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Region locked phones coming
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Galaxy Note 3 owners are going to have limited options when it comes to using their smartphone on another continent. According to Android Authority, Samsung has region locked both the American and European models of the Note 3, allowing them to only work within limited areas by default. For the European version, that's largely all of Europe, while the American version includes North, Central, and South America, as well as the Caribbean. Samsung has confirmed details of the European lock to GigaOm, but we haven't heard back on confirmation about the American model.

    Though the Note 3 will be able to connect to foreign networks, it won't be able to do so simply through using a foreign network's SIM card like usual — instead, Note 3 owners will have to pay their local carrier's international roaming fees in order to tap into wireless networks on another continent.

    Via: http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/26/4772820/samsung-region-locks-european-galaxy-note-3-within-europe

    Good news guys. They are testing new approach.

  • 6 Replies sorted by
  • DrDaveDrDave

    Creepy. Good reason to buy something else. I use a dual sim phone so I can get text messages from Europe and US, then just switch the sim depending on which country I'm in. I use the Blau data plan in Germany for example, very cheap. I like Samsung products but this is ridiculous for travelers.

  • trevmartrevmar

    I still use my Galaxy Note 1 N7000, with Gingerbread 2.3.6 when I travel. Nice and stable. It seems I will be staying with the N7000 for some time... My Play Store is disabled (frozen), as are Play Services, all updates and downloads (data costs money when traveling).

    I have one thing to say to Samsung - think before shooting yourself in the foot...

  • luxisluxis

    @trevmar "I have one thing to say to Samsung - think before shooting yourself in the foot..." I think if they really go ahead with this idiocy then the shooting aim is more higher then the foot...you get the idea ;) Oh and I am sure the Chinese cheapos will not be locked! Its the "new" economy model ;) Another thing: give it a few months and there will be unlocking gurus and ways to get over this crap.

  • trevmartrevmar

    I backed up my EFS ROM contents (IMEI etc), and there was this type of stuff encrypted into that part of the ROM, so I suspect it will be hacked, yes...

    I nearly bought one of those Firefox phones, just to get away from the Google ecosystem... Then I found I could just unregister the N7000 from the Google account, yet both GrooveIP and K9 pushed-email/gmail still worked (I froze the Google Play modules). Now I control the amount of data being used by the phone much more tightly. I was in Belgium last week, and used 88MB one night (100MB limit with the EU SIM I was using) so every little bit counts... Next month, in China, I pay by the megabyte...

  • luxisluxis

    @trevmar Thanks for the good info and good luck in China...yes the google "dirtysystem" is not fun either. i just never use their preinstalled crap to check mails especially if gmail. Back to the topic: samsung (and others) , if its shit just don't buy it. If the masses don't follow they would not sell and as result reconsider putting these restrictions.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Some more details. Same approach will be used for Galaxy S4, S4 Mini, Note 2, Galaxy S3.

    As they describe it. You will need proper region SIM card to make unlock. After it will work with any SIM. Idea is to force all sellers of imported phones to open boxes and so reduce their sales and increase expenses.

    But, many actual user reports exist that show that your phone can block itself if used in another region. or just do not accept such SIMs. So, things described above can be just Samsung PR to soft problem.

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