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

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..

---

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

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..

This is something that pisses me off big time too! If they want to sell
a phone "outright" then it should mean without conditions or obligation.

Fair enough if you purchased it a "subsidised" price and obligated to
remain on a particular network for a contract period.

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.

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
as soon as it goes out of warranty, but "outright" should mean NOT being
locked into a contract FULL STOP.


--
The views I present are that of my own and NOT of any organisation I may
belong to.

73 de Simon, VK3XEM.
<http://web.acma.gov.au/pls/radcom/client_search.client_lookup?pCLIENT_NO=157452>

ACMA - SPAM MATTERS
<http://www.acma.gov.au/ACMAINTER.196852:STANDARD:2000439504c=PC_2008>

Simon Templar wrote:

> 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..
>
> This is something that pisses me off big time too! If they want to sell
> a phone "outright" then it should mean without conditions or obligation.
>
> Fair enough if you purchased it a "subsidised" price and obligated to
> remain on a particular network for a contract period.
>
> 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.
>
> 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
> as soon as it goes out of warranty, but "outright" should mean NOT being
> locked into a contract FULL STOP.



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 .....

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

I Am Annoying wrote:
> Simon Templar wrote:
>> This is something that pisses me off big time too! If they want to sell
>> a phone "outright" then it should mean without conditions or obligation.
>>
>> Fair enough if you purchased it a "subsidised" price and obligated to
>> remain on a particular network for a contract period.
>>
>> 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.
>>
>> 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
>> as soon as it goes out of warranty, but "outright" should mean NOT being
>> locked into a contract FULL STOP.
>
> 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 .....
>
> The only other phone I am curious about is Nokia N90 but am told
> it is no longer being distributed anywhere. / discontinued..

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.

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.


--
The views I present are that of my own and NOT of any organisation I may
belong to.

73 de Simon, VK3XEM.
<http://web.acma.gov.au/pls/radcom/client_search.client_lookup?pCLIENT_NO=157452>

ACMA - SPAM MATTERS
<http://www.acma.gov.au/ACMAINTER.196852:STANDARD:2000439504c=PC_2008>

"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 Am Annoying <[email protected]> wrote

> Why is it that you can't buy a mobile phone outright and unlocked?

You can and always have been able to.

> 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?

Wrong.

> 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"..

That's just 3.

> So in short does anyone offer phones to buy completely
> outright and unlocked to go with ANY CARRIER.

Yep, everyone else basically.

> As free choice should be available to customers..

And has always been.

"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.

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.

jg 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

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.

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 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 .

On Sun, 23 Jul 2006 14:44:00 +1000, Simon Templar <[email protected]>
typed furiously:

>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..
>
>This is something that pisses me off big time too! If they want to sell
>a phone "outright" then it should mean without conditions or obligation.
>
>Fair enough if you purchased it a "subsidised" price and obligated to
>remain on a particular network for a contract period.
>
>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.
>
>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
>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.
--
David
At the bottom of the application where it says
"sign here". I put "Sagittarius"

On Sun, 23 Jul 2006 14:59:33 +1000, Simon Templar <[email protected]>
typed furiously:

>I Am Annoying wrote:
>> Simon Templar wrote:
>>> This is something that pisses me off big time too! If they want to sell
>>> a phone "outright" then it should mean without conditions or obligation.
>>>
>>> Fair enough if you purchased it a "subsidised" price and obligated to
>>> remain on a particular network for a contract period.
>>>
>>> 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.
>>>
>>> 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
>>> as soon as it goes out of warranty, but "outright" should mean NOT being
>>> locked into a contract FULL STOP.
>>
>> 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 .....
>>
>> The only other phone I am curious about is Nokia N90 but am told
>> it is no longer being distributed anywhere. / discontinued..
>
>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.

>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]...
> On Sun, 23 Jul 2006 14:44:00 +1000, Simon Templar <[email protected]>
> typed furiously:
>
>>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..
>>
>>This is something that pisses me off big time too! If they want to sell
>>a phone "outright" then it should mean without conditions or obligation.
>>
>>Fair enough if you purchased it a "subsidised" price and obligated to
>>remain on a particular network for a contract period.
>>
>>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.
>>
>>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
>>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.

Nice idea, except it just doesn't work.