On Tuesday 08 June 2010 13:41:13 Amol Hatwar wrote: > >> I am told, people who use BlackBerries and other smart-phones > >> face similar problems. You are forced to: 1. Pay the full marked > >> price for the device > > > > Nothing illegal here > > > >> 2. You aren't allowed to change mobile phone providers > > The iPhone brought from Airtel works only with Airtel. It is > basically saying, you buy it - but we own you! > > > Is there something specific in any contract you signed that says > > so?. > > > > The way i see it Airtel is legally bound to service a defect > > piece subject to the warranty terms. Same with Apple. Dont want > > Airtel dont use it. Take the phone to the new provider, who > > should be able to do the needful. Airtel is not obligated to > > enable your switch. Ofcourse if they installed something they are > > obligated to uninstall that. > > As of today, Airtel's terms and conditions on the Website for > iPhone 3G is a dead link. Like it was the day I bought it. The > phone will work with Airtel only wasn't explicitly mentioned to me > verbally at the time of buying. AFAIK, It wasn't mentioned in the > Application form that I signed. > > >> I feel this is totally unethical and doesn't give a > >> sophisticated consumer any choice. As India gets a 3G network, > >> these problems will only grow. > >> > >> As of now, I am frustrated enough to bring these people to the > >> books. Any help, pointers on how to go about it will be helpful. > > > > Consumer court - with a very long shot. > > My argument simply is, "If I own the device, I should be able to > control it."
I agree with you totally, but my point is did Airtel install something that prevents you switching providers? Or did Apple?. You will have to after the guy who did the lockin. > The phone and the network are two separate things, and > the carriers shouldn't be allowed to bundle things in this way - > especially if they are for the device in full. True. > Isn't TRAI supposed > to have a say in this? Afaik no. Only regarding tarrif and service related matters. Not devices especially if there is no specific bundling contract. > > > Instead of buying these overpriced pieces of hyped up crap, buy a > > cheap chinese knockoff and setup your own server either in house > > with a static ip or one of the numerous virtual server providers. > > It's far cheaper and safer than the branded crooks. > > Yeah, a solution. But this doesn't solve the problem for everyone > nor does it make the laws of the land any better. A fight it is > going to be... More power to you ;-) Maybe one of these might be useful. http://www.trai.gov.in/consumergroups.asp http://www.trai.gov.in/serviceproviderslist.asp > > Cheers, > > Amol Hatwár > _______________________________________________ > network mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.fosscom.in/listinfo.cgi/network-fosscom.in -- Rgds JTD _______________________________________________ network mailing list [email protected] http://lists.fosscom.in/listinfo.cgi/network-fosscom.in
