cell phone unlockers in calgary

[STeeLy]

Originally Posted by CubicleGeek

I think North America is the only place that locks phones to carriers. This may happen in certain European markets I'm not aware of, but it is illegal for carriers to lock phones in Asia to promote competition. The rationale behind locking you to the carrier is that in North America all carriers provide some sort of subsidy on the cell phone. By locking that phone, they have a higher guarantee that you will stay with them long enough for them to recover their money from the subsidy and profit. Even if you are willing to pay the penalty for early termination, the fact that you can't bring your phone with you to another competitor is a huge deterent.

Phone subsidies were unheard of in Asia until recently, mostly because they can't lock phones and in many countries, such as China, most people don't have enough credit for them to enforce a penalty if they don't live up to their end of the contract. In Hong Kong, it is becoming more and more common for them to subsidize a phone but requiring you to sign a 1 or 2 or 3 year deal. You require a valid credit card and they will charge you a fee if you want to leave. But unlike NA, because your phone is not locked, you can also take that phone to another carrier.

That really explains it... I never really look into it

Thanks, I understand now.

[The_Dude]

I didn't think the search function would come up with anything, but it did.

I have a BlackBerry 8800 I bought, but it's with Rogers. I'm having a hell of a time trying to find someone here in Edmonton that can unlock it. Either that, or it's $140-$160 dollars to unlock.

Anybody know of any places in Calgary that unlock?

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Mccree

I think the innards need a little work

Inards need no work physically. You just have to access the software inside. Most times, you'll need to do this with a data cable or you can do it via a website with the proper tools (usually from the manufacturer with ...appropriated codes from the cellphone provider).

Anyway, I just buy the cable usually, it's cheaper than getting somebody else who already owns a cable to do it, then you can do it wherever you want. It's not a regular data cable though, it has extra stuff and hardware. My Nokia unlocking cable is an entire battery sized brick that has individual pins that connect to the sim card area and more...darn thing was a serial connection though. Old times, old times.

[Incogneto]

Anyone had luck with unlocking a Telus KRZR?

Care to share tips how to do it?