Strange conv with a guy in CPW

ste_bla

ste_bla

ste_bla

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Now i dont know if this guy said was true or not and that was what I was wondering, the conv went like this;

Ste_bla : Are your PAYG o2 phones sim free like they are in the o2 shop?

Him : The ones in o2 shop are now networked locked as people were buying them as cheaper than other networks and using another networks sims, but all our phones are sim free

Ste_bla : So if i buy a o2 phone here its sim free but if its from the o2 shop its branded and network limited

Him : Yes

Ste_bla : So therefor I buy a Nokia 1100 (iirc) on o2 which is £20 less than the handset only price it will be sim free

Him : Yes

Ste_bla : So i buy the o2 phone chuck the sim and put virgin sim in

Him : Yes.. but..

Ste_bla : But?

**Now this is were im alarmed/confused**

Him : If you use a different sim in it the network can tell and can blacklist/lock your phone if they want

Ste_bla : Wtf? Where does it say that?

Him : It doesnt, its just one of those things!

So i ask you is what he is telling me true? Can they just decide to lock a phone you have bought just because theres another networks sim in it?!
 
Also just wondering why on earth is the Nokia 1100 £24.99 on the net but only £13.99 in store (no i did NOT make a mistake as i have a photo to prove it)
 
Probably true, 3 have done it to several people. Although not quite the same, they blocked people who use there sims in non 3 phones. Its quite possible and probably legal.

Why should you be allowed to buy a subsidised handset by 02 and then use a voda etc sim in it?

People are lucky its gone on for this long. What with people claiming upgrades/insurance phones them selling them. I dont think it should be allowed. But instead of banning it mobile phone companies have just made it far harder and more expensive to upgrade in a contract or before your time is up.
 
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im smellin bull, mainly because ive done it so many times before and nothings happened, o2 wouldnt blacklist your payg phone if you were using a diff network sim card in it, ive done it with payg phones from most networks, and pay monthly ones, you'll be fine!
 
Ignore the CPW guy, sounds like he is using scare tactics to make you buy from CPW and not O2. I'm not aware that O2 has their phones locked apart from the ones that they have O2 branded or phones uniquely released for O2. PAYG phones are partially locked, most batch are locked, some aren't.

There is no reason for a network to blacklist your phone unless it is reported stolen. Inserting a different SIM won't block the phone. If the SIM is stolen, only the SIM is blocked, not the phone.

IIRC, it isn't possible to remotely bar a phone from using other network SIMs without your consent (you need to accept settings sent to your phone remotely). Also, given the phone is your property, I'd have to question where the law stands if a network attempts to lock your phone from other networks.
 
Surely though, when a phone is blacklisted, from being reported stolen (i.e the IMEI number being locked out from all newtorks), the network operators don't need your consent, nor do you need to "accept" the block. It's just happens.

To the OP, remember to take everything said by a CPW employee with a jupiter-sized grain of salt. Remember - they want you on a contract, whatever you think otherwise, and IMO they are quite unhelpful if you go in there asking about sim-free or PAYG phones.
 
Tute said:
Remember - they want you on a contract, whatever you think otherwise, and IMO they are quite unhelpful if you go in there asking about sim-free or PAYG phones.
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Depends who you ask :p I know I don't bother trying to convince anyone to go on a contract if they're deadset on a PAYG handset, unless they're telling me they spend over about £20-25 a month on credit then I suggest it but I don't push.
If someone came in for a Nokia 1100 though I wouldn't bother, there's simply no point because the customer obviously just wants a basic and cheap phone. :)

Back to the OP's query about the guy's weird statement, he's probably just saying it to cover his back just in case. I've not heard of it happening but I bet you'd be bloody annoyed if it did, and he didn't warn you wouldn't you? :p

BTW guessing you mean the Nokia 2600 is £13.99? The Nokia 1100 is still £24.99 afaik even though the Nokia 2600 is a better phone. Prices online for CPW are often different from in shop, and up until just over a week ago they were £24.99 in store, then they had a sudden price drop which was handy as my Dad wanted one. :D
 
ste_bla said:
Yeh your right it was the 2600 @ 13.99 think i'll be getting that for me dad
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My Dad's got it and can actually figure out how to use it which is amazing for him :D
 
Scare tactics methinks... although it is possible to see what IMEI is being used with a handset i don't think there is enough time to check every single subscriber... especially with larger accounts where the handsets get swapped around loads.
 
Haly said:
Depends who you ask :p I know I don't bother trying to convince anyone to go on a contract if they're deadset on a PAYG handset, unless they're telling me they spend over about £20-25 a month on credit then I suggest it but I don't push.
If someone came in for a Nokia 1100 though I wouldn't bother, there's simply no point because the customer obviously just wants a basic and cheap phone. :)

Back to the OP's query about the guy's weird statement, he's probably just saying it to cover his back just in case. I've not heard of it happening but I bet you'd be bloody annoyed if it did, and he didn't warn you wouldn't you? :p

BTW guessing you mean the Nokia 2600 is £13.99? The Nokia 1100 is still £24.99 afaik even though the Nokia 2600 is a better phone. Prices online for CPW are often different from in shop, and up until just over a week ago they were £24.99 in store, then they had a sudden price drop which was handy as my Dad wanted one. :D
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Whoops... didn't mean to offend :)

/Spreads love

Bought myself a new sim-free handset yesterday... a very sexy Nokia 7360. The phone is just... wow! Looks fantastic, feels fantastic, worth every penny IMO.
 
Tute said:
Whoops... didn't mean to offend :)

/Spreads love
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Ah don't worry about it, I know I've sold my soul to the devil by taking a sales job based on commission ;) But I do try to ensure that the customer gets the best deal regardless of what it makes me, so just wanted to point out that we're not all evil :p
 
What you have been told is one of those things that can happen 'in theory' but only three really do it.

Every network has a clause about unauthorised equipment in their terms and conditions (both payg and contract) that could certainly be used to justify blocking equipment from other networks from accessing the services.

It's also not that hard to sweep IMEI's for non-authorised equipment if people really wanted to (all IMEI's are logged every single time a phone is used anyway), but again, most networks probably wouldn't be bothered.

Unless you were talking about three, it's just scaremongering :)
 
Fair enough

But now I'm even more miffed, went back into the store to buy the £13.99 phone which you have to buy a top up with (£20 cash or £10 via CC card) which is okay, however i HAVE to put it onto the sim that comes with the phone i CANT put it onto the T- Mobile sim i already have, just a little miffed :(
 
ste_bla said:
Fair enough

But now I'm even more miffed, went back into the store to buy the £13.99 phone which you have to buy a top up with (£20 cash or £10 via CC card) which is okay, however i HAVE to put it onto the sim that comes with the phone i CANT put it onto the T- Mobile sim i already have, just a little miffed :(
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Well, the deal works based on the fact that they subsidise the cost of the handset based on the fact that you are putting money into their network via the top-up.

As for the o2 blocking handsets, that's total carp.

Trust me, I work in CPW head office :D
 
krooton said:
Well, the deal works based on the fact that they subsidise the cost of the handset based on the fact that you are putting money into their network via the top-up.
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Which I was ahppy to do the miffed bit is the new sim has to be topped up not a current one even if same network providers
 
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