Starting Today, It's Illegal to Unlock Your Cellphone

[Jenky]

You likely have a cellphone that you bought from a carrier, like AT&T, Verizon or Sprint, and that phone only works on that carrier's cellular and data network -- unless you "unlock" it.

That is a software process that allows the phone to work on other carriers if you put in a new SIM card or want to take the phone to another carrier for service.

If that sounds complicated to you and like something you wouldn't bother with, then today's news won't matter to you. But if that's something you've done before or have thought about doing, then you should know that starting today it is illegal to unlock a subsidized phone or tablet that's bought through a U.S. carrier.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/now-illegal-unlock-cellphone/story?id=18319518


White House Petition:
http://wh.gov/yA9n

[Cajuncowboy]

You likely have a cellphone that you bought from a carrier, like AT&T, Verizon or Sprint, and that phone only works on that carrier's cellular and data network -- unless you "unlock" it.

That is a software process that allows the phone to work on other carriers if you put in a new SIM card or want to take the phone to another carrier for service.

If that sounds complicated to you and like something you wouldn't bother with, then today's news won't matter to you. But if that's something you've done before or have thought about doing, then you should know that starting today it is illegal to unlock a subsidized phone or tablet that's bought through a U.S. carrier.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/now-illegal-unlock-cellphone/story?id=18319518


White House Petition:
http://wh.gov/yA9n

These petitions are laughed at. They don't care what "We The People" are petitioning about anyway.

[chip_gilkey]

These petitions are laughed at. They don't care what "We The People" are petitioning about anyway.

The only time I can remember the people's voice being listened to is during the Stop SOPA and PIPA campaigns. Boy did the politicians pull that one back in a hurry after the backlash from the public came out.

[Doomsday]

Just one more example of a ruling that ignores the law and logic, while protecting a corporations financial interests.

That is like saying if I buy a Windows PC, I cannot put linux on it. Makes no sense.

Who owns the phone, the wireless provider or us? The discount you get on the phone is paid for through the service agreement, this is total BS to me.

[rkell87]

The only time I can remember the people's voice being listened to is during the Stop SOPA and PIPA campaigns. Boy did the politicians pull that one back in a hurry after the backlash from the public came out.

doesn't matter, they keep slipping parts of it in other bills till they get what they want

[Illini88228]

These petitions are laughed at. They don't care what "We The People" are petitioning about anyway.

In their defense, most of the petitions are pretty stupid.

[TheKey]

In their defense, most of the petitions are pretty stupid.

In light of the recent news that the carriers WILL unlock your phone after your contract is up OR if you pay the early termination fee, I actually agree with this ruling. When you bought the cheap phone, you paid only a fraction of the cost. The carrier subsidized the majority of the cost on the condition that you stay with their service. You want them to help pay for your phone and to let you go use it on another carrier? It doesn't make sense for them.

To be clear, it is not illegal to unlock your phone. It is illegal to unlock your phone if you are under contract, which you signed.

[Manwiththeplan]

Not only that, but people that steal phones and attempt to activate them without getting caught do this I believe. I'm not sure how they attempt enforce this, but it seems like it's a good idea.

[Vtwin]

In light of the recent news that the carriers WILL unlock your phone after your contract is up OR if you pay the early termination fee, I actually agree with this ruling. When you bought the cheap phone, you paid only a fraction of the cost. The carrier subsidized the majority of the cost on the condition that you stay with their service. You want them to help pay for your phone and to let you go use it on another carrier? It doesn't make sense for them.

To be clear, it is not illegal to unlock your phone. It is illegal to unlock your phone if you are under contract, which you signed.




Aren't you still bound by the contract? Unlocked or not you are still either paying the monthly bill or have payed the ETF.

[BrAinPaiNt]

Let's leave the political talkout of the conversation .

[Hoofbite]

In light of the recent news that the carriers WILL unlock your phone after your contract is up OR if you pay the early termination fee, I actually agree with this ruling. When you bought the cheap phone, you paid only a fraction of the cost. The carrier subsidized the majority of the cost on the condition that you stay with their service. You want them to help pay for your phone and to let you go use it on another carrier? It doesn't make sense for them.

To be clear, it is not illegal to unlock your phone. It is illegal to unlock your phone if you are under contract, which you signed.

Well this pretty much makes all the difference.

To say you can't unlock a phone at all is ridiculous. Should they say that you can't do it will under contract, that's well within reason. I'm not sure a law was needed for it because it was likely already written into the contract but it is what it is.

[Muhast]

I'm pretty sure you can call and request an unlock code from your service provider and they have to give it to you.

It is illegal to "jailbreak"/"unlock" it on your own, but you can request an unlock code for your device through your cell provider and they will give you one as long as you fit one of the following: 1. Contract is over or about to expire. 2. You tell them you are planning to buy out/terminate early, 3. You travel abroad and need it to be unlocked for use of the other cell towers.

