This stolen mobile phone stuff on the news

[johnelliott]

This seems to be really big news on BBC at least, mobile phone co's are going to block stolen phones from being used within 48 hours of being notified. Thing is, though, that to the type of people that mug others for their phones, 48 hours is a really long time, well worth mugging some innocent victim for, then they can always sell it to somebody in a position to ship it abroad.............

John

 

[Paul Chapman]

But if it's really effective, the muggers will just move on to something else - cars, burglaries, jewellery, watches. The point is they don't really want your 'phone, just something that they can exchange for money to fund drugs or a life where they don't have to work for a living.......

Paul

 

[PowerTool]

Like the way SatNav equipment is now the number one item stolen from cars..

Andrew

 

[Paul Chapman]

Like the way SatNav equipment is now the number one item stolen from cars..

Andrew

If it wasn't so serious, you'd almost think manufacturers have villain focus groups where they ask them "What would you like us to develop next, guys?" Who needs this stuff anyway - just buy a map :?

Paul

 

[Mike.C]

Paul Chapman,

Who needs this stuff anyway - just buy a map

If you had a mrs that was as bad at map reading as mine, you would understand why. :wink:

Cheers

Mike

 

[Colin C]

Who needs this stuff anyway - just buy a map :?

Paul

Me for a start as I find it very hard to drive and read a map at the same time :roll: :wink:

 

[Paul Chapman]

Paul Chapman,

Who needs this stuff anyway - just buy a map

If you had a mrs that was as bad at map reading as mine, you would understand why. :wink:

I do, Mike. But if I did away with maps, the wife and I would have to find something else to row about :?

Paul

 

[Shady]

Isn't that one weird? The whole wife/map thing. I'm genuinely not being sexist here (I think...), but convinced that it proves the whole Mars/Venus thing.

We were once travelling through France, and I was driving, so SWMBO had the map: it was an AA 'roadmap of Europe' - the sort of thing we all use on holidays.

As we tried to work out where we were, I said, "well, look for Paris and backtrack - all French roads are like spokes with Paris at the centre".

The response after a couple of seconds scanning? "This map doesn't have Paris..." :roll: Er, yes it does my love -it's that great big lump slap in the centre with 'PARIS' written on it...

Gotta agree with Colin though - Satnav is actually superb when you're on your own in a car.

 

[Paul Chapman]

And some people really have a problem with left and right. My wife and all her family really don't know which is which, so they've developed a system of "my side, your side" and then they still get it wrong - Christ, it drives me bloody mad :evil:

Paul

 

[Alf]

Isn't that one weird? The whole wife/map thing.

Blimey, d'you mean I have to stay single to retain my sense of direction and ability to read a map?! :shock:

IME, it's less the map reader than the driver being unable to follow a simple instruction like "Next left. This turning here. On the left. TURN LEFT! We've missed it. You'll have to look for somewhere to turn round now. I SAID left. Look, it's here, see? Oh all right smart a*se have the ruddy map then and tell me why it isn't left. Now what are you doing? Oh, tuning round..."

Cheers, Alf

 

[Shady]

Blimey, d'you mean I have to stay single to retain my sense of direction and ability to read a map?!

Looks like it, Alf... :wink:

You're right, though - the whole communication thing's another issue all together...

 

[Waka]

Sorry to disappoint but my other half is far better than me at reading maps, if I travel on my own I'm sure to get lost.

 

[woodbloke]

Paul wrote:

Who needs this stuff anyway - just buy a map

My SWMBO has the worst possible sense of direction and can't see or even read the print on map and as for my fobile moan, I use the cheapest Nokia that I could find (£20, Carphone Warehouse) so I don't suppose (I hope) that anyone would want to pinch it, long as I can talk to people on it, thats all I need - Rob

 

[Ian Dalziel]

I agree with John...48 hours is way to long..........i always thought i could get my phone barred if i phoned them and told them it was stolen.
surprised it wasnt already law

I

 

[RogerS]

I agree with John...48 hours is way to long..........i always thought i could get my phone barred if i phoned them and told them it was stolen.
surprised it wasnt already law

I

Ian - you could with your own network provider but I think this new initiative means that it can't be used with other providers either.

Have to confess that I've always wondered what these stores actually did...you know the ones that have a sign in their shop window 'SIMS unlocked'

 

[woodbloke]

Picked my son up from town just now and he gloomily mentioned that somebody has just nicked his I Pod :evil: .....left it unattended in his bag for a mo - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

Very sorry to hear that, Rob. It's one of the reasons I've concluded that all this "must have" stuff is just not worth all the agro. I suppose the only consolation is that he wasn't mugged and beaten up first.

Paul

 

[Colin C]

I agree with John...48 hours is way to long..........i always thought i could get my phone barred if i phoned them and told them it was stolen.
surprised it wasnt already law

I

Have to confess that I've always wondered what these stores actually did...you know the ones that have a sign in their shop window 'SIMS unlocked'

The signs for Sims unlocked is if you have a phone that you have got from your network or from some one you know that is not on the network you what it on.

The problem with this is networks can charge a lot of money to do this, so you go to one of these shop and it makes your phone sim free ( you can put any network sim you want in it ).
This does not get over a barred phone, with it will be if it is stolen ( this means it cant be used oon any network in this country )

The good news is a lot more phone can only be sim free if you ( the person that first bought the phone ) can do this from the network you bought the phone from and there is no way a round this.
I hope this is now clearer