Unlocked Dell Streak?

September 28, 2010 6:19 PM

Is there any way yet to buy a truly carrier-unlocked Dell Streak in the USA? The ones in the US for $450 are carrier locked. If I buy the model from the UK, with VAT, it'll be something like $700 after converting GBP to USD, and those are -also- carrier locked, to O2.

I'm not even sure if the UK Dell store will ship to the USA. I know the "Rebel SIM II" has successfully unlocked it for use with some overseas carriers, prefer something I can put a native SIM into directly without hacking apart a full-size sim into a mini-SIM.

posted by thewalrus to technology (4 answers total)

It looks like Dell is selling it for $550.

It's the norm for an unlocked phone to cost more than a locked phone. The service providers sell locked phones at a loss with the expectation of making the money back in use fees.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 7:51 PM on September 28, 2010

NewEgg has a wide selection of no-contract phones. The Streak isn't one of them, unfortunately. But you're unlikely to find a better price on the ones it does list.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 7:54 PM on September 28, 2010

That $550 Dell Streak is contractless, but still locked to AT&T
posted by curse at 10:35 PM on September 28, 2010

Yes, the $550 phone is locked to AT&T. Ridiculous since it's sold without a contract.
posted by thewalrus at 10:50 PM on September 28, 2010