So 3 is the easiest way. Not that you actually have to travel or anything, just tell them you are planning to and you need the code. T-Mobile is really easy about this, they were openly campaigning for people to bring unlocked phones and get their contracts, so they will give it out with very little resistance.

The easiest way is to just call and ask for it. ATT is the hardest to get the code from, but from my experience, Sprint/Verizon/T-Mobile aren't too difficult to get the code assuming you just call and tell them what's going on, your fine.

Fwiw.

[theogt]

In light of the recent news that the carriers WILL unlock your phone after your contract is up OR if you pay the early termination fee, I actually agree with this ruling. When you bought the cheap phone, you paid only a fraction of the cost. The carrier subsidized the majority of the cost on the condition that you stay with their service. You want them to help pay for your phone and to let you go use it on another carrier? It doesn't make sense for them.

To be clear, it is not illegal to unlock your phone. It is illegal to unlock your phone if you are under contract, which you signed.

Well this pretty much makes all the difference.

To say you can't unlock a phone at all is ridiculous. Should they say that you can't do it will under contract, that's well within reason. I'm not sure a law was needed for it because it was likely already written into the contract but it is what it is.Right, this is what makes this decision a proper one. It's also only illegal if you're under contract and your carrier prevents you from unlocking. Your carrier can certainly allow unlocking if they so choose -- and some do.

The key issue here is that you don't own the operating system on your phone. You own a license to use that operating system. And the manufacturer can place restrictions on your license. If you don't like it, don't buy (or license) their products.

[TheKey]

I'm pretty sure you can call and request an unlock code from your service provider and they have to give it to you.

It is illegal to "jailbreak"/"unlock" it on your own, but you can request an unlock code for your device through your cell provider and they will give you one as long as you fit one of the following: 1. Contract is over or about to expire. 2. You tell them you are planning to buy out/terminate early, 3. You travel abroad and need it to be unlocked for use of the other cell towers.

So 3 is the easiest way. Not that you actually have to travel or anything, just tell them you are planning to and you need the code. T-Mobile is really easy about this, they were openly campaigning for people to bring unlocked phones and get their contracts, so they will give it out with very little resistance.

The easiest way is to just call and ask for it. ATT is the hardest to get the code from, but from my experience, Sprint/Verizon/T-Mobile aren't too difficult to get the code assuming you just call and tell them what's going on, your fine.

Fwiw.


I don't think number 3 is possible. Maybe the other carriers but I didnt have luck when I tried ATT.

In Europe phone companies cannot forbid you from unlocking your phone at any time and moving to a new carrier. However, it comes with a price. They pay full price for their phones (iPhone around Euro 800, so actually a 20% bump as well).

[Muhast]

I don't think number 3 is possible. Maybe the other carriers but I didnt have luck when I tried ATT.

In Europe phone companies cannot forbid you from unlocking your phone at any time and moving to a new carrier. However, it comes with a price. They pay full price for their phones (iPhone around Euro 800, so actually a 20% bump as well).


I have never tried ATT. I know people online complain about it a lot.

T-Mo is very easy. Barely put up any fight at all. I don't think the others are two tough either.

[Denim Chicken]

Right, this is what makes this decision a proper one. It's also only illegal if you're under contract and your carrier prevents you from unlocking. Your carrier can certainly allow unlocking if they so choose -- and some do.

The key issue here is that you don't own the operating system on your phone. You own a license to use that operating system. And the manufacturer can place restrictions on your license. If you don't like it, don't buy (or license) their products.

This is BS. You own the phone and should be able to do whatever you want with it. What you're saying is akin to buying a car, but you can't modify the computer settings because you don't own the software license. The Govt shouldn't be getting involved in this anyway.

[BrAinPaiNt]

This is BS. You own the phone and should be able to do whatever you want with it. What you're saying is akin to buying a car, but you can't modify the computer settings because you don't own the software license. The Govt shouldn't be getting involved in this anyway.

No he is right.

If you want to buy the phone you can buy one unlocked at FULL PRICE. There is nothing forcing you in not buying a full priced unlocked phone...heck some people do that when a new phone is put out. You buy it from ATT or one of the other providers you are buying it a greatly reduced price and in doing so agree to only use their service.

If you want to compare it to a car it would be like LEASING a car not flat out buying a car.

This day and age it amazes me the number of people who will sign a contract and just don't think they should honor it....that goes for both parties of the contract.

[Denim Chicken]

No he is right.

If you want to buy the phone you can buy one unlocked at FULL PRICE. There is nothing forcing you in not buying a full priced unlocked phone...heck some people do that when a new phone is put out. You buy it from ATT or one of the other providers you are buying it a greatly reduced price and in doing so agree to only use their service.

