Phone Locking: This restrictive marketing must be banned

Chile has joined a small number of countries which have banned the locking of phones to one carrier. Electronic locking of smartphones is an iniquitous practice which serves no purpose. Phones can now be unlocked for a small payment, say £10 or £15, but it is an additional cost which the consumer should not have to bear. The whole business of locking is totally pointless anyway. Anyone taking a discounted or free phone must sign a contract which is a much more effective lock-in than locking the phone itself. Some European countries, notably Greece to my knowledge, ban phone locking. It is about time the ban extended to all European markets.

(Via The Verge)