ask the FCC to require AT&T unlock all phones as a merger requirement

[rritterson]

The FCC has opened the comment period on the AT&T/T-Mobile merger. Personally, I feel allowing the two to merge will likely improve service and network quality for most of us, at the expense of choice, and thus, pricing. We'll pay more, but get a better network, basically. I just asked the FCC to force AT&T to unlock all GSM phones locked to them as a condition of the merger approval, as, once the merger is complete, AT&T has no competitive reason for keeping them locked except to make us pay ridiculous international data and roaming charges, which is anticompetitive and bad for USA consumers.

You can submit your own comment here. Look for docket number 11-65. If enough of us ask the FCC to mandate it, there is a chance it will happen! The FCC takes public consumer comments seriously and have responded to my comments previously.

 

[iFiend]

The FCC has opened the comment period on the AT&T/T-Mobile merger. Personally, I feel allowing the two to merge will likely improve service and network quality for most of us, at the expense of choice, and thus, pricing. We'll pay more, but get a better network, basically. I just asked the FCC to force AT&T to unlock all GSM phones locked to them as a condition of the merger approval, as, once the merger is complete, AT&T has no competitive reason for keeping them locked except to make us pay ridiculous international data and roaming charges, which is anticompetitive and bad for USA consumers.

You can submit your own comment here. Look for docket number 11-65. If enough of us ask the FCC to mandate it, there is a chance it will happen! The FCC takes public consumer comments seriously and have responded to my comments previously.

Comment submitted. Excellent idea, excellent find.

Have you been waiting for this to open or did you see it elsewhere?

 

[old-wiz]

Lots of luck with that. AT&T is spending millions in the right places to get the deal approved. Any "conditions" will be so weak that AT&T can simply ignore them.

I find it hard to believe that the FCC cares what we think anyway.

 

[ap3604]

I submitted my comment as well. Really good find OP thanks for letting me know. Can't stand how Att keeps their iPhones locked down. I have 4.10.01 baseband and it sucks than I cant unlock it without that illegal gevey sim trick

 

[Richdmoore]

I have zero use for an unlocked AT&T phone, but I submitted a comment to ask for it anyway. I doubt it will do any good, but we never know.

 

[scaredpoet]

Just saying, but: as a general rule, but that's a pretty broad requirement, and I don't think it would stand up. the FCC can make requirements to preserve competition, but since unlocking GSM phones won't help you move your GSM phone to Verizon or Sprint, or even Cricket or US Cellular for that matter, there's not a whole lot of justification, UNLESS the FCC were to mandate unlocking universally, to ALL carriers... AND lock them down to a single standard.

 

[smithrh]

Lots of luck with that. AT&T is spending millions in the right places to get the deal approved. Any "conditions" will be so weak that AT&T can simply ignore them.

I find it hard to believe that the FCC cares what we think anyway.

This deal has a LOT of uphill slogging to go through. I see a wide variety of conditions being attached if the deal even goes through. I have some limited first-hand experience with this with another wireless transaction, the conditions for that were perhaps not very public but they were much more intrusive than I would have thought.

The FCC is probably one of the MORE receptive agencies to public input.

OP, great idea.

 

[Aloha-boy]

Done!

 

[kdarling]

Indeed, AT&T will do almost anything to get the deal approved.

So it's quite possible that if the FCC brings up unlocking because of the comments made, AT&T will want the topic to become a non-issue. It wouldn't hurt them very much anyway.

 

[rritterson]

Comment submitted. Excellent idea, excellent find.

Have you been waiting for this to open or did you see it elsewhere?

I should have cited my original source, which was this ars technica article that came out this morning.

 

[sbddude]

I also added my comment. Even for those on AT&T currently, it would be nice for international travel.

 

[grantsdale]

The FCC has opened the comment period on the AT&T/T-Mobile merger. Personally, I feel allowing the two to merge will likely improve service and network quality for most of us, at the expense of choice, and thus, pricing. We'll pay more, but get a better network, basically. I just asked the FCC to force AT&T to unlock all GSM phones locked to them as a condition of the merger approval, as, once the merger is complete, AT&T has no competitive reason for keeping them locked except to make us pay ridiculous international data and roaming charges, which is anticompetitive and bad for USA consumers.

You can submit your own comment here. Look for docket number 11-65. If enough of us ask the FCC to mandate it, there is a chance it will happen! The FCC takes public consumer comments seriously and have responded to my comments previously.

Why should the FCC care what you want to do with your phone in another country?

Don't forget, everyone is moving to LTE, which uses SIMs, and therefore you could switch to any carrier, so ATT wouldn't like it if you could that. Nor would Verizon. And that will be their argument if this comes up.

 

[rjohnstone]

Don't forget, everyone is moving to LTE, which uses SIMs, and therefore you could switch to any carrier, so ATT wouldn't like it if you could that. Nor would Verizon. And that will be their argument if this comes up.

Having a SIM card is meaningless. It doesn't prevent the carrier from locking the phone to their network. Just ask any AT&T iPhone owner.

 

[ct2k7]

I commented to request that they don't make this a requirement.

 

[smithrh]

Having a SIM card is meaningless. It doesn't prevent the carrier from locking the phone to their network. Just ask any AT&T iPhone owner.

Yep. Plus, both Verizon and AT&T have both said they will only sell LTE devices that work on their own network.

How nice of them.

 

[wordoflife]

I submitted my comment.

 

[terraphantm]

Eh I would submit a comment, but I do not like the idea of my name and mailing address being posted on that page for anyone to see.

 

[wxman2003]

You should also add AT&T's aquisituon of the ALTEL market that Verizon was required to give up. Thats occuring right now in several parts of the country.