[progval]

> this was never the case in the EU, where bundling handsets with a GSM subscription was banned.

It is not: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIM_lock#European_Union

Last time I was looking for a phone (~8 years ago), in France, I had to check which ones were simlocked.

[Too]

Usually you had he option at least. Either fork up full price for unlocked phone, or take the subsidized monthly rental of phone with a locked SIM.

And while the second option does lock you into one operator for 12-24 months you still had the choice of which operator to tie yourself to, I don't think I ever saw a phone model only available on single provider.

Finally no matter which operator you chose you can still call people from other operators, even if they initially tried very hard to make this less pleasurable by allowing free texts and minutes within the operator.

[karatinversion]

Huh, I lived in two EU countries so thought it was Union law, but turned out the national law in the two just coincided!