Selling Locked Phones Banned in UK - Will This happen here?

JTMan · 27-10-2020 12:21PM #1

Mobile companies in the UK will be banned from selling 'locked' phones which only work with their network, under new rules coming into force at the end of 2021. Great news.

This should increase switching and speed up switching.

The UK change is on the back of new European rules, so is something similar going to happen here?

DopeTech · 27-10-2020 12:33PM

JTMan wrote: »

Mobile companies in the UK will be banned from selling 'locked' phones which only work with their network, under new rules coming into force at the end of 2021. Great news.

This should increase switching and speed up switching.

The UK change is on the back of new European rules, so is something similar going to happen here?

It's a uk communications regulator ruling so doesn't mean it will happen here. To be honest I haven't bought a locked phone in years as I always buy sim free online and go with a sim only plan. Usually works out cheaper.

It would be nice to see it here too but comreg are so disconnected from reality they probably will only get around to introducing it in about 10 years time.

JTMan · 27-10-2020 02:25PM

DopeTech wrote: »

It's a uk communications regulator ruling so doesn't mean it will happen here.

The article says that it is based on a European rulling, so maybe Comreg will introduce something similar.

DopeTech wrote: »

To be honest I haven't bought a locked phone in years as I always buy sim free online and go with a sim only plan. Usually works out cheaper.

I do the same and buying a sim free phone makes sense but not everyone does this and stopping the selling of locked phones would encourage switching.

Bikerman2019 · 27-10-2020 02:28PM

I buy my own phone, currently a mimax 2, and go sim only. All this will do is increase the cost of buying a phone from a network as they are subsidised and they get their money back by adding the cost into the plan.

Ubbquittious · 27-10-2020 02:29PM

Hopefully.. Bout time

3d4life · 27-10-2020 08:04PM

The last locked phone that I bought came with an 088 number

GerardKeating · 27-10-2020 09:50PM

JTMan wrote: »

This should increase switching and speed up switching.

And make the actually phone more expensive for those that are happy with their network, since without locking, there will be no network subsidisy one the handsets.

GarIT · 27-10-2020 09:52PM

GerardKeating wrote: »

And make the actually phone more expensive for those that are happy with their network, since without locking, there will be no network subsidisy one the handsets.

There still can be if you buy on a bill. They are still entitled to ban the phone from using UK cell towers if the bill isn't paid.

JTMan · 27-10-2020 09:55PM

GerardKeating wrote: »

And make the actually phone more expensive for those that are happy with their network, since without locking, there will be no network subsidisy one the handsets.

There will still be network subsidies. Several UK operators (and 1 Irish operator) already only sell unlocked phones and still provide a subsidy. They can subsidise the phone because they still lock you into a 24 month contract at a tariff that covers the subsidy.

GerardKeating · 27-10-2020 10:00PM

GarIT wrote: »

There still can be if you buy on a bill. They are still entitled to ban the phone from using UK cell towers if the bill isn't paid.

that's ok for billpay, but not PAYG.

Selling Locked Phones Banned in UK - Will This happen here?

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