[2muchcoffeeman]

I live in Australia too. Carriers are still able to have their way to some small extent.

I was regularly inquiring about android handsets for the last couple years. There were still carrier exclusives (for x number of months), and no one would sell me a high-endish, unlocked handset (e.g. Galaxy S).

The easiest way to get an unlocked Android handset is buy it online (be careful you get correct handset variant).

If manufacturers weren't capitulating to carrier demands silly things like this would not happen.

If you want an unlocked iPhone you go to an Apple store and just say so and it works on all carriers.

[etherael]

There's no such thing as an unlocked iphone. I get what you mean, carrier unlocked, but the implication you can get one that is unlocked in the same way as an android phone can be unlocked is not true. And you're right, even in Australia if you absolutely positively insist on dealing with the carriers at retail, they will try to screw you almost as hard as the people in the US get screwed. You don't have to put up with it though, just buy online.