It's not that way everywhere! -

Author	All Replies
Gwailo join:2000-07-16 Richardson, TX	It's not that way everywhere! I spend a lot of time in Hong Kong. Over there, back and forth: 1. It is illegal to lock a phone to a carrier. 2. All phones are sold unlocked and most are sold at phone shops or dedicated shops like Nokia, Motorola, etc. You get your phone from a phone shop and then go decide who you want for a carrier. 3. It is illegal for a carrier to demand a contract for service that is over 30 days long. 4. You do, of course, have to pay for your phone just as you pay for your computer and then determine who your ISP is going to be. 5. Don't like your carrier, change. It takes 10-15 minutes. Don't like your phone, go buy a new one. Very simple... I have a Nokia tri-band GSM I bought there, I got my service here from T-Mobile with NO contract, when I go over there, I simply put my Hong Kong SIM card in the phone on the flight and when I get there, I have a live Hong Kong phone. When I return here, I simply change it back to my T-Mobile SIM card. The main problem here is everyone is addicted to a so called free phone (that's a joke) so I guess you get what you pay for and the carriers just love to get you addicted.
	to forum · permalink · 2007-08-18 18:50:54 ·

HardKnockLife @rr.com	said by Gwailo: I spend a lot of time in Hong Kong. Over there, back and forth: 1. It is illegal to lock a phone to a carrier. 2. All phones are sold unlocked and most are sold at phone shops or dedicated shops like Nokia, Motorola, etc. You get your phone from a phone shop and then go decide who you want for a carrier. 3. It is illegal for a carrier to demand a contract for service that is over 30 days long. 4. You do, of course, have to pay for your phone just as you pay for your computer and then determine who your ISP is going to be. 5. Don't like your carrier, change. It takes 10-15 minutes. Don't like your phone, go buy a new one. Very simple... I have a Nokia tri-band GSM I bought there, I got my service here from T-Mobile with NO contract, when I go over there, I simply put my Hong Kong SIM card in the phone on the flight and when I get there, I have a live Hong Kong phone. When I return here, I simply change it back to my T-Mobile SIM card. The main problem here is everyone is addicted to a so called free phone (that's a joke) so I guess you get what you pay for and the carriers just love to get you addicted. 1. It is illegal to lock a phone to a carrier. Untrue. H.K. carriers seem to subsidy-lock their BlackBerries. If a law prevented subsidy-locking handsets, then this wouldn't be possible. I did check for the law on the Bilingual Laws Information System, it doesn't seem to exist. 2. All phones are sold unlocked and most are sold at phone shops or dedicated shops like Nokia, Motorola, etc. You get your phone from a phone shop and then go decide who you want for a carrier. In most cases, this is true. 3. It is illegal for a carrier to demand a contract for service that is over 30 days long. This isn't reflected by the Bilingual Laws Information System made available for perusal by the public in Hong Kong. At any rate, "demanding" a contract is much different than offering it so the customer may accept it. 4. You do, of course, have to pay for your phone just as you pay for your computer and then determine who your ISP is going to be. Unless you wish to have a subsidized handset. These ARE offered in Hong Kong WITH CONTRACT. That thing you alluded to being unavailable or even illegal in Hong Kong does, in fact, exist. 3G handsets, in particular, are available at a discount (sometimes significant or free) with contract. You see this all the time with 3/Hutchison and their LG handsets. They are even 3-branded! 5. Don't like your carrier, change. It takes 10-15 minutes. Don't like your phone, go buy a new one. Very simple... It really depends on what services you want, and what type of terms you require. Some people actually want a contract in Hong Kong. Standing in line for 30 minutes, sure... it may take 15 minutes MINIMUM to get your service activated and ready to go if you're also buying a new handset. This is if you aren't going prepaid, of course.
	to forum · permalink · 2007-08-19 04:07:12 ·
GeekBigboy join:2007-07-21 Moreno Valley, CA	reply to Gwailo Just to mention that a free phone well there is ussally a reason for that phone being given out for free plus don't forget taxes. signing a 2 year contract helps you out but then again i am happy with verizon for 6 years now.
	to forum · permalink · 2007-08-20 11:27:17 ·

Cell Phone Contracts: ‘Til Death Do Us Part > It's not that way everywhere!

It's not that way everywhere!