New Zealand is awesome: Unlocked

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Linuxluver

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#74599 3-Jan-2011 10:07

I've been in Canada the past few weeks (and I'm still there). Every carrier has a good selection of Android phones, but every last one of them is locked to the network of the carrier selling the phone. Even the 3g Galaxy Tablets.

They are all perfect matches for the XT network 3g frequencies.

My unlocked Google Nexus One XT flavour has been awesome. I have a Bell SIM in it on a data account. We then wifi tether our phones to the N1, giving us all Net access. Coverage on open ground is about 40 metres in radius. So we can spread out a bit when shopping and still have access.

Unlocked phones are the only way to go.

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old3eyes

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#423643 3-Jan-2011 10:17

Agreed. Unfortunately it will take allot to wean users in North America who are used to cheap subsidized fones with 2 year plans of such a heavily subsidized system to an unlocked free market system like we have here....

Regards,

Old3eyes

tardtasticx

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#423644 3-Jan-2011 10:22

I'd buy a locked phone if it was heavily subsidized. If I wasn't in a contract and really wanted to move, I'm sure I'd find a way to get it unlocked and leave. Theres always a way now days. look how quickly they unlocked the iPhone 4

miamiheatfan

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#423651 3-Jan-2011 10:33

Linuxluver: I've been in Canada the past few weeks (and I'm still there). Every carrier has a good selection of Android phones, but every last one of them is locked to the network of the carrier selling the phone. Even the 3g Galaxy Tablets.

They are all perfect matches for the XT network 3g frequencies.

My unlocked Google Nexus One XT flavour has been awesome. I have a Bell SIM in it on a data account. We then wifi tether our phones to the N1, giving us all Net access. Coverage on open ground is about 40 metres in radius. So we can spread out a bit when shopping and still have access.

Unlocked phones are the only way to go.

Whoa ,"every last one of them" ???

Like there are absolutely no Unlocked android mobile or symbian or anykind sold in retail stores ?

Surely there must be at least some ? no ?

tardtasticx

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#423653 3-Jan-2011 10:36

miamiheatfan:
Linuxluver: I've been in Canada the past few weeks (and I'm still there). Every carrier has a good selection of Android phones, but every last one of them is locked to the network of the carrier selling the phone. Even the 3g Galaxy Tablets.

They are all perfect matches for the XT network 3g frequencies.

My unlocked Google Nexus One XT flavour has been awesome. I have a Bell SIM in it on a data account. We then wifi tether our phones to the N1, giving us all Net access. Coverage on open ground is about 40 metres in radius. So we can spread out a bit when shopping and still have access.

Unlocked phones are the only way to go.

Whoa ,"every last one of them" ???

Like there are absolutely no Unlocked android mobile or symbian or anykind sold in retail stores ?

Surely there must be at least some ? no ?

Usually not. Even the low end handsets are usually locked. I got sent a >$50USD phone locked to AT&T. Really really crap phone and they only gave me an unlock code because it was about 3 years old and I said I was overseas and roaming would be expensive.

miamiheatfan

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#423660 3-Jan-2011 10:43

tardtasticx:
miamiheatfan:
Linuxluver: I've been in Canada the past few weeks (and I'm still there). Every carrier has a good selection of Android phones, but every last one of them is locked to the network of the carrier selling the phone. Even the 3g Galaxy Tablets.

They are all perfect matches for the XT network 3g frequencies.

My unlocked Google Nexus One XT flavour has been awesome. I have a Bell SIM in it on a data account. We then wifi tether our phones to the N1, giving us all Net access. Coverage on open ground is about 40 metres in radius. So we can spread out a bit when shopping and still have access.

Unlocked phones are the only way to go.

Whoa ,"every last one of them" ???

Like there are absolutely no Unlocked android mobile or symbian or anykind sold in retail stores ?

Surely there must be at least some ? no ?

Usually not. Even the low end handsets are usually locked. I got sent a >$50USD phone locked to AT&T. Really really crap phone and they only gave me an unlock code because it was about 3 years old and I said I was overseas and roaming would be expensive.

Well that sux.
Our market trumps theirs in this case then.

What about parallel imported stores ?
And last i checked the US version of my N95 is unlocked , but i'm not sure now lol.

