Cell phone cancellations?

[orphias]

Hi

I'm looking to go on contract with a network, this will be my first contract as I've always gone pay as you go. they say i get the phone for free but will be billed 40€ per month. My question is what if after a few months i find i can't keep up the payments and need to cancel the contract. Could i then get the phone unlocked and use it as pay as you go?

Thanks.

[Andy0210]

The reason you will be being billed 40€ a month for a year or two is to cover the cost of the phone, your question sounds a little bit too pre planned to me. :(

I would have thought if you fail to pay they will lock it and you wont be able to use it, but should you find you was lucky and gained a very expensive phone after a month or two it would seriously affect your credit rating for anything else you wanted later in your life here. ;)

[cressrt]

i assume from the high monthly cost it is for a top range phone for Internet access etc..
Most contracts are for a minimum of 18 months and often for 2 years, you should think very carefully about taking something on if you do not think you can really afford it. You can convert a contract to PAYG but there is normally a minimum period or you pay to convert it.

[cowen1000]

To answer your question, the network will most probably 'block' your imei if you 'knock' the contract which will make your phone useless even if unlocked!!

As said by other members, if you dont think that you can keep the payments up on a contract phone, then dont go into the deal. After all, it is a credit agreement!!

[orphias]

the network will most probably 'block' your imei if you 'knock' the contract which will make your phone useless even if unlocked!!

What does that mean?

[slodgedad]

What does that mean?

It means that the phone will be totally locked til paid for.

Once the contract has been fulfilled the phone belongs to you, and only then, so the provider no longer owns the phone.

It is still locked though, but can be unlocked.

[cowen1000]

In laymans terms - when you first turn on the phone, it sends 2 signals to the network, its imei (phones serial number, (*06# on phones keyboard) and the sim card number (printed on sim)! If any of these have a bar (blacklist) through theft, unpaid bills etc then the provider will bar the imei of the phone! Which will stop the phone receiving any signal with any sim! (this is universal in its country of origin - which means the bar is enforced through the country over all networks)
All unlocking does is remove the sim restriction to enable the phone to be used on any network! Does not remove the 'bar'!
The only way to get around it is to electronically tamper with the phones imei (international mobile equipment identification) and that carries upto 5 years in prison and a 50,000 euro fine!

Don't do it!!

[orphias]

Thanks for that infomation. Is unlocking a phone illegal? :shy:

[Andy0210]

Think you have just proven your intentions, why ask members of this forum to help you illegally gain a very expensive phone???

Try it and find out as it seems to me thats what you will be doing anyway, if you haven´t already! :rolleyes:

And your embarrased smiley says a lot! ;)