Comment Swings and roundabouts (Score 2, Interesting) 259
In the UK and most of Europe, as others have said, this has been a standard facility since the EU deemed that the telcos were technically able to do this and were putting limits on the freedom of customers who were able to choose a good deal or their old number, but rarely both.
That said, they do like to get their claws into you other ways. I have a phone with Orange and I'm out of luck if I want to use anyone elses SIM card in it (ignoring the backstreet hackers who will fix it for me) as they lock it to their network. All this means is I need a new handset if I switch networks, no real problem now, but when I next upgrade I'll be getting a convergence device (Sony Ericsson P800 for example) and these aren't something you want to have to buy all over again when you switch networks.
Time to call my MEP.
That said, they do like to get their claws into you other ways. I have a phone with Orange and I'm out of luck if I want to use anyone elses SIM card in it (ignoring the backstreet hackers who will fix it for me) as they lock it to their network. All this means is I need a new handset if I switch networks, no real problem now, but when I next upgrade I'll be getting a convergence device (Sony Ericsson P800 for example) and these aren't something you want to have to buy all over again when you switch networks.
Time to call my MEP.
