Unlocking Cell Phones
I was very happy to read this today about a group who is suing wireless companies over locked cell phones. This is more than a simply inconvenience to people would would like to switch numbers. These cell phones are toxic to the environment, and the wireless companies are essentially telling you to throw away an entirely useful piece of electronic equipment.
I am experiencing this problem right now, as I am trying to get a local cell phone number here in Europe. I have a perfectly good Siemans phone that I used in the US and here on the AT&T network. My contract is up and it makes more sense for me to have a local number. I just wanted to purchase a SIM card and be done with it. Boy was I wrong.
The phone cannot be unlocked (I have tried a few places). So, now I am forced to buy a new phone and throw out the old one if I cannot sell it. Of course, it is locked to AT&T so I can't really sell it easily!
It makes me so mad that I have no control over something I purchased. Yes, I got a discount for it, but I think that a years worth of paying AT&T charges would entitle me to actually own the phone for real. This isn't the only reason people are mad at the wireless companies. They'd better wake up or more lawsuits will be filed.
Anyways, if anyone wants a tri-band Siemans S46 phone, please let me know and I'll be happy to sell it for at least the cost of shipping!
Consumers Union has a website, Cell Phone Hell, that enables people to write to the FCC about this issue. You can guess from the site's name what Consumers Union thinks about unlocking cell phones. The site's at https://secure2.convio.net/cu/site/Advocacy?id=159&page=UserAction&JServSessionIdr012=w2zg4iipy1.app14b
Posted by: Pete Shinbach | June 10, 2004 at 03:09 PM
Hi,
it is really bad if you can not use phones brought in from around the world in Africa.
It about time thesen cell phone manufactureres see Africa as a potential place to make business.
A businesses buy phones to be used in Africa, and you later discover it can not be used, due to this locking business.
I hope their consider Africa's in manufacture=ing of cell phones.
Thanks
Posted by: nat | October 18, 2004 at 05:32 PM
Wireless carriers should have their phones unlocked automatically after a few months of service. That way they have made some money on the service. But they dont do that. I got my phone unlocked from www.cellspeed.ca. So forget you AT&T.
Posted by: joe | March 11, 2005 at 07:42 AM
Be careful when dealing with Cellspeed.ca I had a bad experinece with them when I ordered a Treo 650 from them. I did get the phone and it does work but months later still no manual or software and now no replies to my emails other than the automated we got it. Phone calls only get stories about it being shipped, going to ship, or jsut being packed and months later still no manual, no software, and no replies. Negative experience deling with Cellspeed.ca
Posted by: Lance787 | July 21, 2006 at 02:00 AM
Mr. Lance did purchase a Brand New Treo 650, and yes it is true that the manual and cd were not in the package. So, as soon as i found out i sent the manual and cd "sealed" and sent it via Canada Post using regular mail. He then tells me that he never got it. Fine, I went and sent him another one the same way. Again he says he did not get it. So now i am confused! I send items using Canada post all the time, and out of 100 shipments maybe 1 or 2 would get lost. Then i contact him letting him know that if he could pay for FedEx shipping and of course he tells me no way. After losing 2 (atleast as he states) manual's and CD's i feel that i am getting ripped off. These are really hard to come by.
Mr. Lance its a few bucks we can split the costs and it will be there 100% FedEx overnight with Signature. There would be no way they could lose it and if they did $100 would come our way.
So lets be fair for both parties.
Vic
Posted by: Vic | July 27, 2006 at 03:56 AM