Cell phones forum: Why no UNLOCKED cell phones sold in the US?

Currently anybody can buy unlocked GSM handsets in the US, just not directly from the carriers. I bought an unlocked Sony Ericsson P910a for use with Cingular/new At&T and it works very well. Unlocked phones are sold domestically through independent resellers and various online sources.

there are places in USA that sell/have unlocked GSM.. for instance if you go to www.store.motorola.com

Back in the Philippines, even the carrier's stores sell unlocked phones. (If I'm correct)

U.S. needs more cell phone stores that aren't strictly carrier stores.

I don't think that's the main reason because carriers offer only a very limited number of phone models to choose from. I'm sure a lot of people in the United States would be willing to pay extra $100-$150 to have one of the latests models for the same reason a lot of people follow clothing fashion.

Guys, let me get this clear. Of course in the internet you can find anything you want. However, most online stores do not guarantee that the phone you buy from them will have a manual on English, warranty, or a North American (2-pin) power plug. I have recently received my new Samsung U100 (slimmest cell phone ever), and it came with a French manual, and foreign warranty.

I was wondering why there are no, or very very few *non-online* retail stores srlling unlocked phones in this country. It really puzzles me...

I just think that people here should have larger choice of wireless devices without being oblige to long-term contracts. As for the features, most of cell phones sold by the carriers are outdated cheap-to-produce models. By the way, if you think the carriers "subsidize" prices of phones they sell as an excuse to lock you into a contract, you are wrong.

The models they sell are very very cheap to manufacture (on average 4-6 times lower than MSRP), so they make some money from selling them too. Newer models offered by phone makers are far ahead ones that are sold in the US, yet we aren't gonna see them here any time soon...

But still, if you use CDMA networks and products, you become limited because all the CDMA networks like their own stuff. They may not let you use other companies phones with them (so you'd think, anyway). Contract or no, phones bought from carriers have the carriers' signatures and software on it already.

Unlocked phones do not, unless they have been unlocked from a carrier. I agree though. We should have more choice, but it's up to the manufacturers on where to sell these phones. It's up to the consumer to go out of the country and use one too.

But Nokia has a store close to my area, and they sell many unlocked GSM phones for outrageous prices. They are nice, but not for the price. It just depends. The manufacturers here are in agreement through carriers, who sell their products for them.

In the future, we'll have one big network that can run CDMA and GSM and any phone instead of multiple different ones who "hate each other" or compete so heavily.

CDMA technology is slowly diminishing because GSM is cheaper, but is GSM more reliable? Who knows. It depends on where you are to determine how good coverage is, but I've found that my CDMA phone works well where ever there's not a lot of technology. I can use it in the comfort of my home and get max bars, or go to my doctor's office and get one bar for very little signal or roaming.

Surprisingly though, the bars have never affected the call quality at all. I can talk and hear very well with no bars (as long as I'm not roaming).

I think we know that CDMA phones don't necessarily go hand-in-hand with unlocked phones, but we can discuss this:

Are CDMA phones work as better phones than all of GSM/unlocked phones? I'm talking about the phone part, not Mp3's or cameras. Coverage, call quality, etc.

You decide.