What Does Phones Locked-in Contract from Optus/Vodafone/Telstra Means?

StraightGuy on 13/09/2023 - 23:04
Last edited 14/09/2023 - 14:57

Hi,

What does actually locked-in contract phone means when you buy from Optus, Vodafone or Telstra?

Does it have any limitations, like below:

1) You can only use their network sim or you can add any other sim?
2) Can you use dual sims?
3) Can you use phone overseas with local overseas sim?

Thanks in advance!

EDIT 14/9/23 3:00PM: I would like to thank everyone for providing the information. I love how I got more genuine information from here instead of the Optus live chat. I used this information to understand better the locked-in contract and searched for more details on Optus website and what I found was that prepaid phones are network locked only and can be unlocked by paying a fee upto $80. The phones bought on postpaid plans are just in contract for repayments without any limitations, as you all mentioned. Thanks once again everyone!

Mobile Phone Plan

Comments

  • bobbified on 13/09/2023 - 23:08

    Are you referring to a network-lock on the phone or are you purchasing a phone where you're locked into a contract for certain period of time? They're two very different things:

    Network-lock means you can only use the phone on that single network (I thought they stopped doing this a while ago unless it was some really cheap prepaid handset).
    Locked into a contract means just that - you're locked into a contract with the carrier with a minimum payment each month for service (but the phone is not necessarily locked to their network)

    • StraightGuy on 13/09/2023 - 23:22

      From what I read on the Optus website is that it’s just locked into a contract for 12/24/36 months until you clear the full device repayments. So I was just wondering if that limits any usability. The Optus live chat is hopeless to get any information.

      • jv on 13/09/2023 - 23:28

        So I was just wondering if that limits any usability.

        Depends if the phone is network locked or not.

        • StraightGuy on 13/09/2023 - 23:32

          The optus live chat copy pasted the information from the website and did not provide an actual information. So I'm not sure if it's network locked or not.

          • jv on 13/09/2023 - 23:35

            @StraightGuy: It should be clear in the T&Cs where you are purchasing from if there is a network lock on the device or not. Also, if there is, how to unlock it and if there is a cost. If it is network locked, you cannot use any other service provider, including overseas.

            • StraightGuy on 13/09/2023 - 23:40

              @jv: thanks for this. I will definitely look into T&Cs.

      • bobokingdom on 14/09/2023 - 10:22

        It means you are commited to the plan for 12/24/36 months. Within the contract period, you will need to pay the monthly fee as indicated in your contract. In return, you will get some discount for the handset. Unless it is prepaid, your headset will not be locked to the network (that means, you can take it overseas and use foreign SIMs). If you decided to leave/exit the contract during the fixed term, you MAY need to pay back the discount of the headset PLUS contract break-away fee (for most of the contract, it is 50% of the remaining monthly fees).

  • AustriaBargain on 14/09/2023 - 00:07

    Telstra don't do fixed contracts anymore, unless you are buying through a reseller like JB Hifi.

  • leiiv on 14/09/2023 - 00:34

    I think any of them do not do a network-lock anymore for any device on any post-paid plan.

  • 87percent on 14/09/2023 - 06:29

    Telstra phones on contract for postpaid, arent network locked

  • bahgsy on 14/09/2023 - 14:09

    No phones purchased on a plan in Australia are network locked, only potentially prepaid.

    None of the stated limitations.

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