After a bit of a scare in recent days that Samsung might be region-locking their Galaxy Note 3 devices, we’ve received confirmation this morning from Samsung that this shouldn’t be affecting handsets purchased in Australia:
Genuine Australian variants of the Samsung GALAXY Note 3 are not affected by any region SIM card locking.
While it isn’t much, this should mean (hopefully) that those purchasing the Galaxy Note 3 in Australia and wishing to take it (or send it) overseas won’t face the issues that we’d earlier reported with the handset failing to activate until first activated in its ‘home’ jurisdiction with a valid SIM card.
Source: Samsung Electronics Australia.
Still a disgusting practice… Samsung should be ashamed that they are doing this and fix it NOW… I should be able to purchase what I want, where I want at the price I wish to pay… If my phone dies or gets lost/destroyed overseas I don’t want to have to wait until I get back to my home country to purchase a new handset. Most people use their phones as cameras these days as well as entertainment and communication. With Photos backed up to a google account you can retrieve these photos and videos. But why should I need to… Read more »
Situation for Phones in Australia : I am from Australia and bought the phone from Mobicity. Upon reading this article , i first contacted Samsung support in Australia. They confirmed that Australian stock dosent have the regional lock issue. But they cant confirm the same about phones sourced from other countries. As my package arrived from Hong kong, they asked to check with Samsung Honk Kong. I eventually ended up checking with Mobicity and they confirmed that the phones were intended for Australian region and they are dispatching it straight from the warehouse. Their suppliers have confirmed that the dispatched… Read more »
Amen!
Why’d an oversea buyer buy from Aust? It cost more here than anywhere else on the planet
That’s part of my original point. This is a telco arrangement. The only benefit samsung can have Is the telcos are paying samsung to do this
Oh, thank the force. I was really worried. I want this phone but region locking was a massive deal breaker. Have Samsung given a reason why they’d do such a thing. I think it’s the telcos not Samsung’s idea.
I don’t think it is the telcos… What do they have to gain from making you activate the phone in a geographical location? You would have already signed a contract with them. I think it is Samsung trying to stop grey imports.
They have a lot more to gain than Samsung. It has no benefit to samsug. Its a deal breaker. Luckily Ausdroid just posted that Australian versions won’t be region locked. So that eliminates the grey import theory because people will buy from Australia.
It stops grey imports because the ones that get shipped to us are from regions that will have the lock. Australian models don’t get exported because they are too expensive.
Im sure its benefit to samsung as there will be less people trying to argue about warranty on their grey import or having to try help people that get phones that dont support our bands.
The note 3 supports all band though. or thats what ive read.
Still likely that it will need a software flash like a lot of the S4s that people have imported.