On 17 Sep 2006, at 19:25, Oliver Wittchow wrote:
> Why not offer unlocked phones for foreigners,
While I am basically sympathetic to the point you are making (and
appreciate you may have been using the word "foreigners" loosely, to
refer to people on tourist visas perhaps) selling certain handsets
ONLY to "foreigners" broadly defined - and presumably restricting
their use of other handsets - is not the solution. It is not a
rational or reasonable form of discrimination. (And yes, there is
such a thing I think.)
Requiring their visa extends the length of the contract is reasonable
only if short term contracts are offered.
Otherwise it is just discrimination against a particular social group.
Nik wrote:
> Hacking phone is basically an economic behaviour: The motive and
> opportunity
> are both motivated economically. The motive is to be able to save
> money by
> using other carriers for certain services (roaming is a big one),
> and the
> opportunity is one that includes an economic evaluation of the
> potential
> rewards for doing it versus the penalties.
But this also is true and although obvious (and based on Nik's post),
is worth spelling out in the terms above...
.....
Providing subsidies is basically an economic behaviour: the motive
for the carriers
is to be able to increase customer numbers and ultimately profits.
The behaviour is one that includes an economic evaluation of the
potential
economic rewards for doing it versus the penalties, and an evaluation
of the economic penalties
of NOT doing it, such as a loss of market share.
....
Essentially the carriers have a particular business model - and are
objecting because their more enterprising customers don't behave "as
modeled".
To which the only real answer is - "Tough. Change the model. Sell
unlocked phones as an option.".
I find this whole thread slightly surreal as the phones I am most
interested in ARE available abroad and are NOT available in Japan.
The JP market is only "advanced" in certain areas - when it comes to
"business" handsets it is decidedly primitive.
Nick
Received on Sun Sep 17 15:27:26 2006