Why will they only sell me 2 phones

"Simon Watkins" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Jon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> [email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
>
>> Indeed, but box breakers are out in force this Christmas, buying cheap
>> phones and then selling the handset and SIM separately, on eBay for
>> example. This loses the networks money so Woolworths (along with
>> everyone else) are under strict orders. By sending you out of the shop
>> and back again it will be untraceable, and the shop Manager will not get
>> into trouble from his/her auditors.
>
> I see this sort of thing said a lot. Never understood how box breaking,
> where phone and sim are sold separately, loses the networks money. If the
> sim is sold and subsequently, the network makes money does it not? The
> network is never going to make any money from a phone sale. Only a sim
> sale. And that happens, even if the package is split with both parts sold
> separately.
>
> Simon

If it's a phone that's easily unlocked, the selling price will be much
higher than the subsidised pay as you go package price, which makes the
seller a profit. If the SIM never gets used, the network is at a double
loss, hence they enforce these rules against resellers.

--
Antz
Part of the UKtm family

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› See More: Why will they only sell me 2 phones

"DMac" <[email protected]> wrote in message
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>> If the SIM is never registered or used then the network doesn't make any
>> money
>
> So all they do is register SIM and then put it straight in the bin...

They would never register it - which is why the large retaillers 'force' you
to, before you leave the store.

--
Antz
Part of the UKtm family

"Ivor Jones" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...


> I've had my two Nokia 6310i phones for 3 years and have no plans to
> replace them. In fact I have a spare for when one finally breaks..!

Almost certainly the last decent mobile Nokia made.

Mozzer:
>The pay as you go market in the UK is very heavily subsidised where the
>phones are almost free.

They must be mad ! Ever since SWMBO forced a mobile on me four years ago,
the networks have effectively been giving us phones and paying us for making
calls, and it was more just stumbling across cashback deals, rather then
seeking them out.
But don't mind me, feel FREE to carry on....
(But of course, the majority of users pay over the odds for that madness.)
Regards,
Martin

[email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
> I see this sort of thing said a lot. Never understood how box breaking,
> where phone and sim are sold separately, loses the networks money. If the
> sim is sold and subsequently, the network makes money does it not?

Maybe if the SIM does get sold they might, but very often it's just the
handset that generates the box-breaker their profits.

--
Regards
Jon

[email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
> At the end of the day when they count up the takings from the till, the same
> amount's gonna be in there whether the phones were bought in bulk or trickle
> sold throughout the day?

Indeed, but taking money through the till would just about see them
break even. To actually make profit from the sale the phone and SIM must
be registered and used.
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Regards
Jon

[email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
> If the networks reckon they're being ripped off by having the handsets
> which they have so heavily subsised being exported, why do they
> subsidise them?

If they didn't people would not buy them.

FWIW I don't agree with subsidies, but we're not going to change that
situation overnight.

> Overall, it must be paying them. I'd sooner pay a
> realistic price for the handset and have cheaper calls; wouldn't most
> people?

Most people (I.e. the phone-buying general public) don't have your level
of common sense/intelligence.
--
Regards
Jon

[email protected]lid declared for all the world to hear...
> If the networks did as you suggest (and I agree with you BTW) then people
> wouldn't "upgrade" so often and they'd lose revenue. They must hate me,
> I've had my two Nokia 6310i phones for 3 years and have no plans to
> replace them. In fact I have a spare for when one finally breaks..!

Actually, by not upgrading you are just sort of customer that networks
want!
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Regards
Jon

"Jon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> [email protected]lid declared for all the world to
> hear...
> > If the networks did as you suggest (and I agree with
> > you BTW) then people wouldn't "upgrade" so often and
> > they'd lose revenue. They must hate me, I've had my two
> > Nokia 6310i phones for 3 years and have no plans to
> > replace them. In fact I have a spare for when one
> > finally breaks..!
>
> Actually, by not upgrading you are just sort of customer
> that networks want!

Not now I've ditched my contract for PAYG I don't think..! I once made a
£50 topup on Orange last 3 years..! Mind you that was when you got half
price calls when you topped up by £50, I was intensely irritated that
about a week after I'd put the 2nd £50 on (after 3 years..!) they did away
with the half price calls. Grrrr....!

Ivor