Posts: 1
Join Date: Nov 2009
Yesterday, 09:09 PM
See Oftel - faqs
The OFCOM guidelines clearly state that mobiles should be able to be unlocked once the subsidy has been recovered. This should generally be within a year if not before. So the advice seems to be wrong from 02 that you have to wait for the exclusiveness period to expire.
Also charging for the associated admin costs of unlocking a mobile is acceptable, but customers should not expect to pay more than £30 + VAT.
Of course, if you have paid the same price as an unlocked version then it should be unlocked straight away (as it is effectively unsubsidised), so it worth seeing what it is sold for in other countries.... and the exclusiveness of the product or sole provider - which are mentioned as reasons for not unlocking - are not reasons that OFCOM allow!
