$50 to unlock a phone I paid in full for?

[tellmehow]

I bought the Moto G LTE out right from Fido and decided to give it to someone as a gift and called Customer Service to have it unlocked and was told I had to pay $50. I understand if I got the phone on a contract for free but I paid in full for it. I shouldn't have to pay to get it unlocked.

They said even if I spent $1000 on the iPhone 6 Plus and bought it out right, I'd still have to pay $50 to unlock it. Why not just go to the apple store and buy a factory unlocked phone instead?

I don't blame the rep as she was just repeating what she's been told to tell customers but it's ridiculous.

[tellmehow]

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@Rob_Fido wrote:

There are some advantages to purchasing a phone at regular price directly from Fido rather that from the manufacturer:

1. You can trade in an old device to get a credit to your account

2. You can use your Fido dollars to reduce the cost of the phone

When purchasing a phone directly from the manufacturer or a retailer they usually don't have a trade in program nor do they have a loyalty program. So obviously if you aren't trading in a phone and don't have a lot of Fido dollars, then you are better off purchasing the phone yourself independently.

Also, don't forget that the current Wireless code in Canada issued by the CRTC requires carriers to charge a fee for unlocking a device. See http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/info_sht/t14.htm

.

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Hello Rob_Fido,

  As a matter of clarification, the Wireless Code does not require carriers to charge a fee for unlocking a device. Rather, it merely allows carriers to charge a fee for unlocking said device.

"F. Mobile device issues

1. Unlocking

A service provider that provides a locked device to the customer as part of a contract must

1. for subsidized devices: unlock the device, or give the customer the means to unlock the device, upon request, at the rate specified by the service provider, no later than 90 calendar days after the contract start date.
2. for unsubsidized devices: unlock the device, or give the customer the means to unlock the device, at the rate specified by the service provider, upon request."  -- taken from CRTC site mentioned above.

  Fido, or any carrier, could specify the unlocking rate to be $0, if they chose to do so.

Cheers

[Proac]

Fido dies what every other carrier does which is overcharges for unlocking a device. As Sally mentioned there are much cheaper alternatives. I would never pay Fido $50 when a quick google search can turn up much cheaper options.

[Florinso]

You are right. All the phone i had, except for my daughters iphones i used unlock service from ebay, very cheap and fast. But for iphones to play safe before selling i unlocked paying yhat 50 fees. And even so sometines i had to take a trip to Apple store to complete the unlocking as it failed with my pc itunes installed on my laptop. And i have never got any complaints from the buyers. Good luck!

[Rob_Fido]

There are some advantages to purchasing a phone at regular price directly from Fido rather that from the manufacturer:

1. You can trade in an old device to get a credit to your account

2. You can use your Fido dollars to reduce the cost of the phone

When purchasing a phone directly from the manufacturer or a retailer they usually don't have a trade in program nor do they have a loyalty program. So obviously if you aren't trading in a phone and don't have a lot of Fido dollars, then you are better off purchasing the phone yourself independently.

Also, don't forget that the current Wireless code in Canada issued by the CRTC requires carriers to charge a fee for unlocking a device. See http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/info_sht/t14.htm

.

[10yearfido]

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@Rob_Fido wrote:

There are some advantages to purchasing a phone at regular price directly from Fido rather that from the manufacturer:

1. You can trade in an old device to get a credit to your account

2. You can use your Fido dollars to reduce the cost of the phone

When purchasing a phone directly from the manufacturer or a retailer they usually don't have a trade in program nor do they have a loyalty program. So obviously if you aren't trading in a phone and don't have a lot of Fido dollars, then you are better off purchasing the phone yourself independently.

Also, don't forget that the current Wireless code in Canada issued by the CRTC requires carriers to charge a fee for unlocking a device. See http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/info_sht/t14.htm

.

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Actually, another glaring inaccuracy is the trade in. Apple also will provide a trade in program, offering up to $225 for old iPhones. Fido's trade in value is an average of $64.

[10yearfido]

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Rob_Fido wrote:

Also, don't forget that the current Wireless code in Canada issued by the CRTC requires carriers to charge a fee for unlocking a device. See http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/info_sht/t14.htm

.

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What? No, that's just not true at all. That's completely bogus. The wireless code does not, in anyway, require them to charge a fee. It allows them to charge a fee. Big difference. Huge.

[Cawtau · Accepted solution]

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@Rob_Fido wrote:

There are some advantages to purchasing a phone at regular price directly from Fido rather that from the manufacturer:

1. You can trade in an old device to get a credit to your account

2. You can use your Fido dollars to reduce the cost of the phone

When purchasing a phone directly from the manufacturer or a retailer they usually don't have a trade in program nor do they have a loyalty program. So obviously if you aren't trading in a phone and don't have a lot of Fido dollars, then you are better off purchasing the phone yourself independently.

Also, don't forget that the current Wireless code in Canada issued by the CRTC requires carriers to charge a fee for unlocking a device. See http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/info_sht/t14.htm

.

---

Hello Rob_Fido,

  As a matter of clarification, the Wireless Code does not require carriers to charge a fee for unlocking a device. Rather, it merely allows carriers to charge a fee for unlocking said device.

"F. Mobile device issues

1. Unlocking

A service provider that provides a locked device to the customer as part of a contract must

1. for subsidized devices: unlock the device, or give the customer the means to unlock the device, upon request, at the rate specified by the service provider, no later than 90 calendar days after the contract start date.
2. for unsubsidized devices: unlock the device, or give the customer the means to unlock the device, at the rate specified by the service provider, upon request."  -- taken from CRTC site mentioned above.

  Fido, or any carrier, could specify the unlocking rate to be $0, if they chose to do so.

Cheers

[kenshin33]

where is is written that it is required????

I don't see it, all there is :

the "fee to unlock the device, if any;"  twice (subsidized and unsibsidized devices)

in regard to "carrier must provide INFORMATION about"

what does using fido $ or the possibility to trade in the device has to do with the state of the device (LOCKED or UNLOCKED)????

[kenshin33]

the point is not cheaper.

he paid the phone in full, he expects to get a fully functional phone, he didn't ask them to lock it. as far as i can tell there's no motorolla store where one can go to buy an unlocked motorolla phone.

There's also what he said about the iphone, same price same thing one is locked the other is unlocked.

With a 2 year contract (or what is it called these days? Tab?), it might be understandable (although not without some brain gimnastics, the contract/tab/what ever is in itself BINDING, no need for a lock).

Fido and other carriers must stop this non sense.