If you want to compare it to a car it would be like LEASING a car not flat out buying a car.

This day and age it amazes me the number of people who will sign a contract and just don't think they should honor it....that goes for both parties of the contract.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but to get the reduced price on the phone you have to sign a two-year contract. So you are already agreeing to use their service or pay a cancellation fee. Now if you do chose to pay the fee or another company buys out your contract you don't have to give the phone back, so I don't think they should tell you what to do with your property. They should actually make the phone a lease if they want to restrict your actions.

[theogt]

This is BS. You own the phone and should be able to do whatever you want with it. What you're saying is akin to buying a car, but you can't modify the computer settings because you don't own the software license. The Govt shouldn't be getting involved in this anyway.You own the phone. You don't own the software. If you want to completely erase the software (and there was some way to do that), you could. That's not illegal.

[Denim Chicken]

You own the phone. You don't own the software. If you want to completely erase the software (and there was some way to do that), you could. That's not illegal.

It's not illegal to 'jailbreak' your device (or 'root') and modify settings other than the SIM. Also, not sure if still true, but it was possible to 'unlock' your phone with a hardware mod-leaving the software unaltered--so should that be illegal too?

[JBond]

If anyone cares, you can unlock AT&T and T-Mobile Galaxy S3's without the carrier being able to do a damn thing about it. There is an easy software hack.

I do think it is silly that there is a law against unlocking a phone that you have purchased assuming you have paid your bill and the contract is up.

[CanadianCowboysFan]

If anyone cares, you can unlock AT&T and T-Mobile Galaxy S3's without the carrier being able to do a damn thing about it. There is an easy software hack.

I do think it is silly that there is a law against unlocking a phone that you have purchased assuming you have paid your bill and the contract is up.

Isn't that the key though? Your contract has to be up.

Up here, we don't have that law but carriers now allow you to port your number although most just get new phones if they do. However, my company Telus allows me to switch phones at any time but they figure out my savings on the phone, and reduce it by 1/36 every month that passes. I could switch from my present blackberry to say a Samsung Galaxy SIII no problem, just have to pay out balance on my previous phone.

If I switched carriers mid contract, I would pay a penalty, usually 2-3 months bill.

[rickjameschinaclub]

When you bought the cheap phone, you paid only a fraction of the cost. The carrier subsidized the majority of the cost on the condition that you stay with their service..


You think the price they getting on the phone is anywhere near what your paying for it? Cheap is a relative term.

[TheKey]

You think the price they getting on the phone is anywhere near what your paying for it? Cheap is a relative term.

http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/08/technology/iphone_carrier_subsidy/index.htm

Check out this article.

[TheKey]

I have never tried ATT. I know people online complain about it a lot.

T-Mo is very easy. Barely put up any fight at all. I don't think the others are two tough either.

T-Mo is owned by the German company Deutsche Telekom, which has a presence all over Europe. That's probably why.

[rickjameschinaclub]

http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2012/12/t_mobile_end_smartphone_subsidies_paying_more_for_ your_phone_is_good_for.html

Looked into this a little bit more:


Rather than tempt you in the door with low monthly bills, they induce you to switch by offering a discounted price for the latest and greatest phones, with the iPhone being the biggest prize of all. The customer walks out thrilled with the deal he got on his phone. Only later, when his ridiculous, complicated, and obscenely high bill comes, does he realize he has been fleeced.

This game’s been working great for Verizon and AT&T, but much less so for T-Mobile. The subsidiary of Germany’s Deutsche Telekom has failed to achieve the scale to compete with the big two, and its corporate masters decided they didn’t want to make a risky investment by growing the company. Plan A to sell T-Mobile to AT&T was blocked by the Justice Department and the FCC, who wanted to preserve competition in the marketplace (http://www.slate.com/articles/business/technocracy/2011/12/at_t_t_mobile_merger_why_the_department_of_justice _was_wrong_to_kill_it_.html).


Now T-Mobile’s gearing up to try to compete by changing the game. They’ve finally secured a deal to put the iPhone on their network. They have made the radical and perhaps brilliant decision to sell it and other smartphones without subsidy (http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/t-mobile-kills-device-subsidies/2012-12-06). That’ll make the devices a lot more expensive. Consumers will be surprised to learn that the $199 iPhone 5 actually retails for $649. AT&T and Verizon essentially pay Apple the full price, sell it to you for the low price, and make it up by charging you more every month.


But that subsidy is quite costly for customers. If you buy a subsidized iPhone 5 from AT&T, the cheapest plan available costs $85 per month and only comes with 1 GB of data, a minimum of $2,040 over the two years of the contract. A basic T-Mobile unlimited voice plan with 2 GB of data costs $59.99 per month, $1,440 over the two years. In order to get that $450 iPhone discount, you would end up paying $600 more to AT&T over the life of the contract, and get less data.