[miffed]

Interesting , I just read a post on Macrumors , Asking about the legality of O2 /Apples reluctance to unlock iPhones for love or money , Now , having a bit of experience of this (some of you may remember the trouble I had getting a code out of Orange for my N95 ) - I set about finding the relevant info on OFCOM's site , and noticed someting very interesting

When I originally looked , the information suggested that networks were OBLIGED to provide and unlock , but they were not obliged to supply it for free - Now I see OFCOM have changed their stance (or, if you prefer , rolled over on their back for Apple / o2 :mad: ) and suggest that it is all down to the customer to be aware IF their Networks policy.

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consumeradvice/mobile/switching/switch/

The whole situation STINKS if you ask me , OFCOM had an obligation to enforce here , but instead of doing their duty , they simply changed the rules to avoid confrontation

( unless of course , I have read it wrong ? )

[Ben]

That page doesn't tell me anything one way or the other... :(

[Hands0n]

OFCOM does seem to be less and less about the consumer and more representative (protective) of the industry. I know that it does take the industry to task occasionally, but this seems to be more out of self-interest rather than anything much to do with the customer.

The only thing OFCOM appear to be sensitive to is consumers actually taking the trouble to phone in complaints to their call centre. Their stats show up and they appear not to like seeing high numbers. But they will not act on individual cases, and that tends to leave people feeling rather disenfranchised as they need a collective action to make any possible difference.

I think that in this particular case OFCOM have totally capitulated to the mobile network operators lobby (that'll be the GSMA then) who are well known and have a lot of history behind them of restrictive practises against the consumer. Which is odd really seeing as we pay the money for their very existence.

But then again, most people I know see absolutley no point of unlocking and fail to see any issue with handsets being SP locked in the first place. With that being the prevailing attitude there is no incentive or driver for any of the operators, their cartel (GSMA) nor OFCOM to become involved, and steadily the operators will re-tighten their grip.