What a stupid law. People should have the right to do whatever the fuck they like with the phone that they paid for.
Every single phone I've ever bought I've unlocked myself, this sure as hell isn't going to stop me from doing it again, in fact I'm going to make sure the next phone I buy is locked just so I can unlock it, its my phone for christ sake. This is completely ridiculous.
This is the equivalent to selling paper and saying you can't draw a cat on it because the big man in the government said so.
What is the world coming to.
Isn't it because you sign a contract when you buy the phone at a steeply discounted price that says "Hey, I know you're giving me a fantastic deal on this phone, so for that reason, I'll keep it locked on your network"?
Simple solution is to not sign said contract and not buy a phone requiring one.
I agree that it is silly, but people should learn not to sign silly contracts if they don't want to be held to their silly terms.
It's typically a two year contract. If the contract says that you may not unlock the phone during this time, there is no need for a law.
I've not read the law, but if it goes above and beyond any contract, it's ridiculous.
Fair points. I agree.
Isn't it because you sign a contract when you buy the phone at a steeply discounted price that says "Hey, I know you're giving me a fantastic deal on this phone, so for that reason, I'll keep it locked on your network"?
Simple solution is to not sign said contract and not buy a phone requiring one.
I agree that it is silly, but people should learn not to sign silly contracts if they don't want to be held to their silly terms.
I've never signed any paperwork at all when buying a phone (we all use pay-as-you-go phones where I'm from).
Anyways, I have the legal right to smash that phone up with a hammer, throw it in a fire or drop it down the toilet right after I buy it. Surely they should make this illegal as well, because that would prevent them from recouping the discounts they gave me on the phone.
Also, I've yet to actually see any locked phone be cheaper than a sim-free phone. They're roughly the same price, but the networks get them in months/years before they become available sim-free. Maybe thats just the case where I'm from.
Interesting. It's vastly different in the US, where a locked iPhone (with contract) costs you $200, and an unlocked iPhone would cost $800. I haven't delved into the pay-as-you-go market here though, which might align more closely with what you see.
). The phone companies have tried all sorts of marketing to try and get us Irish on billpay phones, it hasn't worked much. The only person I know who has a billpay phone is from the US.