I think the networks have every right to restrict access to services that essentially compete with themselves. They're giving you a very expensive phone that's been subsidised to 100% so you can hardly blame them. This kind of "crippled" feature is no different to the fact that phones are locked to their parent network. You can't expect Vodafone to give you a free N95 and then use it on a cheaper network. Parasitic customers like these are the bane of every mobile company.
The logic about Pay As You Go is also nonsense. Nearly all PAYG phones are subsidised to a degree by the parent network. They do charge marginally more (T-mobile charge PAYG 2p a minute more than contracts) but PAYG customers cost more to administrate, have a higher churn rate and generally spend much less on calls. The Marxist argument might be the poorer end always subsidises the better off but It think it's unlikely in this case.
The answer is obvious to all the gadget obsessed crybabies who want a free N95 - if your credit cards weren't all maxed out you'd just need to buy a sim-free model. As it is you seem to expect endless upgrades and handouts that all other customers have to pay for indirectly. This just highlights the bigger issue that subsidised phones should be completely stamped out.
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People expect too much
I think the networks have every right to restrict access to services that essentially compete with themselves. They're giving you a very expensive phone that's been subsidised to 100% so you can hardly blame them. This kind of "crippled" feature is no different to the fact that phones are locked to their parent network. You can't expect Vodafone to give you a free N95 and then use it on a cheaper network. Parasitic customers like these are the bane of every mobile company.
The logic about Pay As You Go is also nonsense. Nearly all PAYG phones are subsidised to a degree by the parent network. They do charge marginally more (T-mobile charge PAYG 2p a minute more than contracts) but PAYG customers cost more to administrate, have a higher churn rate and generally spend much less on calls. The Marxist argument might be the poorer end always subsidises the better off but It think it's unlikely in this case.
The answer is obvious to all the gadget obsessed crybabies who want a free N95 - if your credit cards weren't all maxed out you'd just need to buy a sim-free model. As it is you seem to expect endless upgrades and handouts that all other customers have to pay for indirectly. This just highlights the bigger issue that subsidised phones should be completely stamped out.