>>>http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/09/26/travel_much_dont_buy_a_samsung_galaxy_note_3/
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>>They pulled the same crap with the Note 2 (which I have). There are ways to unlock it though (which I have).
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>>This type of crap really pisses me off. Why have an unlocked, tri-band phone that wont work when you travel? Stuuuuuupid!
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>>Now it's my understanding that this isn't as bad as it seems, you just have to put in a proper region SIM THE FIRST time you use the phone - then after that it will work on other regions. - so the trick would appear not to start with an out-of-region SIM.
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>That's not how I read this e.g. http://gigaom.com/2013/09/26/seriously-samsung-sorry-european-roamers-but-the-new-galaxy-note-3-is-region-locked/
>
>Aren't region-locking and carrier-locking different things?

Region locking, carrier locking, bootloader locking..etc etc etc. Might as well just get two tin-cans with string and put padlock on the cans! Anyway yes these are all different things but all can be defeated.

But - I still stand by what I say as far as just putting in a proper region SIM to start with.
Samsung been region-locking devices manufactured after July 2013, though none of these devices have been shipped as of yet. The statement Samsung has made appears to state that the region lock will only exist on the Galaxy Note 3 until it has been activated on a carrier in the appropriate region, and can then later be used with non-region SIM cards. If a user takes a device with a region lock to a different region without activating it, they will be able to unlock it via a "local Samsung service partner." The Galaxy S 4, Galaxy S III, Galaxy S II, Galaxy Note, and the Galaxy S4 Mini are all said to be covered by the same region lock scheme.

If the regional locking is only in place before the Note 3 is activated, the locking appears to be a way for Samsung to control the regional roll-out of its smartphones, and deterring possible gray market imports. Don't know how much more money that will make Samsung, but it sure makes them look like a bunch of ass_oles.