Unlocked Handsets are Common in India
I commented in a previous post, that unlocked handsets will not cause the carriers that much grief. India has one of the fastest growing mobile markets and like many parts of Europe, it is an open environment where the user can choose any phone they like. What the operators are seeing is that this means users upgrade yearly and with that upgrade comes the purchases of new services.
In a recent story by Ranju Sarkar (Mumbai September 18, 2007) he states:
India has an open model, which allows customers to choose handsets. Operators don’t mind as every upgrade gives them a chance to sell value-added services. But it’s unlikely that you will find many customers in the West upgrading from a $100 phone to a $300-$400 phone like in India.
Once again the customers win. The way to compete in this market is to make sure that your company has a product that people need. Artificial handcuffs like locked phones and yearly contracts will ultimately create dissatisfied users.