Why can't you buy an outright phone outright and unlocked?

> The answer to that is easy. Don't buy it and make sure that the
> *management* of the store knows why you are not buying it. The same
> goes for DRM and Region Locked video equipment. If no one buys it then
> they will be stuck with it.

Thats the problem with us aussies, we WONT jack up about the unfairness
around us, we just have a whine. Retailers know this, and the government
knows this. As long as people accept ****, they will get it.

---

› See More: Why can't you buy an outright phone outright and unlocked?

>>> I bought my Lg flip cash from 3 , and moved 6 months later , it wasn't
>>> locked.
>>
>> Oh.......... Maybe what they said is BS then.. But I asked inside a 3
>> shop
>>
> I suspect they lied .

It doesnt matter with the Korean phones, they have a reliability life of
about 12 months

"I Am Annoying" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Why is it that you can't buy a mobile phone outright and unlocked?

You can. From every single carrier and store, just about

> Sure a lot of the retailers now have phones with listed "outright prices"
> to boy outright but they are still either locked to a network or they
> won't sell them unlocked?

No retailer that sells "outright phones" have them network locked (possibly
3 is the exception)

By common definition in Aus, "outright phones" are unlocked. Only prepaid
phones are locked (and not always the case nowadays either(

> I was about to buy a particular LG flip phone which had memory cards
> and MP3 and such and it had a listed "outright price" of $249 but when
> asking the sales dude at 3 if they were locked to 3 he had to look in a
> book and then says "uummm yep they're locked and we can't unlock
> them"..

There you go, they are the only exception

> So in short does anyone offer phones to buy completely outright and
> unlocked to go with ANY CARRIER. As free choice should be available
> to customers..

Every one but 3

> I don't believe they should hold you to ransom by locking you into their
> network, it would make far more sense to "encourage" you to want to stay
> with competitive prices and superior services and therefore NO NEED to
> lock phones and far too long contracts.

Thats just ridiculous.

I'd go out and buy 100 phones for $1 if that was the case, sell them all on
ebay for $100 each

>
> I would like to see contracts that allow you to upgrade your handset
> every 12 months instead of 24 months. Then you can upgrade your handset

Would you be prepared to pay $200 upfront insted of $0?

"I Am Annoying" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Well that's the view I hold. I asked the guy at the 3 shop if I could
pay to
> have the phone unlocked but got a flat NO........
>
> So their claim to an outright price is at best misleading. No mention of
it
> being locked on the display shelf .....

Its misleading in that the way 3 use the term is NOT the common usage.

However, outright is a very generic word

>
> The only other phone I am curious about is Nokia N90 but am told
> it is no longer being distributed anywhere. / discontinued..
>
>

"David" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> >I have the Nokia 6680 locked to 3 and they also claim this phone can NOT
> >be unlocked, which is a load of ****. They CAN unlock it if they so
> >choose, they just point blank REFUSE to unlock it.
> >
> Return it to them as being unsuitable for the purpose for which it was
> purchased.

They didnt advertise it as being unlocked or unlockable, so youve failed
that test

> >I have my eyes on the Nokia E60 for my next phone at this stage, it has
> >Wireless 802.11 b as well as Bluetooth capability.
>
> If it is not unlocked then do not buy it.
> --
> David
> At the bottom of the application where it says
> "sign here". I put "Sagittarius"

"David" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >every 12 months instead of 24 months. Then you can upgrade your handset
> >as soon as it goes out of warranty, but "outright" should mean NOT being
> >locked into a contract FULL STOP.
>
> The answer to that is easy. Don't buy it and make sure that the
> *management* of the store knows why you are not buying it. The same
> goes for DRM and Region Locked video equipment. If no one buys it then
> they will be stuck with it.

The store just sells what the carrier pushes.

You could set fire to yourself in protest, or sumfin

> --
> David
> At the bottom of the application where it says
> "sign here". I put "Sagittarius"

"two bob" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> > The answer to that is easy. Don't buy it and make sure that the
> > *management* of the store knows why you are not buying it. The same
> > goes for DRM and Region Locked video equipment. If no one buys it then
> > they will be stuck with it.
>
> Thats the problem with us aussies, we WONT jack up about the unfairness
> around us, we just have a whine. Retailers know this, and the government
> knows this. As long as people accept ****, they will get it.

The subsidy period has nothing to do with the govt.

You are all a pack of ****ing whingers.

Buy your phones outright and stop whinging.

You want a $0 phone on a $20 plan for a 12 mth contract instead of 24
months?

Youre dreamin
>
>

"atec77" <" atec77**"@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I Am Annoying, Very Annoying wrote:
> > atec77 wrote:
> >
> >> Dean T wrote:
> >>> "I Am Annoying" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >>> news:[email protected]...
> >>>> Why is it that you can't buy a mobile phone outright and unlocked?
> >>>>
> >>>> Sure a lot of the retailers now have phones with listed "outright
prices"
> >>>> to boy outright but they are still either locked to a network or they
> >>>> won't sell them unlocked?
> >>>>
> >>>> I was about to buy a particular LG flip phone which had memory cards
> >>>> and MP3 and such and it had a listed "outright price" of $249 but
when
> >>>> asking the sales dude at 3 if they were locked to 3 he had to look in
a
> >>>> book and then says "uummm yep they're locked and we can't unlock
> >>>> them"..
> >>>>
> >>>> So in short does anyone offer phones to buy completely outright and
> >>>> unlocked to go with ANY CARRIER. As free choice should be available
> >>>> to customers..
> >>>
> >>> Good question. I'd guess at no....
> >>>
> >>>
> >> I bought my Lg flip cash from 3 , and moved 6 months later , it wasn't
> >> locked.
> >
> >
> >
> > Oh.......... Maybe what they said is BS then.. But I asked inside a 3
shop
> >
> I suspect they lied .

