Do you think its network locked?

[Geriatrix]

So there's this phone I want to buy(cash I prefer not to be married to a cellphone provider for 24 months) and it costs a lot if I buy it through my current service provider(R5700 at Vodacom).

But I saw the same phone at Game for R3500. Holy crap thats a lot cheaper. I wanted to do backflips and hug people.

Then I saw the catch. It's to be sold with a Cellc prepaid acount. Right.
That Freakin Sucks.
So I assume its network locked to Cellc. I ask the saleswoman to confirm my suspicion and she tells me that no, its definitaly not nework locked but that the warranty is void if I use my vodacom sim in it.

But I saw the box and its got Cellc stickers on its definitaly from Cellc and not just a generic with a Cellc simcard.

So my questions are;
a) Do you think the phone is network locked(I'm not sure I think the saleswoman really knows what she's talking about).

and

b) if its not, is there anyway Cellc would be able to tell if I used a differant sim in the phone if I do need to exercise said warrany?

 

[broken1]

I doubt the phone is network locked. They haven't network locked phones in South Africa for a long time.

You should still have your 1 year manufacturer warranty, but you don't get the second year warranty. That's because the terms and conditions are usually state that the phone must have been active on the network (cell-c in this case) in the last 90 days. They can tell this, as the network logs the IMEI, Make and Model of every phone that is connected to their network.

 

[Geriatrix]

I doubt the phone is network locked. They haven't network locked phones in South Africa for a long time.

You should still have your 1 year manufacturer warranty, but you don't get the second year warranty. That's because the terms and conditions are usually state that the phone must have been active on the network (cell-c in this case) in the last 90 days. They can tell this, as the network logs the IMEI, Make and Model of every phone that is connected to their network.

Ah, ok. So if I use the Cellc sim at least once every month I should be fine.

But I wonder why one company can supply a phone at R3500 and another expects me to cough up R5600. Thats a pretty big differance.

Is Vodacom simply trying to rip people off or is Cellc REALLY desperate for customars?

 

[Skeptik]

They cannot enforce unfair contract terms such as not allowing other network SIMS in the phone.

 

[broken1]

Ah, ok. So if I use the Cellc sim at least once every month I should be fine.

But I wonder why one company can supply a phone at R3500 and another expects me to cough up R5600. Thats a pretty big differance.

Is Vodacom simply trying to rip people off or is Cellc REALLY desperate for customars?

Price difference is based on profit margins. Maybe CellC bought more stock and are trying to get rid of it. Maybe Game adds less margins to phones? I don't know. It's a business decision from their side.

I dont think putting the CellC card in the phone once a month will save you. They can clearly see you are not using the phone on their network. As the network covers the cost of the SECOND YEAR of warranty, they won't cover it.

I know Nokia phones now come with a 24 month manufacturer warranty, in which case you will have 2 years warranty reguardless of network. Otherwise you only get your standard 12 month warranty.