Petition to make unlocking legal again

6mtg37s · 05:38 AM

As of yesterday the government decided to ban unlocking of phones, even after your contract is done. This is not right and the government should not be the one telling us how to use our phones.

matttye · Jan 27, 2013, 04:00 PM

They haven't banned unlocking of phones, you just have to get permission from the provider to do so...

gnasher729 · 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6mtg37s

As of yesterday the government decided to ban unlocking of phones, even after your contract is done. This is not right and the government should not be the one telling us how to use our phones.

Not at all. There should be no need to have to unlock your phone yourself - note that what is illegal is the circumvention of DRM, which obviously happens through the use of some software that the user cannot understand and must have obtained illegally, which makes the whole business totally unsafe.

Instead you should ask that anyone selling locked phones must unlock them for you if you ask for it.

6mtg37s · Jan 27, 2013, 04:20 PM

From what BBC news said, they made it illegal in any case, I'll do some more research on it. In any case, it's good to get our voice out there!

Interstella5555 · Jan 27, 2013, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6mtg37s

From what BBC new said, they made it illegal in any case, I'll do some more research on it. In any case, it's good to get our voice out there!

Also good to educate yourself about specifically legislation does, glad you're taking the time to do so.

6mtg37s · Jan 27, 2013, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gnasher729

Not at all. There should be no need to have to unlock your phone yourself - note that what is illegal is the circumvention of DRM, which obviously happens through the use of some software that the user cannot understand and must have obtained illegally, which makes the whole business totally unsafe.

Instead you should ask that anyone selling locked phones must unlock them for you if you ask for it.

This law bans all the eBay stores from unlocking our iPhones right?

jav6454 · Jan 27, 2013, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matttye

They haven't banned unlocking of phones, you just have to get permission from the provider to do so...

Which is basically banning it as carriers don't allow it because it hurts their bottom line.

wxman2003 · Jan 27, 2013, 04:30 PM

Don't know why all the fuss. You pay full price, it's unlocked. You get it subsidized, it is locked, until contract is fulfilled. Seems fair to me.

6mtg37s · Jan 27, 2013, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wxman2003

Don't know why all the fuss. You pay full price, it's unlocked. You get it subsidized, it is locked, until contract is fulfilled. Seems fair to me.

The problem I have with this is that I'm not going to leave AT&T anytime soon, but I do travel to Europe a lot and it would be great to have my new iPhone unlocked without waiting for 2 years!

Hosei · Jan 27, 2013, 04:34 PM

Aren't older phones grandfathered in? Does this only count phones that are purchased after January 26th?

macsrcool1234 · Jan 27, 2013, 04:35 PM

These petitions are a joke. There are so many unanswered ones past the required amount - the administration only replies when it's politically convenient to do so.

wxman2003 · Jan 27, 2013, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6mtg37s

The problem I have with this is that I'm not going to leave AT&T anytime soon, but I do travel to Europe a lot and it would be great to have my new iPhone unlocked without waiting for 2 years!

They don't know that. If you have someone pay for the bulk of your phone, you follow their rules. I hope the carriers just eliminate subsidies and make people pay full price. If one cant afford to pay full price for a phone, then perhaps they should get a cheaper phone.

macingman · Jan 27, 2013, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macsrcool1234

These petitions are a joke. There are so many unanswered ones past the required amount - the administration only replies when it's politically convenient to do so.

If someone actually believes that these petitions would change legislation than they are very stupid.

6mtg37s · Jan 27, 2013, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wxman2003

They don't know that. If you have someone pay for the bulk of your phone, you follow their rules. I hope the carriers just eliminate subsidies and make people pay full price. If one cant afford to pay full price for a phone, then perhaps they should get a cheaper phone.

If subsidies are eliminated and we have to pay full price for our unlocked phones, why stay with AT&T? Other services are way cheaper and use the same gsm network.. Redpocket for example

wxman2003 · Jan 27, 2013, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6mtg37s

If subsidies are eliminated and we have to pay full price for our unlocked phones, why stay with AT&T? Other services are way cheaper and use the same gsm network.. Redpocket for example

If you want subsidized phones, then accept locked phones. It's fair.

Minhimalism · Jan 27, 2013, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6mtg37s

This law bans all the eBay stores from unlocking our iPhones right?

eBay isn't a fan of services being sold as opposed to physical goods anyways. Unlock_fusion still offers unlocks through their swift unlocks website.

6mtg37s · Jan 27, 2013, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minhimalism

eBay isn't a fan of services being sold as opposed to physical goods anyways. Unlock_fusion still offers unlocks through their swift unlocks website.

