NDP wants to unlock cellphones

[BlackEleven]

Originally Posted by Vox

If the goal is to improve value for the consumer the issue isn't locked/unlocked phones anyway. It is competion. Until the CRTC and Industry Canada make it easier for more competion to exist, whether it be domestic or foreign, consumers in Canada will continue to pay extremely high rates.

I'll predict now that of the new spectrum sold to Wind, Shaw, MTS Allstream you will see either niche services provided (Shaw), enhanced services in already dominant markets (MTS), and the future acquisition of bandwidth and subscribers by the big three carriers (ie Wind will be aquired by Rogers, Bell or Telus).

As well, the existing carriers are incredibly adept at swaying the CRTC, and where they can't sway them simply ignorning or circumventing the rules. For example, we have class action law suits in Canada trying to stop the carriers from charging the 'system access fees' that the CRTC has made illegal, rather than the CRTC enforcing the rules.

I actually have no problem with the locked phones - the carriers need to make money and deserve to know they are going to make money if they subsidize my phone. Just give the consumer more choice of carriers to keep the rates competitive.

It's not strictly about reducing the cost of cell phone bills, although this a (small) step in the that direction. It's also about giving consumers the freedom to use their hardware as they see fit. It's unfair to consumers to have a device locked to a particular network after they've already paid for the hardware (via a 3 year contract or whatever the case may be).

It certainly would be nice to have more competition in Canada, and not have the CRTC act to spinelessly towards the big players, but this is only one small piece in a much bigger puzzle.

[Azure]

I think there is a point in this.

But I think the bigger solution is to have other carriers get into the market and provide some more competition. Like Wind Mobile.

Start forcing the big 3 to adjust their pricing.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

On average, iPhone users spend between $80-$100 per month on their phone bill. Over the length of a 36 month contract, that's $2880-$3600. $800 of that is for a tangible product (the phone), the rest is for an intangible service (access to their voice and data system).

Cell phone contracts (for the most part) are not about the subsidized phone. That's just the line they use when people complain about it.

I think this is correct - I don’t think any telco subsidizes anything, they simply amortize the purchase price of the phone over the length of the contract, and assume some of the financial risk for the outlay on the device up front.

It’s no coincidence that the early termination fees, at their very lowest, usually cover the price difference between the “subsidized” and full price versions of the phones. Of course you usually pay even more than that, simply because they can charge more.

[Arsenal14]

Perhaps somebody in here can answer a question for me as I don't really know much about unlocking phones. I have an iPhone 3G that I will be looking to upgrade when the iPhone 4 comes out. If I want to give my old phone to my parents will they need to use the same carrier that I'm on? Is unlocking the phone something I can do myself if I jailbreak it or is it unrelated?