Telecom New Zealand now locking handsets

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Telecom New Zealand now locking handsets

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#922214 26-Oct-2013 20:13

Where was all this out cry when Vodafone locked their PrePay handsets over 10 years ago?

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jeffnz

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#922216 26-Oct-2013 20:23

macuser:

If this does creep up to high end phones, or longer lock periods it will become a bigger issue. Regardless - why should I have to pay more to be free to use the thing I own, however I want. The power of modern networks is that they're all compatible.

They should just do AD supported lock screens.

worry about it if it happens, which I doubt as there is nothing to really gain and it is anti competitive .

You have a choice, buy a cheap cheap phone and have to stay on contract for 9 months or don't, simple. Not really much differant to tying people into contracts for any other telco service is it.

anyway I've got my tin foil hat handy in case the doomsayers are correct

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macuser

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#922217 26-Oct-2013 20:24

I think though that its not the customers fault that the carrier is selling below cost, the customer has no idea that is the case, it's going to inconvience a lot of people.

Does the world really need more junk android phones? I guess they're an easy sell in store since you get 'all the features' for almost nothing.

I'm.not at all effected by this as I have an HTC one and I buy high end, but I did buy the cheapest HTC One on sale, and use it with my existing network.

NonprayingMantis

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#922223 26-Oct-2013 20:34

The main problem with locking phones comes when you go on holiday and want to buy a local SIM card only to find your phone won't accept it.
Other than that, I don't have a problem with it.

plod

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#922224 26-Oct-2013 20:40

Why is telecom selling a phone running android 2.3 in 2013. I wonder how many complaints consumer will have. Or how the telecom salesman has to explain that the brand new phone is actually 3 years old and won't run jack all

JimmyH

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#922243 26-Oct-2013 21:52

It's not really the "below cost" reason they are doing it for, it's to try and make it harder for people to move easily between networks so they don't have to compete as hard on price to retain existing customers.

It's anti-competitive behaviour, pure and simple. The Commerce Commission should take a tough line on it.

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NonprayingMantis

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#922246 26-Oct-2013 21:56

JimmyH: It's not really the "below cost" reason they are doing it for, it's to try and make it harder for people to move easily between networks so they don't have to compete as hard on price to retain existing customers.

It's anti-competitive behaviour, pure and simple. The Commerce Commission should take a tough line on it.

If telecom was the only place you could buy phones, you might have a point. But they aren't, so you don't.

old3eyes

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#922421 27-Oct-2013 12:40

chevrolux: I really don't see the issue. I think NZ is the exception and not the rule when it comes to locking phones. You look at everywhere else around the world and they even lock their top end phones.

If you don't want to be loyal to a provider, who is selling you a handest below cost, then be prepared to pay more. Fair enough I say.

If I was paying full price for a Galaxy S4 I would be pissed off if it was locked. It it was about $700 I could live with it..

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#922451 27-Oct-2013 13:58

I believe the conclusion for discussion of locked handsets across all networks was that $30 was a reasonable unlock fee given the subsidy they are applying as approximately this much (give or take). While it's an inconvenience, it's made very clear not only in advertising but on the boxes themselves.

The worst part about it is that it means we might see higher unlock fees in the future or higher end devices being locked. If and when this happens though, the comcom might start looking into it.

Though i'd say vodafone's locked smartphone is quite superior to this telecom one spec wise.

ajw

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#922456 27-Oct-2013 14:10

jeffnz: why are we going backwards??

there is no evidence they will lock more expensive phones and common sense would say that unless all telco's collude then it won't happen.

Yet.

Johnk

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#922460 27-Oct-2013 14:21

Personally as long as its clearly labeled locked, and much cheaper (not just a small figure ) I don't mind.

I have been with telecom since launch of xt. If I could get a s4 or note 3 for a few hundred bucks off retail price that would be great.

I am of the opinion that they could have two prices, instead only selling it locked. Just to please everyone

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macuser

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#922462 27-Oct-2013 14:33

Johnk: Personally as long as its clearly labeled locked, and much cheaper (not just a small figure ) I don't mind.

I have been with telecom since launch of xt. If I could get a s4 or note 3 for a few hundred bucks off retail price that would be great.

I am of the opinion that they could have two prices, instead only selling it locked. Just to please everyone

I would think that if they're charging $30 for unlocking, that would be a good indication of the discount that the network is providing on locked handsets. I would say a bigger subsidy would equal a larger unlocking fee, otherwise customers are going to get their $200 discount and pay $30 to unlock on the spot. Seems like Telecom would actually just be selling the phone at their cost, then using the 9 months service/$30 unlock fee to recoup their regular profit margin. I guess Telecom doesn't like being another low margin retailer of electronics, and wants to turn its retail products into services that customers can't get out of without clipping the ticket

Yabanize

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#922487 27-Oct-2013 15:26

Im not too worried about the locking thing. Every skinny device ive brought has been unlocked for free and even my brand new Dongle for some reason. (I think its because ive had my sim for nearly 2 years)

Vodafones doing it with some cheap nokias that dont have a camera or anything, which annoys me because for about the same price or cheaper you can get a locked phone from Skinny that has a camera and is 3G and even has a basic web browser

And skinny does some amazing deals like A few weeks ago they had $39 Android phones.

Yabanize

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#922488 27-Oct-2013 15:28

Johnk: Personally as long as its clearly labeled locked, and much cheaper (not just a small figure ) I don't mind.

I have been with telecom since launch of xt. If I could get a s4 or note 3 for a few hundred bucks off retail price that would be great.

I am of the opinion that they could have two prices, instead only selling it locked. Just to please everyone

Thats what I would like to see

Unfortunately I dont think they would be much cheaper though :/ But it would be cool to get the good phones like those cheap, and not just for people who sign contracts

hamish225

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#922505 27-Oct-2013 15:46

can't you just google the unlock code?

Thats how i unlocked my samsung W531

*Insert big spe*dtest result here*

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