[Infowarrior] - Samsung region-locking its phones now?

[Richard Forno]

Seriously, Samsung? Sorry, roamers, but the new Galaxy Note 3 is region-locked

http://gigaom.com/2013/09/26/seriously-samsung-sorry-european-roamers-but-the-new-galaxy-note-3-is-region-locked/

By David Meyer
7 hours ago

People buying the unlocked Galaxy Note 3 in regions such as Europe or North America will not be able to use a SIM card from another region in it, meaning they will have to pay exorbitant roaming fees if they travel outside the region.

I really thought the days of region-locking were dying with the DVD, but it seems I was wrong – Samsung has decided to revive the odious practice with its Galaxy Note 3 smartphone.

Yes, if you buy an unlocked Note 3 in Europe and travel to, say, the U.S., you will not be able to use a local SIM card. The same applies the other way round. In other words, you will be forced to pay for your carrier’s outrageous roaming fees or go Wi-Fi-only.

This fact first came out in a Wednesday blog post by the British online retailer Clove. Samsung has confirmed to me that they are really doing this, and I’m waiting on a statement.

Here’s what Clove said:

“If you travel internationally (outside Europe) and usually insert a local SIM card when in those countries, the Note 3 will NOT be able to use the local network. It will lose all mobile connectivity with the exception of emergency calls.

“For example, if you travel to the USA and insert a SIM card issued in the USA, you will not be able to use the Note 3 for any voice calls, text messages and mobile data connection. It will work via a WiFi connectivity only.”

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Interestingly, Samsung Switzerland has been telling customers on Facebook (in German) that they can use non-European SIM cards in phones bought there. That directly contradicts what the stickers on the Note 3 boxes say, and what Samsung’s German PRs told me, but it’s worth mentioning.

My opinion on the matter, if expressed as I’m feeling it, would not be fit for a family-friendly publication such as this. The great advantage of the GSM telephony standard (the “G” stands for “global”, by the way) is that it puts power into the hands of the consumer. Unlike CDMA, it uses SIM cards, allowing users to easily swap carrier if needed (assuming of course that they have an unlocked phone).

Right now I can only guess that the carriers asked Samsung to region-lock its devices, so that customers will have to pay the crazy roaming rates of their home carriers while travelling in other parts of the world. But that’s speculation. Go on, Samsung, tell us why this is OK.

This post was updated at 5.50am PT to reflect the fact that this wasn’t just a European thing, as it first appeared to be, and at 6.40am PT to include a reference to Samsung Switzerland’s assurances to worried customers.

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