Do you know that SA mobile operators can deny your phone access to their networks? It’s possible because there are no laws or regulations preventing SA mobile operators from “network locking” phones and other mobile devices to their networks. This is according to an expert at Ellipsis Regulatory Solutions who specialises in South Africa’s telecommunications regulations.
What does this mean?
What it means is that a locked phone can’t be used on a network other than the one it was bought from unless the manufacturer, network, or a “hacker” unlocks the device.The expert said he was surprised to discover that operators are free to lock phones in South Africa, as he was under the impression number portability regulations prevented it.However, the handset subsidy regulations from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa which deal with the issue of network locking were dropped in 2011.
SA mobile operators network locking in Code of Conduct
The enquiry into Icasa’s rules on network locking followed a complaint from a Cell C subscriber over a dual-SIM phone. The subscriber’s second SIM slot on the device had been locked to the Cell C network, but they were not informed of this before buying the phone. After looking through Cell C’s terms and conditions, they found the following clause in the network’s Code of Conduct:
Some Cell C handsets may be network locked to the SA mobile operators Cell C network. Where this occurs it is because the handset is subsidised by Cell C and a preferential price is offered to those customers to whom the offer is made. Subscribers are encouraged to enquire from their Service provider, before purchasing any handset, as to whether it is network locked. Good intentions from Icasa, but no follow-through
The expert argued that the current mobile number portability regulations suggest Icasa’s intention is to dissuade network locking. Given that the handset subsidy regulations were being formulated around the same time Icasa introduced number portability regulations, the implication was that the regulator would create a framework for the locking of handsets to a certain network.