Benefits of unlocked Cell Phones

The concept of unlocked new cell phones, and prepaid unlocked mobile phones including Nokia, IPhone, LG, Blackberry Storm, Motorola, Samsung and Sony Ericsson, is not only cheap, it is a legal and legitimate basis for establishing cell phone communications  – an activity that has undoubtedly become a necessity of life. There is no effect whatsoever on the manufacturer's warranties by unlocking a cell phone. In May 2008 the US Supreme court put to rest the efforts of T-Mobile and AT&T - who adhere to the GSM standard - to perpetuate their locked phone policies disallowing the unlocking of GSM pdas and handsets that predominate the cell phone universe in the main. This follows similar verdicts in the case of Verizon and Sprint, both CDMA carriers. The lower courts had already emphasized the good sense inherent in owning an unlocked cell-phone by slating the efforts of T-Mobile and AT&T to require that their customers honor the contracts they had signed, declaring these contracts as "unconscionable." Clearly this sent out the message that unlocked cell-phones are cheap and affordable by comparison to a locked mobile phone contract once the costs are seperated and tranparent. The importance of this decision cannot be emphasized more. The impact is clarified in an article explaining that there is no difference in the application of the same GSM 3G on unlocked prepaid mobile phones as on ATT, T Mobile

A bottom-line effect of unlocking cell phones, irrespective of whether they are on GSM or CDMA standards, is that all four of the phone providers are being prompted to reduce the fees charged to costumers who terminate a cellphone contract before it expires. More significant is that separation of the cell phone cost from the contract monthly charges gives the unlocked cellphone owner flexibility to explore the range of options without affecting transparency. In other words, it draws the defining line between the contract cost and cost of the mobile phone itself. It also opens the arena to dealers selling unlocked phones, prepaid or postpaid without any contracts or captured service, thus creating healthy competition and putting pressure on moving cell phone prices down. Previously, T Mobile, AT&T and others had a captured cell phone market for brand new, GSM smartphones, forming a barrier to competition by keeping the cell phone market locked in more ways than one. That has all changed by allowing the SIM text messaging cards to be tuned into the service provider of the customer's choosing and not forced into a locked contract that only links to the provider's software. Ensquared - a seller of GSM Unlocked Cell Phones Nokia N96 Iphone BlackBerry Storm & More - is a leader in the arena of unlocked wireless and prepaid cell phones and internet services (Ensquared has merged with Prepaidearth.com from January 2009). To expand understanding of the unlocked concept go to Cheap unlocked 3G mobile phones vs locked T Mobile AT&T Verizon

Ensquared also has guides and reviews with particular emphasis on pertinent articles related to the US cellular unlocked phone arena. For example, the overview of the Ringtone culture emerging alongside the advent of unlocked mobiles is very pertinent information, as is a recent article on using unlocked phones abroad inexpensively. To see these and other relevant articles in one place please go to Unlocked Cell Phone Reviews for Blackberry Iphone Nokia N96 & More