It definitely looks like there's some corporate cold war going on between Ethio telecom and Safaricom. What you’re describing, SIM-locked phones, slot restrictions, and call inconsistencies, aren’t just coincidences. These tactics are classic market control strategies telecom companies use when they’re competing aggressively in a newly opened market. Ethio telecom is likely trying to defend its long-held monopoly, while Safaricom is pushing hard to gain loyal customers. Locking phones to specific SIMs is one way to “trap” users in their ecosystem, which unfortunately limits consumer freedom. And network compatibility issues could be technical, or intentional. So, are they at war? Not officially. But behind the scenes? Definitely feels like a turf battle