Unlocks of the iPhone was not available until people started to complain about it. I started complaining about it in the fall of 2009 to the CRTC and my carrier. Your bitching and complaining on here does diddly squat.
I was on fido at the time I started to complain. Prior to 2009, there was no point for unlocks because Bell and Telus were on CDMA whereas Rogers/Fido were on GSM/HSPA. It was not until the winter Olympics in Vancouver that the other two carrier switched to HSPA to get the iPhone.
Racket or not, we got the ability to unlock for 50 bucks or less and some carriers allowed unlocks after 3 months into your contract. You were still in the contract but you could put in another sim once you landed in Japan or the US instead of paying high roaming fees.
We also got the ability to buy factory unlocked phones directly from Apple over a year before it was offered in the US.
But you go ahead and continue to focus on the negative and not bother getting involved to change things for the better. Are you sure that you are not an agent prevaricator working for the carriers to discourage consumers from feeling empowered?
Like I said, and nothing in your statement refutes, unlocks have been available in Canada for years and for iPhones for over 2 years. You may think your complaints to the CRTC did something, yet the fact is that Bell didn't start doing unlocks for iPhones until this year. Doesn't seem like your complaints to the CRTC had much effect for some years.
Complaining to the CRTC does nothing because the CRTC is very protectionist of the carriers. It is staffed and managed by former industry people. It has almost always ruled in favour of the carriers and providers over the consumers. It has NEVER implemented any policy that regulates the carriers actions with regard to locking or unlocking. In short, your fantasy that your complaints made a difference is nice, but it is factually a fantasy. It's cute.
What made a difference was pressure on the companies from their customers and provincial legislation that was and is being pushed in multiple provinces that provides some level of protection for consumers where the CRTC has continually failed to act.
As far as what steps I have taken, I've corresponded with my MPP and MP and the minister of industry. I've written the CEO's office of my carrier to let them know where I stand. And I actively participate in online discussions to ensure that people are aware of just how bogus the scheme of locking is.
But you filed an ineffective complaint with an ineffective regulator that has historically failed to regulated. Congratulations. Very industrious.
(also, the availability of unlocked iPhones was pretty much standard in all countries where more than one carrier sold the iPhone...nothing to do with the CRTC fantasy)
