Comments on: Unlocking the unlocked cell phone market

Nokia and Sony Ericsson are looking to crack the unlocked phone market in the U.S., but their quest will be an uphill battle.

[Forked_Tongue]

There's many things this article didn't cover that some people here have covered in part but the other problem with locked subsized mobile service provider's phones is the inability to install 3rd party apps that could make your life easier, save money, or get more from your phone. Many phones are unable to install great programs like mobile gmail, yahoo mobile, or Opera mini browser because the application access menu is locked or hampered to make those options useless or annoying (like asking you each time you use it instead of once with a set and forget setting). There are also 3rd party anti-theft tracking software that is disabled, it's in the service provider's interest forcing you to renew your contract by purchasing an "upgrade". Unlocked phones without menu restrictions would allow people to add Skype for reduced price calling to international longdistance (far cheaper than the provider, this affects because this affects business employees, their expense is passed down to us the consumer), 3rd party GPS software (instead of reoccuring service charges), data access instant messenger clients (instead of sms access based clients, forcing people to buy an additional sms packages with data or get a higher costing bundle data/sms bundle), unable to use the phone as a modem (much cheaper option to "piggy back" off it's data service vs aircard services), and less software freeze/crash prone more stable phone (motorola doesn't test the phone with the crippled service striped/locked mobile service provider's branded software, they use the base ware fully version software to test it with). Most of all it would allow the user of the service to apply many of the restrictions of the phone thru it's own menu not as an extra service charge from the mobile service provider things such a minute trackers (disabled, they want to encourage the occasional overage), sms/mms/call/download/application block (these are disabled to help generate revenue thru occasional usage or selling a blocking/management service), mentioned bluetooth features lockdown (forces again to send thru their network for a revenue generated service), calling card input menu removed (so you'll use their international long distance service instead of simply programming the info into the phone's menu, and the phone automatically using this info for all international calls), and accessing streaming websites since it can "adversely impacts their network" in a profitable manner (instead of building out the network to handle the load, they'd rather over sell to the number of customers in the area and claim "user abuse"). If you visit the manufacturer's site and compare the features of an unbranded phone and mobile service provider's branded locked phone you'll always see restrictions in place that hurts the mobile service provider's revenue.

Locked phone are purely in the mobile service provider's interest, never in the consumer's interest, any feature that has recently been "enabled" (youtube recently for example, but not hulu, nor in the iphone sling on 3G) is purely to entice you away from other companies or keep from losing you to them (that's why you see it on new phones, not as a software patch/upgrade for your older data devices). If we want to see true innovation, all contracts between service providers and manufacters need to be removed, let the best combination of the best mobile/smart device and mobile service provider for the consumer win. Exclusive deals phones that are tied down to one company (iphone ATT, palm pre Sprint, android G1 Tmobile, etc) will cost more and encounter problems unique to the mobile service provider, there isn't as much of an incentive to fix that problem if people can't jump ship to the provider that can because of it, shouldn't the consumer get that choice, of course we should, and it should start by making it where all phones are unbranded.

[play7]

"Medina said a lot of the people buying unlocked phones either frequently travel internationally, or they have lived in Europe and Asia where people typically buy unlocked phones at full retail price. For these consumers, Medina says the benefits of an unlocked phone far outweigh the hefty price tag."

Please don`t include Japan in this ASSumption. Because your wrong We pay about of money for phones out here. And MOST if not all ae Higher Quility then Junk coming out of China, etc.......... Aontehr wonderful piece BS writing by C-Net...............

[dotKev]

We have 3 unlocked phones in our home and have a month by month post pay deal with our operator. In the last 18 months we've changed operator 3 times to get the best deal and each time we change we're offered something better than the last. This is not something you can do when you're on contract. Also when we travel or go abroad we can get a local sim and get much cheaper calls/data than you would ever get from roaming.

The only people that win with a locked phone is the operator. They have you tied to them for 12/24 months and they make big $'s from you.

[prjayne]

The debate over locking is being miscast as a conflict between free-market advocates and monolithic telecommunications carriers. Discussions tend to ignore a large and largely voiceless group that has benefited enormously from the practice of locking, and the dramatically lower prices it permits: lower-income consumers who need access to affordable wireless service. Practices like locking enable carriers like Virgin Mobile to deeply discount handset prices, making mobile service affordable and accessible. It's likely that regulations requiring unlocked handsets would produce increased handset prices and greater barriers to wireless service for many lower-income consumers. Something to consider.

Jayne Wallace
Virgin Mobile USA

[dreed54]

Buzzirk Mobile and Zer01 Communications looks like it is going to address all of the concerns above. From what I have read and heard, No contracts, pre-paid service, using GSM to deliver wireless VoIP. Which enables them to set a flat rate and unlimited voice and data. They also claim to have secured a 2100 mhz connection. Looking forward to see if they can deliver.

[mordyk]

It would be nice if carriers offered a large rebate similar to a phone subsidy for BYOD customers. I think that would actually add loyalty by some very high end niche customers.