phone in the USA can already do so. I think we are better off having choices in paying full price for phone or not. I can tell you I work with someone who HATES cell phone contracts and is always complaining about the high cost of unlocked phones. He has a 1st generation iPhone he uses on T-Mobile and an old LG Env he uses on Verizon. He says he wants an iPhone 3G but doesn't want to pay the no contract price and he doesn't want a contract either.  |
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moonpuppy
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to ISurfTooMuch
said by ISurfTooMuch :The thing is, these people really are paying full price--it's just that they don't realize it. The carriers recover that subsidy over the course of the contract. In many other countries, many people use prepaid service, which means they have no contracts. Prepaid service here is more expensive than a monthly plan and, last time I checked, there is no discount for bringing your own phone to a provider. In reality, it costs more to a wireless provider for someone to buy a subsidised phone than bring their own phone. |
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GWB
@apollogrp.edu
| reply to moonpuppy
said by moonpuppy :people are a LOT more cognisant of with provider they use.  |
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milnoc
join:2001-03-05
H2Z
·TekSavvy Solutions..
| reply to miball
Re: Unlocked Phone
Same here. Got my quad band phone in London, brought it back to Montreal, changed SIM cards, works just as well.
The only thing I miss is the UK prepaid service plans. Man were they ever a bargain! UK to Canada for only four cents (2p) a minute!
Of course, there was a special while I was there. The regular price was actually eight cents (4p) a minute. 
Too bad Canada is rip-off heaven when it comes to data plans. Without a contract, my rate is five cents per kilobyte. That translates to FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS per ten megabytes!
The data price in London on the same pre-paid plan as the 4 cent international calls? One dollar for the first 10 MB per day, charged only on the days you actually use it.
I hate my country. |
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r81984
Fair and Balanced
Premium
join:2001-11-14
St John'S, NL | reply to n2jtx
Re: Locked Phones
I unlock my phones as soon as I get them. |
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Fisamo
Premium
join:2004-02-20
Apex, NC
 ·VOIPo
·AT&T CallVantage
| reply to miball
Re: Unlocked Phone
Why?
I'm not asking to be argumentative, but I am curious as to how you value the unlocked nature of the phone. Do you change providers often? Are you concerned about crippled features on a locked version of the phone?
FWIW, look at the LG Dare on Verizon--$410 full price (no contract), $200 with 1-year contract, $80 with 2-year contract, both contract prices also figuring a $70 online discount. If you buy it on the 2-year contract and have to terminate service early (say you move out of the country) and have to pay the maximum ETF of $175, you end up ahead in terms of total cost paid to go with the subsidized phone. Of course, if the subsidized phone is locked but the unsubsidized phone can be reprogrammed to work with a different provider that uses the same technology, there's an obvious difference in residual value of the phone...
AT&T price differential for "non-smart" phones seems to hover at about $150 vs $175 -$5/mo into contract (last I knew) ETF. Once again, assuming the phone is unlocked/unlockable upon payment of the ETF (and unlocked when purchased at 'no commitment price'), many consumers are better off with the subsidized device.
Seriously, while I am not thrilled with having to 'tie' myself to a provider for 2 years at a time, I can't say that the experience (in the 10 years I've had a cell phone) has been all that painful. |
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ISurfTooMuch
join:2007-04-23
Tuscaloosa, AL
| reply to moonpuppy
Re: When phones are throwaways...
Correct. In fact, carriers are quite happy to have folks bring their own phones, since the money that would pay off a subsidized phone is pure profit when that happens. It's a huge ripoff.
Of course, the carriers want you to bring only an "approved" phone loaded with their bloatware and locked down so no changes can be made to it. |
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AlexNYC
join:2001-06-02
Edwards, CO
1 edit | Unlock
Most consumers have no idea what they are missing by having a cheap locked phone. I have always purchased my phone separately and I get is a technologically advanced phone with uncrippled software that is far superior to anything my carrier has to offer. iPhones are not selling well in Japan because they are lacking features and the people there have many better choices: »online.wsj.com/article/SB1221433···023.html
I personally use Nokia phones that actually help me save money because of the feature they offer, such as VoIP, tethering, Real GPS with loaded maps that is independent of cell coverage and requires no subscription, 5MP camera, etc. |
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verolom
join:2002-03-23
Eagleville, PA
·Comcast
| reply to Fisamo
Re: Unlocked Phone
Here is an example. I have a Sony Ericsson T637 that is locked to the former AT&T Wireless network. When I wanted to change my data plan I was forced to get a new device/contract from the new AT&T (or get an unlocked one myself). AT&T refused to unlock it. I cannot use it on the current AT&T Mobility network, nor anywhere else.
Why not?
This is the same argument as the cable boxes in another thread. It is not good for the consumer that we continue to have this argument. The consumer wants ownership of their devices, especially of the ones that hold so much personal data. |
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