Why are phones locked to cellphone provider?

[RacecarBMW]

Does anyone know why cellphone service providers lock cellphones to there network for example at&t with there iphone and verizon with the droid.

Why can't they just sell the phones like all other electronics and then the user decides what service to go with.

I really like how google is selling nexus as any other electronic device but what google is doing wrong is making it available only online.

When you buy a homephone it connects to your jack and then regardless of service provider it will work

why can't cellphones be like that?

 

[hookbill]

Does anyone know why cellphone service providers lock cellphones to there network for example at&t with there iphone and verizon with the droid.

Why can't they just sell the phones like all other electronics and then the user decides what service to go with.

I really like how google is selling nexus as any other electronic device but what google is doing wrong is making it available only online.

When you buy a homephone it connects to your jack and then regardless of service provider it will work

why can't cellphones be like that?

Because the networks aren't the same. For example Verizon uses CMDA. AT&T uses GSM.

 

[Backnblack]

Then everyone would have to pay full price for a cell.....Cell companies subsidize the cost of the phone in return to using their service.

 

[RacecarBMW]

Does anyone know why cellphone service providers lock cellphones to there network for example at&t with there iphone and verizon with the droid.

Why can't they just sell the phones like all other electronics and then the user decides what service to go with.

I really like how google is selling nexus as any other electronic device but what google is doing wrong is making it available only online.

When you buy a homephone it connects to your jack and then regardless of service provider it will work

why can't cellphones be like that?

Because the networks aren't the same. For example Verizon uses CMDA. AT&T uses GSM.

I used those as an example what about providers with the same netwroks?

 

[RacecarBMW]

Then everyone would have to pay full price for a cell.....Cell companies subsidize the cost of the phone in return to using their service.

Ok I forgot about that

 

[Backnblack]

I used those as an example what about providers with the same netwroks?

See post #3