Globe’s Samsung Galaxy S6 is Both-SIM slots locked

You can only use Globe SIM cards on the dual-SIM Samsung Galaxy S6 from Globe.
That’s a fact. And it’s unfortunate. It’s a business decision that selfishly curtail the way consumers can use the phone.

Though, the unit from Globe is subsidized by the telco but it won’t make Globe poorer if it opens the second SIM-card slot. Other network like Sun Cellular is not locking both SIM cards slots in their  phone offering.

Here are my arguments why Globe should open the second SIM card slot:

1. Competitors like Sun Cellular network has been allowing the second SIM-card slot on its phone offering to be used for SIM cards from other network;
2. Samsung purposely bring the Dual-SIM version of S6 in the Philippines because Filipino consumers love to use dual-SIM slots for the purpose of maintaining two phone subscriptions in one phone;
3. It won’t make Globe poorer since the second SIM-card slot is inferior in features than the SIM1-card slot. The S6’s SIM1 is LTE-capable while the SIM2 slot is only HSPA+; and
4. Logically and intelligently, you don’t carry a dual-SIM phone with two Globe numbers.

Globe can still reconsider its policy and allow more subscribers to access to the S6 through its various postpaid plans.

UPDATE (May 20, 2015)
I received this morning a firmware update on my S6. At first I thought it was the usual OTA update from Samsung while at the same time i was hoping it is about the SIM2 slot.

It was indeed for the SIM2 slot. I tried this afternoon my SIM card from Sun and it works now. Globe has opened the SIM2. Though, SIM2 is limited only to GSM network. Meaning, i can’t use the Sun SIM for data connection. Nevertheless, i can use the SIM2 for other network. The SIM2 of the S6 is capable up to HSPA+. Check the specs and review of the S6 by Yugatech.

Globe has responded to my several tweets to them and this blog post. Thank you Globe for listening. Next time lubos-lubosin n’yo na ang pag-open and don’t limit it to GSM-only.

UPDATE (May 22, 2015)

The images below show how Globe limits our access to the SIM2 of the Samsung Galaxy S6. Though, the telco opens the SIM2 slot but it has the leverage to limit the features to their advantage. Full opening of the SIM2 would allow it to access data connection and would mean Globe’s loss as far as revenues for data connection are concerned.

Image#1 shows both SIMs have signal.
Image#2 indicates “GSM ONLY” for SIM2’s network mode
Image#3 shows SIM1 has full access to the network, while
Image#4 shows SIM2 is unable to view the Access Point Names setting.