Nope.

3 have only recently started locking all their phones.
When the other poster purchased the phone, it was probably unlocked then

"jg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "I Am Annoying" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Why is it that you can't buy a mobile phone outright and unlocked?
> >
> > Sure a lot of the retailers now have phones with listed "outright
prices"
> > to boy outright but they are still either locked to a network or they
> > won't sell them unlocked?
> >
> > I was about to buy a particular LG flip phone which had memory cards
> > and MP3 and such and it had a listed "outright price" of $249 but when
> > asking the sales dude at 3 if they were locked to 3 he had to look in a
> > book and then says "uummm yep they're locked and we can't unlock
> > them"..
> >
> > So in short does anyone offer phones to buy completely outright and
> > unlocked to go with ANY CARRIER. As free choice should be available
> > to customers..
>
> I thought they all were about $100 for a locked one or ~$300 for unlocked.
3
> might be having it both ways, the expensive phone and locked. Their latest
> pitch to disillusioned customers is that they have improved a lot so I'm
not
> sure why you'd bother.

As much as it pains me, 3's prices are relatively low. You cant have cheap
prices, cheap phones, and high subsidies, without something in between

"I Am Annoying, Very Annoying" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
> dig wrote:
>
> > "I Am Annoying" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > Why is it that you can't buy a mobile phone outright and unlocked?
> > >
> > > Sure a lot of the retailers now have phones with listed "outright
prices"
> > > to boy outright but they are still either locked to a network or they
> > > won't sell them unlocked?
> > >
> > > I was about to buy a particular LG flip phone which had memory cards
> > > and MP3 and such and it had a listed "outright price" of $249 but when
> > > asking the sales dude at 3 if they were locked to 3 he had to look in
a
> > > book and then says "uummm yep they're locked and we can't unlock
> > > them"..
> > >
> > > So in short does anyone offer phones to buy completely outright and
> > > unlocked to go with ANY CARRIER. As free choice should be available
> > > to customers..
> >
> > I thought they all were about $100 for a locked one or ~$300 for
unlocked. 3
> > might be having it both ways, the expensive phone and locked. Their
latest
> > pitch to disillusioned customers is that they have improved a lot so I'm
not
> > sure why you'd bother.
>
>
>
>
> Why did they need improving? LOL...... Not interested in 3 just the
phone.

Then you are attempting to purchase from the wrong place.

The phone is probably CHEAPER at 3 because its subsidised by the network
lock.
you aint looking at the true price

"I Am Annoying, Very Annoying" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
> jg wrote:
>
.............
>>
>> I thought they all were about $100 for a locked one or ~$300 for
>> unlocked. 3
>> might be having it both ways, the expensive phone and locked. Their
>> latest
>> pitch to disillusioned customers is that they have improved a lot so I'm
>> not
>> sure why you'd bother.
>
> Why did they need improving? LOL...... Not interested in 3 just the phone
>
From people I know, it's a toss up which is worse... their service or the
phones they sell.

I Am Annoying wrote:
> Why is it that you can't buy a mobile phone outright and unlocked?
>
> Sure a lot of the retailers now have phones with listed "outright prices"
> to boy outright but they are still either locked to a network or they
> won't sell them unlocked?
>
> I was about to buy a particular LG flip phone which had memory cards
> and MP3 and such and it had a listed "outright price" of $249 but when
> asking the sales dude at 3 if they were locked to 3 he had to look in a
> book and then says "uummm yep they're locked and we can't unlock
> them"..
>
> So in short does anyone offer phones to buy completely outright and
> unlocked to go with ANY CARRIER. As free choice should be available
> to customers..

Hi all Long time lurcher first time poster

simon good to see you still around after SA (lets not get into that )
anyway there are places to get the phones you are after unlocked on gsm
(email me [email protected] with what phone you are after i will give
you a price "often well below retail" ) what you will find is the 3
phones are often locked and unlockable

John
"melbourne radio"

Michael <[email protected]> wrote:
> "David" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news[email protected]...
>>> I have the Nokia 6680 locked to 3 and they also claim this phone
>>> can NOT be unlocked, which is a load of ****. They CAN unlock it
>>> if they so choose, they just point blank REFUSE to unlock it.
>>>
>> Return it to them as being unsuitable for the purpose for which it
>> was purchased.
>
> They didnt advertise it as being unlocked or unlockable, so youve
> failed that test

Nope, it aint just about advertising, child.

>>> I have my eyes on the Nokia E60 for my next phone at this stage, it
>>> has Wireless 802.11 b as well as Bluetooth capability.
>>
>> If it is not unlocked then do not buy it.
>> --
>> David
>> At the bottom of the application where it says
>> "sign here". I put "Sagittarius"

two bob wrote:

> It doesnt matter with the Korean phones, they have a reliability life of
> about 12 months
>

At least I got a 2 year warranty on my Z140 then

Mind you (OT) it seems to run rings around Nokia reliability wise...