Not content with
overcharging for ink, the printer manufacturer apparently regionalises
its print cartridges, as one user found out. The unfortunate soul in
question, Michelle Sullivan, bought an HP Photosmart C7180 printer Down
Under but found that when she moved to Malta she was unable to purchase
compatible print cartridges.

The problem wasn’t due to anything
as innocent as regional unavailability, but rather it was down to HP’s
decision to create specific cartridges for different regions for the
same printer.

The surprised and shocked Ms Sullivan went to great
lengths to find out whether this apparent HP policy was actually true.
After questioning the main dealer for HP in Malta, who told her that ink
cartridges were regionalised, Sullivan then had a chat with a HP online
support agent.

Unsurprisingly the response she received was less
than helpful, with the agent suggesting that Sullivan try Bestbuy or
Walmart, not realising that neither of these retailers has stores in
Malta.

HP has in the past put some rather money-grubbing
restrictions on its printing products. A number of its toner cartridges
had page count chips that would stop the printer after a certain number
of pages had been printed, regardless of whether there was still toner
left in the cartridge. For the benefit of punters’ wallets and the
environment, a cottage industry flogging ‘blank’ page counting chips
successfully grew out of HP’s corporate greed.

This sorry saga
has left Ms Sullivan with a six-month old printer that is effectively
useless simply because she decided to move. If you’ve had similar issues
with HP’s cartridge restrictions we’d love to hear them.At press time
HP has yet to respond to our questions on this matter.

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1648662/hp-unlocks-printer-regionalisation
HP unlocks printer regionalisation
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OF EXPENSIVE PRINTER INK HP will help one of its users who found that
moving countries fell afoul of the firm’s divide and conquer strategy.

Earlier
this week, The INQUIRER reported that Michelle Sullivan wasn’t able to
use her HP Photosmart C7180 printer after moving from Australia to
Malta. After Ms Sullivan’s failed attempts to purchase a print cartridge
for the six-month old printer failed, she then turned to HP’s support,
but was told by the firm’s representatives that its print cartridges are
regionalised and those on sale in Malta simply would not work with her
printer.

After that advice, first from HP’s main dealer in Malta
and a botched attempt at receiving support from an HP online support
contact, which the firm is now accurately describing as “bad”, Ms
Sullivan was left wondering what to do with a printer that had become
effectively useless.

To HP’s credit, after reading our report and
the stack of readers’ comments, the company will be getting in touch
with Ms Sullivan to arrange for her printer to be reset to work in
Malta.

The firm said that any other user who crosses its printer
cartridge border can have their device reset to the required locale by
simply calling their local customer support centre where a
representative will detail the process.

HP said that the process
of regionalising cartridges started in 2004 and that “the printers and
cartridges are designed to work together in the region in which the
products were designated for sale and use.” Given that the process seems
fairly painless and can be done over the telephone, we’re unsure what
advantages there are for the consumer with its decision to regionalise
printers and cartridges.

It seems the expensive printer ink
company is perfectly willing to reset the printer’s region, if you
manage to find a representative who wants to help you.