(UK) Mobile Networks to be banned from selling network locked phones

[Distinctly Average]

 

On 10/27/2020 at 11:01 AM, Sir Asvald said:

Finally! took them long enough.. I remember I bought my HTC desire back in 2012 and it was locked to 3. It was horrible...

On 10/27/2020 at 11:36 AM, XR6 said:

I wasn't expecting Ofcom to do this but I'm glad they have. I don't understand why other networks still lock phones, 3 have been doing this for years..

For at least 5 years now, all Three phones have been supplied unlocked. I think they saw the writing on the wall and got in early. They did the same with roaming charges with their "feel at home" advertising campaign. Again, the jumped in early for some good PR and marketing. Some other companies didn't do either until forced to do so by either EU laws or Ofcom.

 

They will all make up any shortfall in some other way I am sure. Friend of mine ended up with a £4k bill for one month with Vodaphone for instance as the spending limit he put on his phone "Didn't count for data outside the EU" hidden in the small print. Apparently they didn't have the tools to monitor costs outside the EU. Load of bull if you ask me. In the end they agreed to only charge him £2400. Such philanthropists....

[Orange1]

1 hour ago, Distinctly Average said:

"Didn't count for data outside the EU"

Ouch, that bill must've hurt. But its a common mistake.

[JoeCoke]

Yooooo let's go. Let's get this going in the US. This is great. Should have happened a long time ago but oh well, better late than never.

[Drama Lama]

Great, the UK is becoming a part of the civilized world

[Distinctly Average]

3 hours ago, Drama Lama said:

Great, the UK is becoming a part of the civilized world

You wouldn't say that if you walked most Essex high streets just after closing time......

[Donut417]

On 10/27/2020 at 6:25 PM, Voluspa said:

f only they'd do this here in the states.

Part of the issue was back in the day we had competing network technologies, GMS vs CDMA. While its less of an issue now days because 4G as a whole is its own standard. If you live in an area with crappy 4G coverage you still have to be aware of what network tech your carrier uses. GSM has always been easy to find phones for, CDMA was always a pain, hell Verizon at one point didnt allow you to bring your own device. 

 

I have a feeling that once 2g and 3g networks are no more, phones will pretty much been able to be used on all networks. It just comes down to the bands that each phone supports. 

[CTR640]

Why is the US and other countries so fucking anti-consumer and anti-competitive?? I will never ever and never bought any locked phone.

Seriously, any company with locked phones can go fuck themself to the next orbit!

[Donut417]

13 minutes ago, CTR640 said:

Why is the US and other countries so fucking anti-consumer and anti-competitive?? I will never ever and never bought any locked phone.

Seriously, any company with locked phones can go fuck themself to the next orbit!

Like I said in my previous post, we are working ourselves there. 

 

Up til like 6 years ago it was common to be in a multi year contract with your cellular provider. On top of the fact before 4G was big, we had two network technologies in use. CDMA and GSM. While its easy to put devices on a GSM network, to my understand with CDMA, the carrier has to authorize the device on to the network. Which is why up till a few years ago, you really had a hard time bring devices to the Verizon network. 

 

It wasn't until T Mobile started offering cheaper services while the customer would buy the device that BYOD become a normal thing here. Also most people in this country are not smart enough to look up the info on their cellular providers network for band support. Most just go in to a store and pick up a phone because its the easiest solution, instead of doing the research. Also many providers do lease to own programs. Because most people here are not going to drop $500-$1000 on a new phone that day, but those are the phones people want. Then you get the people who will upgrade yearly and be stuck in perpetual leasing forever. 

 

Technically speaking, you dont have to buy a locked device from a carriers store. The phone I owned before my XR was a OnePlus 3t that I bought from OnePlus directly and brought it to the T Mobile network. Its just most people lease their devices and get new devices every year or two so they are stuck. 

[WereCatf]

I'm not sure if it is even possible to get carrier-locked phones over here anymore. Not that I have bothered to look at all the different carriers, since I'm perfectly happy with mine, but I have not heard anyone mentioning carrier-locking for years now. The carrier I use hasn't bothered with the locking-bullshit for a long time.

[CTR640]

20 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

Like I said in my previous post, we are working ourselves there. 

 

Up til like 6 years ago it was common to be in a multi year contract with your cellular provider. On top of the fact before 4G was big, we had two network technologies in use. CDMA and GSM. While its easy to put devices on a GSM network, to my understand with CDMA, the carrier has to authorize the device on to the network. Which is why up till a few years ago, you really had a hard time bring devices to the Verizon network. 

 

It wasn't until T Mobile started offering cheaper services while the customer would buy the device that BYOD become a normal thing here. Also most people in this country are not smart enough to look up the info on their cellular providers network for band support. Most just go in to a store and pick up a phone because its the easiest solution, instead of doing the research. Also many providers do lease to own programs. Because most people here are not going to drop $500-$1000 on a new phone that day, but those are the phones people want. Then you get the people who will upgrade yearly and be stuck in perpetual leasing forever. 

 

Technically speaking, you dont have to buy a locked device from a carriers store. The phone I owned before my XR was a OnePlus 3t that I bought from OnePlus directly and brought it to the T Mobile network. Its just most people lease their devices and get new devices every year or two so they are stuck. 

Being stuck on a contract... Damn, glad I've never ever done that. I just go get the phone I really want, find informations and if good, I buy it in one go.

I remember the old days back in 2012 I think, I don't a fucking phone with the locked telecom company logo stuck and hardcoded in there.

 

What means BYOD btw?

[IkeaGnome]

1 hour ago, Donut417 said:

Part of the issue was back in the day we had competing network technologies, GMS vs CDMA. While its less of an issue now days because 4G as a whole is its own standard. If you live in an area with crappy 4G coverage you still have to be aware of what network tech your carrier uses. GSM has always been easy to find phones for, CDMA was always a pain, hell Verizon at one point didnt allow you to bring your own device. 

 

I have a feeling that once 2g and 3g networks are no more, phones will pretty much been able to be used on all networks. It just comes down to the bands that each phone supports. 

Yes and no. The phone I had wouldn't work on WiFi calling, but worked on towers, all data worked fine. Just WiFi calling wouldn't.. Bought the exact same phone through ATT. WiFi calling magically worked.

[Donut417]

48 minutes ago, CTR640 said:

BYOD

Bring your own Device. 

 

23 minutes ago, Voluspa said:

WiFi calling magically worked.

I found WiFi calling not really reliable. Its a feature that I really could care less about it.