14 DAY TRIAL // Japanese carrier NTT Docomo has announced that it intends to remove carrier-specific locks, also called SIM locks, starting with next April. The decision concerns all mobile phones models that are to be released beginning with April 2011 and are sold through its distribution line. This is a major move coming from one of the main mobile phone operators in the country.
There's no word on how the other two leading operators, KDDI Corp. and Softbank, will react to this decision, but KDDI Corp. has already adopted a new technology standard for its “au” mobile phone service incompatible with others. It seems that subscribers of the service won't be able to switch to either NTT Docomo or Softbank Mobile services and handsets even if the lock is removed.
It appears NTT Docomo responded to a government request, which was calling network operators to voluntarily unlock the handsets they sell, so their customers could use them wherever they want. At the moment, only NTT Docomo responded to this request and chances that more will follow are pretty slim. Also, analysts say the decision to remove the SIM lock from NTT Docomo's handsets is aimed mostly at Softbank Mobile operator, which is the lone distributor of Apple's iPhone and refuses to unlock it in Japan.
In the aforementioned country, subscribers that wish to change their network operator must either employ a different device or have theirs unlocked by the carrier before it accepts a SIM card from a different operator. Even though Sprint and Verizon stated that their devices were unlocked and could be used on other networks, they still don't have user-replaceable SIM slots.
Technically, the lock limits the use of handsets to the carrier's own network, but NTT Docomo will install a function on its handsets to make them SIM-lock free.