Mobilabonnement: What Is Operatørlås & Can You Remove It?

Have you just bought a new phone, only to find out that you can’t actually enter any SIM card you want into it and use it? Completely oblivious to the idea of operator locks, you might have bought a phone without ever assuming you could have issues using it any way you want. While, nowadays, the operator lock is not as common as it once was, it still very much exists, and understanding what it is and how it works is a must, if you want to be sure you’re buying the right phone for yourself.

It's no wonder you forget all about this, though. Given that competition is so fierce nowadays, various different providers have decided not to put those operator locks on their phones. And yet, these are still not completely out of the picture. Meaning, you could easily come across a locked phone, especially if this is something you didn’t even bother considering or asking while making your purchase.

Does it always have to be a bad thing, though? Well, not exactly. There are both pros and cons to operator locks, and learning more about what those are and how they work, as well as what the advantages and the disadvantages are, will help you get a clearer idea on whether it pays off to get such a phone, or whether you want to get an unlocked one right away. And, of course, another thing we’ll learn is whether you can remove the lock if you’ve already bought a phone with such a restriction.

Read more on SIM lock here: https://www.easytechjunkie.com/what-is-a-sim-lock.htm

What Is Operatørlås?

While this is no longer as popular as it once was, some phones are still locked to specific providers upon purchase. So, when you buy a phone with a mobilabonnement, you could find yourself having to deal with the operatørlås. A great majority of phones are nowadays sold without it, but it could still happen, especially if you’re buying some older models.

Anyway, the operator lock means you have basically entered into an agreement with a provider, that is, agreed on a subscription you’ll have to pay for during a specific period of time. Usually limited to one year, the agreement you’ll enter into this way won’t allow you to switch to another provider during that period. It’s basically a contract you have to adhere to, so it is important for you to consider it all in advance, before making your purchase, with the aim of checking if the subscription works for you and if you are ready to pay for it for that specific period of time that the provider will set.

Who of us hasn’t tried putting a different SIM card into a locked phone? I guess this depends on how old you are, really. And, if you’re too young to remember the time when operator locks were pretty much standard, then you might not have had the opportunity to try something like this. So, you may try it now.

And, if you do, you will fail. Your SIM will be rejected, and you’ll get a message on your phone clearly stating that, or requiring you to enter a special code to get the phone unlocked. Since you’ve entered into this agreement, you’ll need to adhere to it, although there are ways to remove the lock, which we will talk about a bit later.

What Are the Pros?

Before we get to that, I want to make one thing clear. While you may be frustrated with the mere fact that you have such a restriction on your phone, the operator lock is not always a bad thing. It has its own pros and cons, and understanding those is important. First of all, the price of your mobile phone will be heavily subsidized if you decide to buy it this way.

In some cases, you could even get your phone for as low as NOK 1. If the subscription the providers are offering is suitable for your specific needs and requirements, it may, thus, be a good idea for you to get the phone with the operator lock. And, remember, it won’t be locked for more than a year, which is a pretty short period when you think about it, so being restricted for a year could be worth it when you can get the phone at such a low price.

What Are the Cons?

On the other hand, the subscription you’ll agree to pay for could be a bit more expensive than the one you’d pay if you simply bought an unlocked phone for a regular price previously. If the subscription is expensive, you won’t love this option, because you won’t be able to get out of it for a whole year. So, while you’ll be given a chance to pay a low price for the device, you could wind up with a pretty expensive subscription. And, if you want to unlock it before the actual agreement period is over, you’ll need to pay for that.

Can You Remove It?

So, now you’re wondering if you can remove the operatørlås på mobil and thus be free to choose your own subscription and your own provider, without any restrictions whatsoever? As I’ve hinted at above, this is a possibility, but you’ll be required to pay a fee for that. Of course, the easiest way to get the lock removed is to wait for the agreement period to be over. But, if you can’t wait, you will still be able to do it, for a price.

What you’ll have to do is contact your current mobile operator, the one you have an agreement with, and state your desire to get out of the agreement and have the phone unlocked. Depending on the phone you’re using, the operator will provide you with a code or a set of steps to take so as to have it unlocked. Your provider will guide you through everything, so the process won’t exactly be complicated, but remember to ask about the price attached to the service, because you want to know specifically how much all of this will cost.

Once you understand how much it all costs, you’ll be free to decide if it is the right choice for you, or if you should just wait the period out. This, naturally, depends on your specific situation. Yet, remembering to do some calculations and figure out what would cost more, paying for the subscription for a year or paying to have the phone unlocked, will definitely help you make the right decision, especially if you’re not in a hurry to remove the restriction and if you can take your time to weigh out all the pros and cons.