Are Thai smartphones locked to particular networks?

[penco]

If a Thai person brings a Thai Samsung smartphone to UK, can they use a Giff-Gaff sim or are Thai mobiles locked to networks? When I went to Thailand recently I had to get my own UK smartphone unlocked prior to going to Thailand and using a DTAC sim.

[Gulfsailor]

Thai law forbids network providers to sell sim-locked phones.

It is possible though that a cheaper smartphone only has a few frequencies it can use, and that these are not used by some networks abroad.

[penco]

Thai law forbids network providers to sell sim-locked phones.

It is possible though that a cheaper smartphone only has a few frequencies it can use, and that these are not used by some networks abroad.

Thank you very much. Exactly what I needed to know.

[alanrchase]

UK is a pain. Always bought unlocked phones. Possible good plans on locked phones but like a bit of "phone freedom" myself.

[CNXTim]

Just buy a new SIM card - cheap as chips anywhere here and a lot easier than paying big roaming bucks to keep your UK number here.

TIP:If you smile sweetly and look lost the clever gal/guy at any 7 Eleven will even fit and register it for you...Amazing Thailand

[Lamphen]

I bought a brand new I-phone at AIS in Central Festival (Pattaya) two weeks ago.

Put my Belgian SIM card in it for a quick test before leaving the store - it worked perfectly!

[penco]

UK is a pain. Always bought unlocked phones. Possible good plans on locked phones but like a bit of "phone freedom" myself.

Agreed locked phones but I knew I needed an unlocked one so I made it a condition of the contract that they would unlock it for free.

I've had sim only contracts for several years but for my most recent contract it was significantly cheaper to go for a contract phone and then I also didn't need to pay a massive chunk of change upfront for a sim free phone. Whether the phone manages to survive intact until the end of the 24 month contract remains to be seen. I've dropped it twice already :-D

[alanrchase]

UK is a pain. Always bought unlocked phones. Possible good plans on locked phones but like a bit of "phone freedom" myself.

Agreed locked phones but I knew I needed an unlocked one so I made it a condition of the contract that they would unlock it for free.

I've had sim only contracts for several years but for my most recent contract it was significantly cheaper to go for a contract phone and then I also didn't need to pay a massive chunk of change upfront for a sim free phone. Whether the phone manages to survive intact until the end of the 24 month contract remains to be seen. I've dropped it twice already :-D

My reason is due to travel. Just buy a local sim when you arrive, no roaming charge. My old man started with a locked phone, no idea what it meant, cost a fortune in roaming charges till he paid to get it unlocked.

[penco]

UK is a pain. Always bought unlocked phones. Possible good plans on locked phones but like a bit of "phone freedom" myself.

Agreed locked phones but I knew I needed an unlocked one so I made it a condition of the contract that they would unlock it for free.

I've had sim only contracts for several years but for my most recent contract it was significantly cheaper to go for a contract phone and then I also didn't need to pay a massive chunk of change upfront for a sim free phone. Whether the phone manages to survive intact until the end of the 24 month contract remains to be seen. I've dropped it twice already :-D

My reason is due to travel. Just buy a local sim when you arrive, no roaming charge. My old man started with a locked phone, no idea what it meant, cost a fortune in roaming charges till he paid to get it unlocked.

Or get a locked phone unlocked for free. The result is Same-Same.

And yes I've used a local DTAC sim every time I've been to Thailand. As you say much cheaper than roaming.

[alanrchase]

UK is a pain. Always bought unlocked phones. Possible good plans on locked phones but like a bit of "phone freedom" myself.

Agreed locked phones but I knew I needed an unlocked one so I made it a condition of the contract that they would unlock it for free.

I've had sim only contracts for several years but for my most recent contract it was significantly cheaper to go for a contract phone and then I also didn't need to pay a massive chunk of change upfront for a sim free phone. Whether the phone manages to survive intact until the end of the 24 month contract remains to be seen. I've dropped it twice already :-D

My reason is due to travel. Just buy a local sim when you arrive, no roaming charge. My old man started with a locked phone, no idea what it meant, cost a fortune in roaming charges till he paid to get it unlocked.

Or get a locked phone unlocked for free. The result is Same-Same.

And yes I've used a local DTAC sim every time I've been to Thailand. As you say much cheaper than roaming.

Old boy. Back then cost money to unlock a phone.

[khunPer]

If you buy the mobile phone in a normal electronics shop, it's not locked - not sure if you buy a discounted phone from one of the mobile network suppliers. The mobiles I have bought can use any SIM-card from my European home-country.

[lucifer666]

Have three Thai smartphones at home and none of them were network locked when bought.

[jacko45k]

Thai law forbids network providers to sell sim-locked phones.

It is possible though that a cheaper smartphone only has a few frequencies it can use, and that these are not used by some networks abroad.

That is great news.

But I do see some phones for sale that have specific network labels and logos on the price tag, giving me the impression that they are network specific, couldn't be the case?

Edited August 3, 2015 by jacko45k

[jacko45k]

UK is a pain. Always bought unlocked phones. Possible good plans on locked phones but like a bit of "phone freedom" myself.

You seem to be able to get them unlocked, at a price and after waiting for while.

But you are still stuck with their software branding.

USA has some tricks done to the phones too.

[elgenon]

I know BBB and true have free wi-fi hotspots. Does DTAC? I have never seen them on my phone.

To penco: It is not sim free. You still need a sim.

[mmh8]

no, but any smartphones with dissenting opinions will be sent for attitude adjustment

[dddave]

USA has some tricks done to the phones too

The big problem in the USA is that VERIZON, one of the biggest providers runs on CDMA, thus incompatible with GSM phones. AT&T has GSM but runs 3G on the 850 and 1900 band, 4G, 700 & 1700. Some now on 1900.

[speedtripler]

Thai law forbids network providers to sell sim-locked phones.

It is possible though that a cheaper smartphone only has a few frequencies it can use, and that these are not used by some networks abroad.

That is great news.

But I do see some phones for sale that have specific network labels and logos on the price tag, giving me the impression that they are network specific, couldn't be the case?

Any regional restrictions can be "unrestricted" but someone who knows what they're doing

I can do it with most phones but it took a while of reading to learn how, if your big interested in it anyway the fastest way is to bring in to someone who does this for a living

The noteworthy exception is radio frequency band, if you take it to another continent and your phone cannot pickup the network there, you may be unable to use calls, data or both...

[speedtripler]

Thai law forbids network providers to sell sim-locked phones.

It is possible though that a cheaper smartphone only has a few frequencies it can use, and that these are not used by some networks abroad.

That is great news.

But I do see some phones for sale that have specific network labels and logos on the price tag, giving me the impression that they are network specific, couldn't be the case?

Any regional restrictions can be "unrestricted" but someone who knows what they're doing

I can do it with most phones but it took a while of reading to learn how, if your big interested in it anyway the fastest way is to bring in to someone who does this for a living

The noteworthy exception is radio frequency band, if you take it to another continent and your phone cannot pickup the network there, you may be unable to use calls, data or both...

[SheungWan]

Any smartphone purchased in Thailand will work in the UK eg with a giffgaff sim card.