Yea they do, but doesn't this law make what they are doing illegal?

barkomatic · Jan 27, 2013, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6mtg37s

Yea they do, but doesn't this law make what they are doing illegal?

It would seem that it does--and I think that they are counting on this law not being enforced. I have a feeling that if it is enforced though, that those offering the service online would be the low hanging fruit.

Plutonius · Jan 27, 2013, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6mtg37s

This law bans all the eBay stores from unlocking our iPhones right?

New phones under contract.

----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6mtg37s

The problem I have with this is that I'm not going to leave AT&T anytime soon, but I do travel to Europe a lot and it would be great to have my new iPhone unlocked without waiting for 2 years!

Contact AT&T and see what they can do for you after you explain your situation.

hovscorpion12 · Jan 27, 2013, 09:25 PM

Personal Unlocking by Jailbreaking your iPhone is strikely illegal and will always remain illegal. Unlocking via your carrier is not. U.S carriers allow the ability to unlock your iPhone at their store and by representative.

adam044 · Jan 27, 2013, 11:14 PM

So move or get over it.

6mtg37s · Jan 27, 2013, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adam044

So move or get over it.

Thanks for you remarkable input in this thread, I'll move out of my country because I like unlocked phones.. Useless

blueroom · Jan 27, 2013, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6mtg37s

Thanks for you remarkable input in this thread, I'll move out of my country because I like unlocked phones.. Useless

You know Apple sells unlocked phones.

deannnnn · Jan 27, 2013, 11:32 PM

I suppose you want torrenting copyrighted TV shows to be legal, too.

Rajani Isa · Jan 27, 2013, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plutonius

New phones under contract.

No, new phones (any purchased after Jan. 26, 2013) - contract or not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hovscorpion12

Personal Unlocking by Jailbreaking your iPhone is strikely illegal and will always remain illegal.

Wrong.

I could unlock my phone via Jailbreak - and it would be legal. And I'm even under contract.

Note that for the past 3-6 or so, it has been legal for ALL smartphones - this is due to the exception written into the DMCA - and it was because (in large part) of AT&T and the iPhone being locked.

The exception was allowed to expire, and a new one to grandfather in old phones under it added - with the "notice period" ending this past Friday.

So saying it was/is/always will be illegal is simply wrong.

Jan 27, 2013, 03:42 PM	#1
6mtg37s macrumors member Join Date: Aug 2010	Petition to make unlocking legal again As of yesterday the government decided to ban unlocking of phones, even after your contract is done. This is not right and the government should not be the one telling us how to use our phones. __________________ iPhone 5 32gb Black iPad Mini 16gb White Last edited by maflynn; Jan 28, 2013 at 05:38 AM. Reason: removed solicitation
	0

Jan 27, 2013, 04:20 PM	#4
6mtg37s Thread Starter macrumors member Join Date: Aug 2010	From what BBC news said, they made it illegal in any case, I'll do some more research on it. In any case, it's good to get our voice out there! __________________ iPhone 5 32gb Black iPad Mini 16gb White
	0

Jan 27, 2013, 04:30 PM	#8
wxman2003 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Apr 2011	Don't know why all the fuss. You pay full price, it's unlocked. You get it subsidized, it is locked, until contract is fulfilled. Seems fair to me. __________________ iMac I5, Macbook, iPad 4, iPhone 5, iPod, ATV 3
	3

Jan 27, 2013, 11:32 PM	#24
deannnnn macrumors 68000 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: New York City & South Florida	I suppose you want torrenting copyrighted TV shows to be legal, too. __________________ MacBook Pro (Retina) / iPhone 5 / iPad 1
	0

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Jan 27, 2013, 04:00 PM	#2
matttye In Time-Out Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Lincoln, England	They haven't banned unlocking of phones, you just have to get permission from the provider to do so...
	3

Jan 27, 2013, 04:34 PM	#10
Hosei macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2012	Aren't older phones grandfathered in? Does this only count phones that are purchased after January 26th?
	0

Jan 27, 2013, 04:35 PM	#11
macsrcool1234 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2010	These petitions are a joke. There are so many unanswered ones past the required amount - the administration only replies when it's politically convenient to do so.
	0

Jan 27, 2013, 09:25 PM	#20
hovscorpion12 macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2011	Personal Unlocking by Jailbreaking your iPhone is strikely illegal and will always remain illegal. Unlocking via your carrier is not. U.S carriers allow the ability to unlock your iPhone at their store and by representative.
	0

Jan 27, 2013, 11:14 PM	#21
adam044 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Boston	So move or get over it.
	0