Apple iPhone In France Will Be Unlocked
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As Apple expands the sales of its popular iPhone, they must sell a unlocked version in France. Seems that French law prohibits the locking of any new cell phone to a particular carrier for at least six months. So why did France need to pass a law prohibiting the locking of cell phones? Seems that several French carriers were caught price fixing behind the scenes.
Last night on the Tonight Show Jay Leno mentioned that the Noble Economic prize had been awarded to three top CEO’s of the major oil companies. They were able to increase the price of gas without there actually being a shortage. Though this may sound humorous the fact remains that we are at the whim of these conglomerates who are suspected of price fixing.
So if one looks at what is happening here in the US, AT&T is once again taking control of all of our phone services. With Apple cutting a deal with this mega giant, one could be lead to believe that it may be time for the US to consider such a policy that France has. There is no reason that I can think of why any phone should be locked to one carrier. It should be the right of the consumer to select who they wish to use.
I know it won’t happen since the teleco’s are major funders for the political parties, but it would seem that this is a consumer issue and should be addressed by the FCC.
What do you think? Should we consumers be allowed to use our phones that we purchase with any carrier we wish?
Comments welcome.
2 Comments
the oracle
October 18th, 2007
at 12:38pm
This is not as big a deal as many would think. With GSM phones, $25 and an internet search buys you a phone that will work on any GSM carrier. The carriers don’t like it, and might refuse to handle the warranty performance for your phone, forcing you to go directly to the manufacturer, but otherwise no big deal. Many people on GSM networks, both here and overseas, have a collection of phones that they switch between, like you and I would switch shoes. Five minutes to move the SIM card and they are off and running.
The CDMA carriers are much different, and have their phones serial numbers entered into the system, in effect establishing a whitelist. When I worked for Radio Shack, I had a Motorola StarTac for Verizon, and the StarTac for Sprint. Either phone would work on both networks, but because of the serial number problem, could not work on both. Simply the greed of the carriers. (I tried for over a year to get a variance, citing my stellar sales performance, outstanding support knowledge of both, etc. - no luck whatsoever.)
The problem is going to be worse in France, as the price differential is being reported as more than the cost of the phone - 400 versus 1000 euros. Again, simply greed - and until many stand together and say ‘No more’ it will continue.
Ron Schenone
October 18th, 2007
at 2:41pm
Hi Marc,
Greed is always the culprit.:-(
Ron