Can I make use of a cell phone from a provider I no longer use?

In My Humble Opinion
21

Agree w both the above.

It is amazing what a large percentage of 21st Century US commerce is based on the premise of carefully hiding what’s actually being sent on what. Whether it’s advertiser supported media, hard to cancel subscriptions for whatever, cable TV channel bundles, razors vs blades-type biz models (e.g. inkjet printers), or “free” phones or included breakfasts or warrantees or …

I sometimes wonder how much would change if we had true a la carte full-disclosure pricing on absolutely everything everywhere. It might well be revolutionary.

22

That’s how I use mine.

23

The best part (for the supplier) is that many people keep the phone after the end of the contract and go on paying the same rate.

24

Every phone I’ve ever bought the rate changes automatically when the 2 year payment plan is over. I could see how a phone company could take advantage of the unaware consumer, but it hasn’t happened to me over the past decade or so.

25

It looks as if the main providers in the UK will send reminders to their customers, but it is still up to the user to request the change.

End of contract notifications: everything you need to know.

26

It is utterly trivial to unlock network locking. In my country I would just go to my my local low-end cellphone repair shop and expect to pay in the region of US$10, or even less.

That’s easier than researching how to do it myself, which I am sure I could work out with the help of the internet.