Unauthorized Unlocking of New Mobile Phones Set to Become Illegal in U.S.

[hiptobesquare]

All the more reason that my next smartphone might be a smaller tablet with a data plan, and a VOIP telecom provider for calls.

Data is data. The world will be better when people realize that streams of 1s and 0s are just that, and the value is in getting a connection.

Minutes vs. texts vs. data plan is bull. It is all data.

It should be going that direction with home information utilities as well... TV and Phone separate from internet... nope. All internet. Media vendors, VOIP, all over internet, select your transmission format... copper from the phone company, copper coax from the cable company, fiber from whomever will offer it, or satellite.

Content should be agnostic to network connection, and connection end points (your LAN router on your end, to an internet node on the other end) should be somewhat agnostic to transmission medium.

Instead of another smart phone, I am thinking my next device will be an iPad Mini with a cell data plan, month to month data plan ISP, then with facetime, Skype, or other VOIP plan that can call to cell phones or land lines, or other internet devices directly, with a bluetooth earpiece.

If the coverage sucks here in flyover country... I can get a burner pay-as-you-go CDMA phone, and stash it in the car for a backup.

 

[apple-win]

"Land of the free..." yeah right

Here in Australia we can .....

Only Americans believe it.

 

[saud0488]

but... they CAN, right?

Sure they can, but what carrier wants the reputation of being the one that will "tell on you?" for such a minor thing. Unlikely to happen.

 

[iMikeT]

What a cop out. You deserve to get ripped off.

I try to approach this intellectually and you say that I cop out. Right..... Well resorting to attacking me only proves that you have nothing intelligent to say.

Besides, it's far more difficult to change the shady business practices of these telecoms than you think because there are too many politicians that are in the back pockets of these bozos.

That would be me.

I don't either. I remember selling phones for at&t back when they were Cingular wireless. Phones were free and the plans were 19.99 -39.99 and it was perfect. All you had was calling and great texting and some fun little snake games. Even if I could afford it, I wouldn't in good conscious let at&t screw me over with a 100+ dollar a month cell phone bill and a 600 dollar iphone. Nope. No way. Not doing it. I refuse. I'll stick with the cheapest phone and unlimited texting. I'm even considering canceling it all together because I think 20 dollars for unlimited texting is insane. People survived without cell phones and did quite well. If everyone finally gave this up for a while the prices would plunge. But, no, everyone keeps buying it and so apple and providers keep raising prices. So, you only have yourselves to blame. Go ahead, keep doing it, some day your phone bill will be more than your rent or mortgage. Hope it's worth it! By the way, the CEO's are laughing their A**es off at you while they go buy their beach front houses, gold watches, and italian cars.

Welcome to the year 2002.

 

[koban4max]

but... they CAN, right?

Sure they can, but what carrier wants the reputation of being the one that will "tell on you?" for such a minor thing. Unlikely to happen.

I was speaking in technically.

 

[iMikeT]

Only Americans believe it.

I'm a United Statesian and I don't believe that we're free here.

 

[Mr.damien]

Well, I am not sure it's that a good news for carrier because now, nobody will want to buy phone locked to a carrier because you know you will be ***** by them for years.

 

[MacDav]

Serve your country by doing your civic duty. Report any phone unlocking offenders to the proper authorities immediately.

Thank You Comrades.

 

[pika2000]

Well, I am not sure it's that a good news for carrier because now, nobody will want to buy phone locked to a carrier because you know you will be ***** by them for years.

On the contrary, American consumers don't know any better. They have been brainwashed by the carriers that their phones have to be locked and bought from the carrier (complete with carrier logos plastered all over the phone) for so long. Worse, the people that know better, the geeks and tech journalists, keep turning a blind eye, especially the tech "journalists" on tech sites and blogs as they keep recommending carrier controlled phones. Just read the comments here, or go to any tech sites/forums to discuss provider locking, and you will see people defending it to great length. Mind boggling.


Paired with OEMs like Samsung, HTC, etc, that simply refuse to sell unlocked versions of their own phones, it's not to bode well.




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Serve your country by doing your civic duty. Report any phone unlocking offenders to the proper authorities immediately.

Thank You Comrades.

If you see something, say something.

 

[celo48]

Such a BS! OK, MAYBE I understand if you are under a contract but after the contract expires? Geeez!

 

[The Bulge]

All you need now is some poor bastard to start shooting because of this. Some crazy country.

 

[Moshe1010]

Moshe, the point is that the very process you describe is what will become illegal (unless the unlocking is authorized by the carrier).

It's my device, I can do whatever I want with it. By law, it's my property, and AT&T has no rights to decide what I can or cannot do with my device.

 

[denaliOnDubs]

Sounds like a direct attack against 'T-Mobile's bring your unlocked iPhone over' strategy?

