Just to add my two cents...
The major Canadian telecom wireless providers do not unlock phones. This includes Rogers, Bell, Telus, Fido.
It doesn't matter if:
Your contract is up
You paid for the phone outright
You are going overseas
You would really appreciate it
You want to move to another carrier.
There is no legal obligation or financial incentive for them to do so.
In other countries you have the right to get you phone unlocked if you have been with a carrier for a certain time or if you paid for your phone outright.
Not in Canada.
If you heard somebody say they got a Canadian provider to remove the sim lock then it is more than likley untrue.
Eviltuna, I recommend that you always buy an unlocked phone from the states or europe if you want the freedom to change providers.
In addition, sim locks on newer phones are more complicated than on older phones. This is because part of the unlock code is held by the carrier. Unlockers will not generally have access to the carrier's database and as such, will not generally be able to unlock a canadian phone. There may be a hardware solution, but in general there will not be an easy text input to unlock.
In europe you can by a card which fits around a sim card to bypass a sim lock. These may be solutions to your problem.
Regards
Keith,
I agree with you, I have read in Howard Forums about some people being able to unlock Omnia II, I think this is an exception. I did confirm with Bell Mobility manager that the $ 75 unlock after 30 days is official.
With the marketplace becoming so global, why are Canadian carriers doing this type of poor customer service by not unlocking phones?
I understand if you have a subsided phone, however, purchase outright or end of contract.
I spoke to a friend you works for a carrier retail location and unlocks phone on the side, he tells me some phones and carriers are easier than others, ie Blackberries from Rogers are easier to unlock than LG IQ which cannot be unlocked.
Bell Mobility seems to be a little bit friendlier toward CPE (Customer Provided Equipment).
I am wondering if the best short term solution would be to purchase US ATT phones unlocked (I have Tilt2 unlocked and love it).
In the longer term, maybe all the Canadian forums like this one, Howard Forums, Mobile Syrup and many others can make a call to arms for readers of the forums to call and write both their local MP, Industry Canada and BBB to alert them to the anti consumer behavior used by Telus, Bell and Rogers. If this happens, maybe the Government of Canada will demand the cell industry be added to the CRTC to be regulated.
The mobile companies do not want to be regulated, they are the profit engines, in some cases make obscene profits and provide crappy customer service as well as poor policies.
I do not believe that government is the answer for all problems, however, the cell phone industry has been left to do what they want for too many years....its time to take action!!!!
