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Gov't to require mobile carriers to lift SIM locks immediately

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Locking a device for the first 100 days won't change anything. There are alternatives ways to unlock devices. In the US all phones come carrier locked; however, if an unlock is requested, then the companies must comply within 5 business days. South Korea doesn't allow carrier locks on devices.

The mobile services here are outdated. They still charge for minutes and texting. This makes no sense as most people utilize 3rd party apps that bypass things like that.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Mobile locks generate so much waste cause people can't reuse their old phones.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The SIM locks are designed to reduce the risk that customers would flee without paying installments for handsets.

The handsets are sold on a hire-purchase type contract. If people don't pay the installments, there will be the same mechanisms protecting people selling other stuff, cars, washing machines, etc. on HP. It does not justify SIM locking.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Smart consumers have already moved away from using these main carriers to the KakuYasu Services with SIM free phones. Docomo, SoftBank and AU's services are just overrated and overpriced.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

They already have the ability to 'network lock' handsets where the buyer skips out on monthly payments. The The ability to unlock a handset that has been paid off, seems very reasonable.

All 3 companies have differing policies, and most annoyingly, Docomo and AU had further restricted their unlocking policies after the last government mandate to allow unlocking (restricting it to the original phone purchaser, so phones bought secondhand could no longer be unlocked). This technically was in line with the mandate, but made it HARDER not easier.

I look forward to seeing how they react to this mandate - what ways they can make it harder for us, while keeping in line with the specific words in the guidelines.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@zichi:

100 days with the so-called SIM locks in exchange for allowing them to purchase handsets on installment.

If you buy an iPhone directly from an Apple store you cannot buy it on installments, as far as I know. If you pay the whole sum upfront, you can buy an unlocked iPhone at the stores mentioned in the article too, it seems. But the article doesn't say if the 3000 yen one has to pay now to unlock the phone will stay in place or not.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The SIM locks are a Corporate SCAM... and should rightly be banned...

Next on the list should be the wifi hotspot from your phone to others... Why should I not be allowed to share my Mobile WiFi connection with my larger Screen device without having to pay an "administrative" monthly fee ? That clearly is a SCAM!... if not Extortion,

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@zichi - sorry - your comment needs reviewing in today's world as being impractical due to current practices here in Japan. When was the last time you bought a new iPhone and why ?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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