Samsung can restrict phones in South Africa if contract customers don't pay

[Newsfeed]

Samsung can restrict phones in South Africa if contract customers don’t pay

Samsung started rolling out a system that temporarily limits core functionality on Galaxy devices bought on contract if a customer defaults on their payments.

 

[Smiggles]

Prepaid all day every day thanks. Contracts are a scam.

 

[Jam Sandwich]

I sort of thought they could do this anyway?

 

[Johnatan56]

Is there a system to check if a phone is on contract via IMEI or something like that?

Should just have a yes/no answer, no other info, and all providers be on it. This should include a blacklist check. There is no easy way to check if a phone is on contract short of calling the providers.

Icasa should make it a requirement for any mobile providers to have a link to the portal or host own page that interfaces with it at no cost.
Right now to check blacklist it requires a call or email (outside of paid services afaik).

 

[supersunbird]

Prepaid all day every day thanks. Contracts are a scam.

Now lets talk about that phone you bought for using with prepaid... where and how are buying it?

 

[neoprema]

Apple will tell them to get knotted if they try this lol.

Edit - To be fair, so will a few other phone vendors too...

 

[Brian_G]

Apple will tell them to get knotted if they try this lol.

Nah, Apple likes to make older devices incompetently worth less for usage, so my money is on them joining in with this game.

 

[Swa]

You'll own nothing and be happy. Funny how all these measures are circumvented by the true criminals.

 

[Brian_G]

Here's an idea - let's all support smart ID systems while we're at it. Govt. & corporates are your friends

 

[TofuMofu]

Here's an idea - let's all support smart ID systems while we're at it. Govt. & corporates are your friends

 

[Brian_G]

Lol, an ANC truster. Shem

 

[JustAsk]

Pep's been doing that for a while now, on prepaid phones bought on credit.

I never liked Samsung products, never owned one, never will. During the Kwazulu lootings Samsung admitted they can remotely disable those stolen TV's if supplied with the serials.

 

[Charlesjjm]

Apple will tell them to get knotted if they try this lol.

Edit - To be fair, so will a few other phone vendors too...

iOS 27 code suggests Apple could restrict leased devices after missed payments - 9to5Mac

Code found in the iOS 27 beta suggests Apple has built a system that could restrict leased devices when customers fall behind on payments.

9to5mac.com

 

[Swa]

Pep's been doing that for a while now, on prepaid phones bought on credit.

I never liked Samsung products, never owned one, never will. During the Kwazulu lootings Samsung admitted they can remotely disable those stolen TV's if supplied with the serials.

I don't think the people who stole them will ever connect them to the internet.

 

[airborne]

Is there a system to check if a phone is on contract via IMEI or something like that?

Should just have a yes/no answer, no other info, and all providers be on it. This should include a blacklist check. There is no easy way to check if a phone is on contract short of calling the providers.

Icasa should make it a requirement for any mobile providers to have a link to the portal or host own page that interfaces with it at no cost.
Right now to check blacklist it requires a call or email (outside of paid services afaik).

You used to be able to phone the network and ask them to check if the IMEI is currently linked to a contract but they stopped allowing that a few years ago last I checked. I have been burnt twice buying a secondhand phone that subsequently got blacklisted due to the contract not being paid, not a pleasant experience.

 

[JustAsk]

I don't think the people who stole them will ever connect them to the internet.

irrelevant

 

[neoprema]

iOS 27 code suggests Apple could restrict leased devices after missed payments - 9to5Mac

Code found in the iOS 27 beta suggests Apple has built a system that could restrict leased devices when customers fall behind on payments.

9to5mac.com

suggests

 

[Tsepz_GP]

You used to be able to phone the network and ask them to check if the IMEI is currently linked to a contract but they stopped allowing that a few years ago last I checked. I have been burnt twice buying a secondhand phone that subsequently got blacklisted due to the contract not being paid, not a pleasant experience.

This is the exact scenario I was worried about, very disappointing they no longer allow checking the IMEI tie to a contract, I guess they want to steer people away from private sales etc…

 

[Justanotherguybythesea]

Pep's been doing that for a while now, on prepaid phones bought on credit.

I never liked Samsung products, never owned one, never will. During the Kwazulu lootings Samsung admitted they can remotely disable those stolen TV's if supplied with the serials.

Pretty much standard on any IOT thing, in that they do not work smart wise till you have a network connection. Then you can brick them as soon as they connect by looking up the serial number, and send a new firmware blob it will updateitself with, and this can be anything like a bug fix roundup, a complete new OS compressed blob, or a smaller firmware that powers it up, but only displays a message of blocked device, and erases the rest of the flash firmware. But those sets all very likely were simply connected to a decoder, or some sort of external video source, or used the antenna to watch SABC TV and ETV, never using any of the other features. other than the typically very crappy built in media player.

 

[Mirai]

Pep's been doing that for a while now, on prepaid phones bought on credit.

I never liked Samsung products, never owned one, never will. During the Kwazulu lootings Samsung admitted they can remotely disable those stolen TV's if supplied with the serials.

They can't disable these TVs if you don't connect them to the internet.

Smart TVs are ridiculous. Just get an add on device to do the smart what-not or your PlayStation and go like that.