[citation][nom]sykozis[/nom]AT&T and T-Mobile are the only "national" carriers that use GSM networks. The other "national" carriers are using CDMA networks. The phones are locked to their network type. You can't buy a GSM phone and use it on a CDMA network.[/citation]
That's exactly what I mean... in other countries, 90% of the carriers use GSM and you can use any SIM with your phone. When I first heard that one of my friends had a "locked" phone and therefore needed a new one, since he was going for a holiday trip to GB, I laughed so hard... how stupid can you be to willingly allow phone companies to deceive you like that and give you a restricted product that dictates what SIM you can and can't use?
Pathetic. I'm used to travelling with my phone and changing SIM cards whenever I like (I have like 4?) and switching carriers once a better contract is available. Example: I buy a phone, then a SIM contract where I have to pay X cents per minute for a call and Y cents per SMS. Two months later, a better contract comes out, where I have to pay X/2 cents per minute for phone call and Y*2 cents per SMS. I, understanding that I'll save way more money on the new contract (cheaper calls, more expensive SMS, but I use SMS less than calling), dump my old SIM into the dustbin and get a new one. Meanwhile, the "locked" phone owners whine and lose money, because their contract ends only in a year, they don't want to get rid of their shiny new phone and they're scared of unlocking it.