Which networks give unlocked phones?

chiggz · 2 Jan 2008 at 17:00

The situation: my contract on o2 is about to end and my dad is on Virgin mobile. My dad needs a new phone, but I do not. When I renew or get a new contract I want a phone that I can give to my dad. My current phone is unlocked so whatever network I go to won't matter.

So the simple question is: what networks do you know of give unlocked phones when taking a contract out with them?

I know o2 contracts will most likely come with an unlocked phone, but do any others?

Thanks.

Edit: I know going with Virgin would be the best sollution, but they don't seem to offer many good phones.

blueacid · 4 Jan 2008 at 14:32

Vodafone and Orange are heavily branded & locked, from my experience.

MeatLoaf · 4 Jan 2008 at 14:38

Vodafone used to give sim free phones but as said they are now branded and locked.

I went to CPW the other day and got a N73 on 02 but the handset is sim free and totally unbranded.

GeForce · 4 Jan 2008 at 14:42

CPW sell most (if not all) phones in a sim-free unlocked version.

Jon

jhmaeng · 4 Jan 2008 at 16:08

O2 shops will give you an unlocked phone on Pay Monthly, and their branding tends to be very light. But PAYG from O2 shops are locked.

LordSplodge · 4 Jan 2008 at 16:12

How hard is it to go to your local market and get the phone unlocked? Serious question.

chiggz · 4 Jan 2008 at 16:15

LordSplodge said:
How hard is it to go to your local market and get the phone unlocked? Serious question.

Some phones (definitely the later Nokia models) have no way of being unlocked afaik.

Thanks for the input all

Guess I'll seek CPW phones or get myself back onto o2.

MeatLoaf · 4 Jan 2008 at 22:07

LordSplodge said:
How hard is it to go to your local market and get the phone unlocked? Serious question.

I was quoted £35 to unlock a N95 or N73 but it involved totally dismantling the phone