Carriers To Be Required To Unlock Cell Phones
The Regulatory Authority has announced that with effect on March 1, all mobile phone carriers operating in Bermuda will be required to unlock cellphones on request.
The RA said, “This is another step in the Authority’s quest to increase competition amongst cellphone service providers in Bermuda’s electronic communications industry and to allow the public to benefit from advances in technology.
“Carriers must unlock cellphones within one day of the request being made, or provide a good reason why it cannot meet that deadline.
“Consumers should be aware that unlocking a cellphone does not negate any contract they may have with the carrier, which will remain in effect for the prescribed period.
“Carriers need not unlock any cellphone which has not been purchased by one of the mobile carriers operating in Bermuda. Carriers need not unlock any cellphone if they believe the request is fraudulent, the phone is stolen or if the customer’s account is in arrears.
“If a carrier refuses to unlock a customer’s cellphone, it must explain to the customer why it is doing so.
And of course, if any customer believes he or she has been treated unfairly by the carrier, a complaint can be made to the Regulatory Authority. T
“he procedure for making a complaint is explained on the RA’s website www.rab.bm, in the section entitled Forms and Guides, which can be found at the top right of the home page.”
The Regulatory Authority’s Cellphone Unlocking Decision follows below [PDF here]
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the next thing they need to do is get rid of the contracts
+1
Someone also needs to make sure the US Govt and NSA aren’t spying into our phones!
Like they really care about lil ole Bermuda!!!!
CellOne have never locked my phone only to their network.
I understand that’s not the case with the other carrier.
nuff said
Interesting… Most of the main flagship models of smartphones in Bermuda are already Internationally unlocked from factory but its interesting non the less. Also will it be a free service? Because I think you have to pay to get an unlock code from the manufacturer.
why would a manufacturer lock a product they are selling? It is certain companies that lock them to their networks. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to unlock them though.
NICEEEEE….
Here is what I want, sell me an unlocked phone and improve your services, your customer service, keep me appraised of any deals or rate changes and also you can institute a decremental contract where by every month I stay with you on contract, my ‘break contract’ fee will decrease month by month?
Thank you in advance cell phone service providers.
Cell one already offers all you are asking
Fantastic!
People still have locked cell phones…???
Seeing as how CellOne only purchases gray market phones, this really doesn’t apply to them as almost all of their phones are already unlocked. I guess this is just for Digicel.
Dufus!
digicel fones are unlocked…..who does this apply too?
i think its when ur suckered into buying a fone in bermuda-i-mean buying an on sale contract fone
Digicel phones are not unlocked. When you boot up your phone and the digicel logo pops up, it means they have it locked to their network.
Hi Shawn, Any cel phone you purchase at Digicel are locked.
Shutting the stable door after the horses have already bolted!
Kids have been unlocking cell phones in Bermuda for a very long time!
(the locking of cell phones by cell phone companies was pure Greed)
This RA may well be the best thing that the PLP did for Bermuda!
I like them, more please!
Bernews… Can you get info on when number portability will come into effect.? i heard that it also was March 1st,
Good idea. Can’t believe Bermuda is in front of America in this aspect.
Local Number Portability is slated to come into effect April 1st
local number portability will be March 3 2014
I’ve was unlocking my own phone for years, for by far less then they do here. Then they started selling unlocked phones overseas. Now, they need to end those stupid contracts, something else I have not had for years, but what a rip off. Switch companies and keep the same number, that would be nice, but I’m not switching.
Contracts are needed to subsidize the cost of the phone. Cell companies in bermuda don’t have the buying power to get phones at the low prices they do in the US, UK and Europe.
I’d rather buy the phone outright than be duped into a contract full of hidden fees for a slighly cheaper phone.
When are they going to allow Anonymous Call Rejection…
When i call some number in overseas i am showing up as Anoymous they need to fix that because it causing me greif when deal with people