Network Locked Devices

DXL

DXL

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
1,364
Reaction score
343
Location
Durban
I have observed recently all the mobile Operators except Telkom, seems to be Network locking their Devices they supply via prepaid or Contract to customers.

All devices as i understand it was supposed to be Operator Neutral.

Also software installed on Devices seem to reject sim cards from other operators.

ICASA needs to spend some time looking into this and provisioning for all Devices to be unlocked at the Operators cost.

Anyone purchasing either modems or mobile phones please ensure other sims work in it before you purchase it, if not tell the salesman you want it unlocked.
Its a mission to get these devices unlocked on your own and rather difficult to resale it if its locked onto a particular network.
Also e-mail ICASA with every device that is network locked.

DXL - Team
 
Last edited:
DXL said:
I have observed recently all the mobile Operators expect Telkom seems to be Network locking their Devices they supply via prepaid or Contract to customers.
Click to expand...

They expect that from Telkom? It's not Telkom's job to lock it for companies.
 
Last edited:
thanks dxl for looking out for the (idiot) consumer out there.

Problem with putting another company's simcard into your phone is that: According to their warrantee, if you place a MTN simcard into a Vodacon phone you void the Vodacon warranty.

Same vice versa if you bought a MTN phone with 24 month garantee you may not put a Vodacom simcard in there. They probably want you to find out after 24months that "OH DAMN" you've been rickrolled and is sitting with their crappy locked phone :P
 
DXL said:
I have observed recently all the mobile Operators except Telkom, seems to be Network locking their Devices they supply via prepaid or Contract to customers.

All devices as i understand it was supposed to be Operator Neutral.
Click to expand...

Where have you observed this? My understanding is that no equipment is allowed to be network locked. That does not mean that dashboard software, for example, cannot be locked. So, where has this observation been made?
 
GreGorGy said:
Where have you observed this? My understanding is that no equipment is allowed to be network locked. That does not mean that dashboard software, for example, cannot be locked. So, where has this observation been made?
Click to expand...

As far as I know phones cannot be network locked, maybe network branded (Vodafone anyone?) However I think usb modems are a different story as the software automatically installs onto your pc when you first use it. So if you got it from MTN it will install MTN's dashboard. Im Not sure what the whole legal side of usb modems are.

We got it okay here. I was working in the USA for a few months and just before I left I was given a bonus phone from AT&T on some promotion. So I thought I can give it to my son when I get back here. It has been sitting in a draw for 3 months now because if you put in any other sim then it needs a subsidiary password. a 8 digit code that only AT&T can give me and it is specific for that phone. So the phone is useless without it being used on the AT&T network.
 
We got it okay here. I was working in the USA for a few months and just before I left I was given a bonus phone from AT&T on some promotion. So I thought I can give it to my son when I get back here. It has been sitting in a draw for 3 months now because if you put in any other sim then it needs a subsidiary password. a 8 digit code that only AT&T can give me and it is specific for that phone. So the phone is useless without it being used on the AT&T network.
Click to expand...
what make of phone is it, maybe I can help?
 
network locking has not happened in years. probably not in the last ten
 
Tweak said:
thanks dxl for looking out for the (idiot) consumer out there.

Problem with putting another company's simcard into your phone is that: According to their warrantee, if you place a MTN simcard into a Vodacon phone you void the Vodacon warranty.

Same vice versa if you bought a MTN phone with 24 month garantee you may not put a Vodacom simcard in there. They probably want you to find out after 24months that "OH DAMN" you've been rickrolled and is sitting with their crappy locked phone :P
Click to expand...

With the new cpa act don't you get the 24 month warranty from the manufactur? I know before cpa the network give one year and the manufactur the second year
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X