Carphone warehouse have confirmed to SMS Text News that they will be changing their policy on iPhone contracts when the 3G iPhone is released next month.
Whereas previously you could just buy a handset and self-activate it at home, Carphone Warehouse will be insisting that customers first sign up to a mobile contract before they can leave the store with the new handset.
Fair enough, I suppose, but surely anyone who wants to buy a standalone (presumably for Jailbreaking and switching to another carrier) can do so just by buying a PAYG version of the phone, can’t they? These are unlikely to be any more locked that the contract versions, and should be the same price as a non-subsidized handset from O2 or Carphone Warehouse.
It all seems a bit counterproductive to me. If I thought that there was one place I could buy a phone where I would get hassled to sign a contract and one where I would not then I probably wouldn’t have to think too hard about where I went first.
0 Responses to “Carphone Warehouse: customers must sign up for iPhone contract in store”
Leave a Reply