I couldn't agree more. It seems like the industry is trying to strangle the life out of T-Mobile. Look at T-Mo's handset selection... I think they have no choice but to "modernize" the network or lose more subscribers. They don't seem to have near as many handsets as they once did.

 

[theBB]

However, Uncle Sam can still kiss my nappy a$$.

It occurs to me now why those wackos in Idaho don't think our government is trustworthy. Same reason why there will never be common ground between NRA and non-NRA types: They believe the government is our enemy and, you know what? This kind of decision (as trivial as it is when compared to gun control) is a perfect example of that.

I am all for small government and against crony capitalism, but unfortunately, having a gun will not help you get your phone unlocked.

 

[Boomhowler]

It's my device, I can do whatever I want with it. By law, it's my property, and AT&T has no rights to decide what I can or cannot do with my device.

Actually, according to this law, they can.

And also, try using the phone without the operator's consent. You won't be doing much on those LTE/CDMA-networks in the US without that.

(although I really think it's amazing how strong the lobby groups are in the US if they can get this kind of deal through.. really awful)

 

[Moshe1010]

Actually, according to this law, they can.

And also, try using the phone without the operator's consent. You won't be doing much on those LTE/CDMA-networks in the US without that.

(although I really think it's amazing how strong the lobby groups are in the US if they can get this kind of deal through.. really awful)

This "law" would not survive its first judge (and I'm 100% positive that no judge would see any case on his table for "illegal iPhone unlocking" among individual consumers).

 

[pearvsapple]

Them officials got paid.

 

[firewood]

It's my device, I can do whatever I want with it. By law, it's my property....

And that device, your property, includes a radio transmitter (actually 3 or 4 radios) which use the public airwaves. Operating an unlicensed radio transmitter (or one modified so that it is no longer in compliance with its license) is against FCC regulations (and thus perhaps federal as well as IRU/International law). So perhaps you can do whatever you want with it as long as you don't turn it on.

Have fun with your brick.

 

[mrsir2009]

Well, I am not sure it's that a good news for carrier because now, nobody will want to buy phone locked to a carrier because you know you will be ***** by them for years.

Are you kidding? The carriers undoubtably made this law happen.

 

[dfs]

Lousy law

Although I'm no lawyer, this seems like a classic example of Congress cuddling up to a large corporation by writing lousy legislation. Look, I own my iPhone, I'm not simply leasing it, right? And, generally speaking, once I purchase and own a product I'm free to modify it however I see fit, right? If, for ex., I buy a car I'm free to modify its performance by hot-rodding it, which might include going into its onboard computer and modifying its default settings (although the car mfr. could claim that the OS of that computer is leased rather than owned by me). I wouldn't be surprised if a Federal court throws out this particular law.

 

[mrsir2009]

It's my device, I can do whatever I want with it. By law, it's my property, and AT&T has no rights to decide what I can or cannot do with my device.

But when you signed a contract with AT&T you most likely agreed to not unlock the phone without their consent... And contracts are law.

 

[nick_elt]

I'm so glad they have their priorities straight. All these unlocked phones KILL PEOPLE.

But then surely by american logic more unlocked phones will solve this....

 

[Larry-K]

Only Americans believe it.

I guess you don't know any Americans.

We're pretty much free to shoot each other, but anything else is substandard tech at inflated prices, and most of us know it.

 

[Internaut]

What, are they going to throw you in one of America's Hardest Prisons for unlocking your phone?

Oh, unless you're from China or Iran, the US justice system looks pretty mad. Whenever there's an extradition case in the UK (thanks to the one sided extradition agreement we have with the US), there's a public outcry since even our own "hang 'em high" brigade (aka Daily Mail readers) balk at the antics of US prosecutors.

 

[palmerc]

Sensible cellular phone legislation - PETITION

It'll be criminal to unlock a phone? Incredible.

Customers are already paying back the subsidy through a term contract with the carrier, regardless of whether the phone is unlocked or not.

Talk about anti-consumer.

I knocked out a petition for the White House to respond to: Improve Cellular Phone Carrier Business Practices please sign it so we can get a response on this issue.

The body text follows:

Customers of cellular phone plans in the US are treated poorly. We would like to see regulations that require things like:

1) A bill that reflects the advertised price, and separate line items that show the cost of the phone plan and the phone.

2) A bill that shows the cost of the phone purchased and how much of the phone has been paid off

3) Upon completion of a contract the customer has the right to have any technological restrictions removed that prevent its use on other carriers networks.

4) The right to buy out the phone and terminate the contract at any time.

5) A limit to the terms of contracts allowed.

6) The right to buy a 3rd party phone and join a carriers network with no contractual obligations.