MTN phone network locked? Illegal?

[mister]

Hi

A friend bought a prepaid phone and was told by sales at Edgars that the phone was not network locked, but it appears to be indeed locked. I thought this was illegal? Who do I contact to have the locking removed?

Thanks

 

[longboy]

ICASA, tell them the phone is illegally locked.

 

[mister]

ICASA, tell them the phone is illegally locked.

That's what I thought... Anybody know the username of the mtn rep here?

 

[mister]

MTN claim that network locking is not illegal...

 

[KhoisanX]

There was a thread about network locking a while back, the legislation was drafted but never implemented. So in short, it's not illegal. Seems quite unusual though.

 

[Dom1n8tr1x]

I think those prepaid phones are usually network locked, especially the ones you can buy from places like Jet Stores, Edgars etc.

In the last 8 years or more none of my MTN phones that I got from MTN dealers were locked to their network. I should probably also add that all my phones are on contract and not prepaid.

 

[cpu.]

I think those prepaid phones are usually network locked, especially the ones you can buy from places like Jet Stores, Edgars etc.

In the last 8 years or more none of my MTN phones that I got from MTN dealers were locked to their network. I should probably also add that all my phones are on contract and not prepaid.

Bought a Samsung Android smartphone on prepaid in Jan 2013. Not locked.

Edit: Just remembered it's a Vodacom prepaid now on Mtn

 

[SmartKit]

There was a thread about network locking a while back, the legislation was drafted but never implemented. So in short, it's not illegal. Seems quite unusual though.

Issued July 2008:

ICASA also moved to prohibit the practice of SIM-locking, handset-locking, software-locking and any other type of locking a handset.

Perhaps MyBB should get us a definitive answer?