Neets

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#423695 3-Jan-2011 11:47

Linuxluver: I've been in Canada the past few weeks (and I'm still there). Every carrier has a good selection of Android phones, but every last one of them is locked to the network of the carrier selling the phone. Even the 3g Galaxy Tablets.

They are all perfect matches for the XT network 3g frequencies.

My unlocked Google Nexus One XT flavour has been awesome. I have a Bell SIM in it on a data account. We then wifi tether our phones to the N1, giving us all Net access. Coverage on open ground is about 40 metres in radius. So we can spread out a bit when shopping and still have access.

Unlocked phones are the only way to go.

Cripes, have you bumped into R2D2, he's also in Canada at the mo. Yeah yeah, I know, it's a big country ;-)

Interesting what you've found out. We're planning a trip to the UK/Europe in June and I've been trying to figure out how we'll get coverage, or the cheapest way. Sounds like it's do-able (in Canada at least). Have to do some proper research.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday/break. We're basking in 28.6deg here in Christchurch. Awesome weather!

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technicaljoe

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#423733 3-Jan-2011 13:46

From memory, they can be unlocked at certain stores for a fee...

Starplay

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#423736 3-Jan-2011 13:51

You can pick up some pretty cheap unlock codes.... Just look on ebay

webup

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#424145 5-Jan-2011 09:05

old3eyes: Agreed. Unfortunately it will take allot to wean users in North America who are used to cheap subsidized fones with 2 year plans of such a heavily subsidized system to an unlocked free market system like we have here....

Agreed.

I lived in the UK for near on a decade and mobile phones there are run very different to here.
The subsidies are the norm and most people pay about £50 for an upgrade form their old handset or sign a new contract with another telco and pay next to nothing for the phone itself.

People buying sim free phones at full retail is a tiny minority.

Iphone4 from Carphone Warehouse on 24month plan handset cost NZD$378
Iphone4 from Vodafone NZ on 24month plan handset cost NZD$700

Iphone4 from Carphone Warehouse on 24month plan NZD $80 per month
Unlimited texts 900 minutes talktime 500mb data

Vodafone NZ $80 per month
600 texts 120 minutes talktime 250mb data

Vodafone NZ

itxtme

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#424147 5-Jan-2011 09:14

I agree with tardtasticx, I have no problem with carriers locking phones as long as the subsidies are heavily weighted in benefit to me the customer. That is something NZ has failed to do back in the days of locking down. Out of interest what kind of deal could you get the Galaxy Tab for? Because its over $1000 here on no contract an $999 on and $81 a month plan!!!

Kiwipixter

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#424195 5-Jan-2011 10:59

You guys are forgetting one thing, Economies of scale. UK population is over 60m, Canada has over 30m. The cost of handsets, and deploying mobile networks, per capita is much less in these countries than in NZ.

So when comparing prices please compare with similar countries to NZ in terms of population size and density. Otherwise its a waste of time.

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itxtme

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#424245 5-Jan-2011 13:15

Kiwipixter: You guys are forgetting one thing, Economies of scale. UK population is over 60m, Canada has over 30m. The cost of handsets, and deploying mobile networks, per capita is much less in these countries than in NZ.

So when comparing prices please compare with similar countries to NZ in terms of population size and density. Otherwise its a waste of time.

Your comments are true, however only partially. Vodafone has the pruchasing power of its chain internationally, and yet prices of the handsets are still high

ArtooDetoo

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#424544 6-Jan-2011 09:20

In the US at the mo' although heading back to Vancouver today. If the family can tear themselves away from shopping, that is. :-(

Tried the Nexus S and liked it very much, Gingerbread also. No external SD is a deal-breaker for me though. Positioned as it is as a developer phone, the lack of testing capability on the ext card is nothing less than stupid - I can't imagine what they were thinking.

You can buy the Nexus S unlocked from Best Buy but it's the exception. All the other Android phones I looked at were locked to the carrier retailer selling them. U S and Canada both.

Bought a spare battery for the SGS for $45 at Best Buy, the only place I could find 'em.

Sending this from the SGS courtesy of Starbucks Dads' Waiting Room for Shopping Families free wifi. In fact there's lots of free wifi spots here in 'Murica. Hope that catches on in NZ.

Cheers,
R2D2

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