Free the Cell Phone! (Wired)

Free the Cell Phone! (Wired)

Posted Sep 29, 2005 9:12 UTC (Thu) by callegar (guest, #16148)
Parent article: Free the Cell Phone! (Wired)

For what I know, in Italy the unlocking of cellular phones is now leading to a huge trial between H3G and Vodafone.

See, for instance http://www.cellularitalia.com/ultimissime/reut100305.php (in Italian). Basically, H3G is taking to trial Vodafone claiming that Vodafone is inviting H3G clients who have bought an UMTS phone under-cost to change operator by helping them to unlock their phone so that it can be used with Vodafone SIMs. Conversely, Vodafone is taking to trial H3G for ruining its "image" to customers.

Given the speed of courts in Italy, this case will likely take ages to be ruled, but the ruling is expected to be an important one.

Personally, I think that this doesn't make any sense. The problem is that people likes and buys phones that are network-locked. And when they buy the phones they know well that they are locked. Cinically, I would say that people like network-locked phones precisely because they like the idea of getting a phone for a very low price, with the expectation that first or later the locking will be circumvented. It is this mentality that needs to be changed. In any case, as long as there is a market for it, do not expect companies to stop the commerce of non-interoperable phones. If they cannot rely on electronic protection, they will simply break the standards and make their SIM card round rather than squared.

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