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What's your take on unlocked phones?

Posted: , by Ray S.

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What's your take on unlocked phones?
While most of us won't consider picking up a phone off-contract, because of the hefty price tags that are usually attached to the high-end offerings that most of us enjoy, it's definitely not like no one's doing it. The market for unlocked phones is doing just fine, as there are people out there who happen to need a new device, but without having put their signature on yet another two-year service agreement. Sure, you end up paying a significant amount of money, and you still have to pay for some kind of service, but after all, you get the freedom of choosing whichever carrier suits you most.

So, we thought... let's find out exactly what part of our readers have purchased, or would consider purchasing a full-price, unlocked phone. Feel free to cast your votes in the polls below!

Poll

Have you ever purchased an unlocked phone?
66.81%
950 votes
(950 votes) Yes, I have.
32.63%
464 votes
(464 votes) No, I haven't.
0.56%
8 votes
(8 votes) Sorry, can't remember!

1422 votes


Poll

Would you consider purchasing an unlocked phone?
84.82%
1106 votes
(1106 votes) Yes, I would.
7.29%
95 votes
(95 votes) No, I wouldn't.
7.9%
103 votes
(103 votes) Maybe, not sure.

1304 votes


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24 Comments

1. AndresJ posted on 10 Feb 2012, 08:05 1 3

Most carriers sale the phone you want anyway, so question rather what contract not which carrier. By the way you can unlock phone anyway even carriers unlock it

21. WWThinker posted on 10 Feb 2012, 20:29 1

Even if the carrier agrees to unlock the phone, it still carries a lot of the crabs installed by the original carrier. Further, the OS upgrade is under the mercy of the original carrier.

23. paynekiller posted on 11 Feb 2012, 01:12 1

Well with Android and rooting you are no longer under their mercy. Unlocking is cheap and sometimes free and can be done yourself, and when you root you can remove all their bloat, only way to know is their branding on the phone's shell.

2. kshell1 posted on 10 Feb 2012, 08:05 5

does any body have a tmobile sgs2 or htc amaze 4g they would trade for a mytouch 4g slide or lg g2x?

3. ledbetterp3 posted on 10 Feb 2012, 08:09 14

That doesn't seem like a fair trade...

6. kshell1 posted on 10 Feb 2012, 08:42 4

or ill give both

18. LoneShaolin posted on 10 Feb 2012, 12:53 5

still not a fair trade.

4. bigdawg23 posted on 10 Feb 2012, 08:21 4

I have a few times almost bought an Unlocked Phone. Personally all phones should be unlocked both SIM and OS.

5. protozeloz posted on 10 Feb 2012, 08:22 2

Most my phones are unlocked. Is the price to pay for freedom

7. ghost__uwi posted on 10 Feb 2012, 08:44 2

when you from outside america. Its unlocked phones. Or get locked into a contract for the worst phone imaginable.

8. squallz506 posted on 10 Feb 2012, 09:28 1

I own an unlocked g2x, it cost me $300 upfront but I only pay $30/mo on magentas monthly4g. In the long run unlocked phones are much much cheaper than a contract, plus zero hidden fees, franchise fees, paper bill fees, early termination fees, and I am eligible for an upgrade from now until the end of time.

9. remixfa posted on 10 Feb 2012, 09:36 1

if you get on the right carrier and the right plan, unlocked phones can save you a ton over traditional contracts. we are talking multiple thousands of dollars in savings that you are just handing over to the carriers

10. ddxmms posted on 10 Feb 2012, 10:27 2

the answer for me is ALWAYS because in our country we don't have Carriers and mobile makers Partnership like you do (and we would be happy for such relationship) so you can only buy a new phone (high end one or just a cheap one) or you can always buy a used phone..YES PEOPLE ITS AS BAD AS ITS SOUND :D .

11. chadrick0814 posted on 10 Feb 2012, 10:53

As long as the carrier doesn't sell the phone you have unlocked, you will end up saving money.

12. -box- posted on 10 Feb 2012, 11:04 1

Phone prices in the U.S. could stand to drop a bit, which would make buying a phone at full price a better deal, especially with their depreciation. We get boned because the carriers want us in a contact and thus prices without contracts are inflated. Phones should not be more expensive than a decent new computer

13. jlscott777 posted on 10 Feb 2012, 11:09 1

Not being a big user of mobile calls and virtually never mobile data I have an unlocked Nokia N8 that I use on T-Mobile with a pay as you go plan, my monthly cell phone bill is about $3.50 a month, same for my wife. For people that do not use their phones all that much it is the only way to go.

14. k1ng617 posted on 10 Feb 2012, 11:12

My last 4 phones were bought off contract, but used on prepaid plans, because even though I bring my own phone to Verizon, AT&T, or Sprint they still want me to pay the same monthly payment as if I bought a subsidized phone....No thanks!

15. Sniggly posted on 10 Feb 2012, 12:10 1

If the Razr never comes to AT&T on its own I would definitely consider saving the necessary money to buy an unlocked one.

16. JonBjSig posted on 10 Feb 2012, 12:32 4

We don't have a choice here in Iceland, no carrier has any contracts like these so we always have to pay full price.
Electronics also cost a lot more here in Iceland than in most other countries, I paid 81.000Kr(around $700) for my Nexus S last September, and that wasn't even the full price, I got a 13.000Kr($113) discount from a friend of my father who works for one of the major carriers.

17. yingcong6 posted on 10 Feb 2012, 12:41

I would like a unlocked phone because I love freedom, and get my phone ready for other carriers just in case of the unexpected change in future.

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