Why do mobile phones display the carrier name?

[ivan747]

It's a simple question:
Why do mobile phones display the carrier name?

Even the latest smartphones do this but I can see little reason about why would you want to know what carrier you are using right beside the battery charge indicator (I'm looking at you, iPhone).

Why can't they just toss it into the carrier settings and status information that is typically in the settings menu?

I understand it has a (little useful) function: display what carrier you are connected to in that moment. But if you are using carrier X it is unlikely you can connect with the same SIM to a different carrier in the same region and mobile phone companies insist SIM cards shouldn't be hot-swappable or sometimes swappable at all, as most cellphones are locked.

The only situation in which you switch carriers is when roaming, but do you care if your carrier has a contract with Orange to allow you roam in the UK?

Why do phone manufacturers keep this feature? I am guessing companies like Apple would have done away with them a long time ago, so there must be a good reason to keep these.

[G7PSK]

Could be due to some carriers charging more than others when roaming, I often get a message giving me choice of carrier when roaming abroad, allows me to use the cheapest if I know the costs that is.

[Tepe]

I understand it has a (little useful) function: display what carrier you are connected to in that moment. But if you are using carrier X it is unlikely you can connect with the same SIM to a different carrier in the same region

It is anything but unlikely. We have several carriers here with roaming agreements with each other. My phone switches several times during my daily commute.

[AndyC_772]

At a guess, it's because carriers sell phones - often subsidised - and they're absolutely desperate to try and retain some degree of ownership of the relationship with the end customer, rather than being relegated to the status of an anonymous bit pipe. They probably insist that any phone they sell must display their name, just so the customer doesn't completely forget who the service provider actually is.

[iloveelectronics]

My Samsung phone doesn't show that. And I don't recall seeing that info for ages since even my previous phone.

[alm]

If you're on the edge of the service area for your carrier, you phone may either connect to the network of your own carrier or to another carries that they have a roaming agreement with. Roaming, especially data roaming, may cost you extra. If you live in one of these areas (eg. close to the border), continuous display of the current network is quite valuable.

[Bored@Work]

It helps those who can read to avoid cost. The others? Well http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/03/11/french_roaming/

[steve30]

I've no idea why they do it, but its good as I know whose service I'm using.