[Galaxy Note 3 General] dxzh:
Samsung UK - written words not permitted to match spoken words

In brief, it seems what Samsung UK customer service are prepared to say about the regional SIM lock on the Note 3 is materially different to what they are permitted to put in writing currently.

I telephoned Samsung UK customer service again yesterday (4th) on 0330 7267864 about the regional SIM lock on the Note 3 - I received a radically changed view compared to call on 30th September as to how the regional SIM lock works - for note of call on 30th September see http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=46059380. I was told yesterday (4th) that I could use any SIM from any operator once I had "activated" it with a European region SIM, provided that I bought it SIM-free, carrier unlocked. I was also told yesterday that Samsung sent its products out unlocked and it was only carriers which applied any locks [this point probably merits further consideration, not least because of the interaction between the regional SIM lock built into the phone and the different locks a carrier/retailer might apply].

When I pointed out that the explanation given to me on 30th September from a rep in the same Samsung UK support centre was very different, I was told that it was all very "confusing". To allow me to go and buy the Note 3 in reliance on what I was now being told, I asked for the reassurance to be confirmed in writing. The rep said that she could not do that but that I could be reassured as she had written up what she had told me in the ticket with my customer reference and that I could look at that online using my customer reference to log in - that seemed good enough for me.

However, following the call it turns out that I had no access on the Samsung website to the confirmation written up against my customer reference. When I called back to query this, I was told by the same rep (after being put on hold) that in fact I would not be able to be given access to see the written notes of the earlier call. There was though some movement as after discussions with me on hold again I was told I would be sent an email within 30 minutes confirming what I had been told earlier.

This seemed like real progress as finally something signed off by Samsung UK was to be sent in writing to me. There followed two emails, the second one after I asked for more clarity about: the use being able to be worldwide and not just in Europe; and the ability to use all SIMs, not just some SIMs from operators outside the region - see below for second email (with the comma after "Europe" and the few extra words not in first email highlighted in red by me so do not have to show both emails):

"Customer reference number: [xxxxxxxxxxx]

Dear Mr. [Xxxx],

Thank you for contacting Samsung. I have the pleasure in providing the following assistance.

This e-mail is to confirm the information I provided you during our conversation today which is that the Note III once activated within Europe, users should be able to enjoy the roaming service as usual and can use other region’s SIM card when travelling any where around the world (providing that the phone is SIM free & not locked to a specific network).

I would also like to confirm that the regional SIM lock does NOT affect the device’s features and performance.

If you require any further assistance, please contact Samsung again and we will be more than happy to help.

Kind regards,

Mobile Support Team

Samsung Customer Support Centre"

The second email though still did not reflect what the very reassuring Samsung UK rep was telling me on the phone but instead contained stock wording, adapted slightly, to qualify what had been said on the call. The wording about "other region's SIM" in the email seems too vague compared to say "any other SIM" since it does not distinguish the situation where can use some, but not all, SIMs from other regions - as appears to be the case from anecdotal evidence of refusal of out of region SIMs and the MCC block list targeting some, but not all, countries outside the home region. I asked for her to include her words over the phone to me that I could use "any SIM from any operator" provided that I bought SIM-free in first place and was told that while she could tell me that over the phone she was not allowed to change the wording of the email any further.

As she could not add to the written confirmation - to be fair this rep could not have been more helpful or friendly otherwise, and had rung me back in the first place to confirm all of this - she offered to to pass me on to someone else who might be able to help. I was passed on to a representative from Customer Services and Complaints at Samsung UK. The new rep understood the regional SIM lock issue and need for reassurance that could use any SIM in it - I highlighted to him the concern that that while a Note 3 would probably work with SIMs from some countries outside the home region such as US and Japan which were not on the MCC block list, the MCC block list in the CSC meant that we could not be sure that HK, Thai or other SIMs from blocked MCCs could be used.

The Customer Services and Complaints rep went off to speak to his technical team to see what could be done to offer reassurance that a Note 3, properly activated and SIM-free, could be used with a SIM from any country without the regional SIM lock applying. When he came back he raised a slightly different issue to any mentioned before - namely that he was being told that, besides being able to use SIMs from providers in countries in the European home region, a customer could expect to use a SIM from an out of region country in that out of region country but Samsung could not guarantee the use of that SIM from an out of region country in other out of region countries. He said that he would follow up by sending me an email to confirm position on regional SIM lock and I could come back to him if needed further clarification - I then received the following email from him yesterday:

"Good Afternoon [Xxxx],

Please see below the information as requested in our earlier telephone conversation. If you have any further queries or you require further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us.

1) What is a ‘Regional SIM Lock’?

The product is only compatible with a SIM-card issued from a mobile operator within the region identified on the sticker of the product package. When the device is activated with a SIM card issued from other region, the device may be automatically locked until it is released at the dedicated service center.

Once a device is activated normally, the regional SIM lock is automatically released. Users can enjoy the roaming service as usual in another country and can use other region’s SIM card when travelling.

2) If I need to go to visit countries outside of my region, how will I be affected?

Once a device is activated normally, the regional SIM lock is automatically released. Users can enjoy the roaming service as usual in another country and can use other region’s SIM card when travelling.

3) Which devices are affected, in which countries and when will this feature be in effect?

This feature is now part of GALAXY Note 3 devices. It can also be found in the GALAXY Note II, GALAXY S4 devices via a software update in selective markets.

Kind Regards,

[Xxxx X]

Customer Support Centre

T: 0330 SAMSUNG (7267864)

F: 0330 7260001

E: uk.help@samsung.com

W: www.samsung.com

Samsung Electronics

Customer Support Centre

PO Box 479

GATESHEAD

NE9 9BJ"

Paragraph 2 of this stock wording (seen before) needs clarification in particular - as to whether the release of the regional SIM lock is permanent and whether (following one-off activation when unboxed) the regional SIM lock will not restrict any SIM from any country. Paragraph 3 begs the question why the regional SIM lock is relevant at all to a phone in use currently which is to be upgraded, given that any phone in use is already activated and therefore the regional SIM lock should surely not be relevant to it if accept Samsung's interpretation of release on activation? I did not have a chance to discuss it further though as Samsung UK's working hours are 9-6pm Monday to Friday and I rang back at 5.54pm - so will have to wait until next week.

On a positive note, all of the Samsung UK employees yesterday really did seem to want to provide reassurance. I really, really appreciate that they are at least putting something in writing direct from Samsung UK and, in the case of the third email to me, from a named person from Samsung UK, even if it is based on the same vague stock wording previously seen. It is just that what Samsung UK are permitted to put in writing does not go as far and is not as clear as what they are freely prepared to say on telephone and this still seriously troubles me (given the numerous reports of supposedly-unlocked, SIM-free Note 3s falling foul of the regional SIM lock and the very clear albeit highly misleading sticker on the box in which the Note 3 is sold).

As an aside, I reckon:

- it is a shame that the absence of a simple means to check the lock state of a Note 3 (such as dial *#7465625#) has left the average punter unable to find out, at the time they buy the phone or travel with it, whether their unrooted activated Note 3 will likely be restricted in its use of any SIM by the enforcement of the MCC block list in the CSC firmware.

- the current reliance on reps in retailers and local Samsung organisations etc to speculate/guess/hypothesise as to the lock state of any single Note 3 is deeply unreassuring and is going to put off many from buying a Samsung phone.

- Samsung need to allow the average customer to be able to tell for sure whether its phone is or is not restricted in its use of any SIM without rooting it or sending it back to a service centre AND/OR deliver a cast-iron, crystal clear reassurance in writing from Samsung that there is no regional SIM lock post-first activation for any SIM-free Note 3 backed up by a guarantee that, if there is, then Samsung will immediately unlock it at no cost to the consumer.