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Verizon No Longer Plans to Sell Unlocked iPhones
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What about legislation that outlaws SIM-locks? Works great in Canada, Chile, China, Israel, and Singapore for example. In some countries it was simply competitive pressure that lead all carriers to eventually stop employing SIM locks (eg, Switzerland). Of course, the U.S. is one of the few countries where Apple implements this delay for selling unlocked phones directly.
If the policy is anything like Sprint, it won't work.
Sprint sends a single unlock command and if it doesn't work; Heaven help you getting it unlocked.
Sprint sends a single unlock command and if it doesn't work; Heaven help you getting it unlocked.
Sigh, all the news sites are reporting from one single click bait CNET article.
The phones are locked until sold to the customer, upon activation they are unlocked.
The phones are locked until sold to the customer, upon activation they are unlocked.
My family has been a customer since the PacTel Cellular days. My father is a truck driver, and I’m constantly driving in vast swaths of open desert. So we both need the best network possible. I’ve tested Sprint and T-Mobile, and while both great in the city, as soon as you leave the metro, it’s done. AT&T was better, but had service issues once you got off the beaten path away from the city. With Verizon, I could count the number times I’ve been without service on one hand, and it’s only been on very old and no longer heavily used roads and usually I’m back online in 5-10 mins. I’m still happy with the service to this day, and I have no intentions of leaving over something like this.
If it only impacts financed phones sure, but if you are telling me when I buy a phone outright and its still locked? Well, you can piss off.
The reasons given make no sense.
There’s nothing “criminal” about buying a Verizon iPhone and using it overseas.
Also... how is this legal? They have to keep their phones unlocked due to 4G spectrum licensing requirements. Or is the VerizonFCC looking the other way now?
There’s nothing “criminal” about buying a Verizon iPhone and using it overseas.
Also... how is this legal? They have to keep their phones unlocked due to 4G spectrum licensing requirements. Or is the VerizonFCC looking the other way now?
They are just doing this because Apple doesn't sell carrier unlocked phones on day 1, and Verizon knows people buy their phones to activate them on other networks and to get CDMA/GSM optionality for resale. Since they are losing out on activations, they are implementing this policy. That's the only reason.
The article says "But later in the spring, the company will begin the practice of keeping the phone locked for a period of time after purchase -- in line with the rest of the industry".
So they will no longer be unlocking upon activation (once they even start doing that), according to the article.
Lol at everyone supporting the decision on here. Do americans not travel to other countries?
Also what a horsecrap excuse. A iPhone is already pretty damn well protected, so much that the FBI cannot really do anything with it yet people still pick pocket iPhones
Also what a horsecrap excuse. A iPhone is already pretty damn well protected, so much that the FBI cannot really do anything with it yet people still pick pocket iPhones
I travel nationwide and I've always had service with T-Mobile. I stay in cities, am very rarely outside of a metropolitan area.
The same article also says:
"Even after the change, Verizon will continue to unlock the phone regardless of whether it's paid off or not. The company will also still accept unlocked phones from other carriers."
This article is garbage and why sites are reporting on it is beyond me. CNET rushing something out to generate revenue.
Not understanding cellular tech, why are phones locked to certain providers anyways? Is it a contract of some sort? I understand the different cellular protocols (CDMA and GSM), but aren't all iPhones dual band now? Does Apple, out of the factory, ship provider specific models, or is a firmware flashed into it when it reaches retail? Just wondering.
Seems like more and more Americans are finding out they really don't need Verizon's coverage. Google 'quarter over quarter porting ratios' or 'BTIG Verizon porting'.
Quoting from the article, "Verizon said it is doing this to deter criminals from stealing phones, often on route to retail stores or from the stores themselves. Unlocked phones make attractive targets because they can be resold on the black market or used overseas with different carriers".
I think all phones purchased in cash should be unlocked. Unfortunately, Verizon gets plenty of people who agree to pay for them via device payments, and then never make the payments. These devices are sold so fast to unsuspecting buyers who see that their SIM cards work, and assume they're good.
Are they allowed to even do this? When they won the 700mhz spectrum in 2008 the FCC ruled that e)Handset locking prohibited. No licensee may disable features on handsets it provides to customers, to the extent such features are compliant with the licensee's standards pursuant to paragraph (b)of this section, nor configure handsets it provides to prohibit use of such handsets on other providers' networks.
If they try this I will fight it in the FCC even though I know they won't do anything. I just filed a preemptive complaint.
If they try this I will fight it in the FCC even though I know they won't do anything. I just filed a preemptive complaint.
And this is why there are options. Where I lived in the Chicago burbs, T-Mobile was extremely spotty. Here in the PNW, there are large areas of the state where T-Mo gets no service at all. Verizon gets excellent coverage in both of these areas. Different strokes for different folks.
Not if the person who owns the phone turns it off before selling it in another country.
It gives carriers the ability to make it difficult for customers to switch to a different carrier before the customer's commitment to the old carrier has been satisfied.
For example, you sign up with AT&T and agree to pay monthly for $1100 iPhone X, but decide after two payments you're just going to stop paying and switch your phone over to another carrier... since your iPhone X is locked to AT&T's network, you can't do that.
Interesting move by VZ considering I just switched from VZ to T-Mo on Saturday. The service is great so far and I do not miss VZ.
Whats up with America having to control iPhones. land of the free it never was and still isn't,
So, I have an iPhone 7 Plus that I got last year for my upgrade from my 6. Will it be locked through a carrier update, or will it stay unlocked because I got it prior to the policy change? Personally, it's not an issue for me as I have no need for an unlocked phone, neither have I had any issues with Verizon service, or getting what I need from them. Was mainly curious and why I asked.
Indeed, my mother was on t-mobile for a few years, she eventually got tired of asking me to turn on my Verizon hotspot just so she could have data whenever we traveled anywhere outside of the city, she switched to Verizon a couple of months ago and couldn't believe how much better it is with coverage.
Wow. Where is the thumbs-down button? I'm guessing you are the type of person that snubs another for which model phone they have. But what would I know, I'm just a poor, jealous, hate-filled non-verizon user
For what it's worth, I live in rural Minnesota and drive to some of the most sparsely populated places in the country and T-Mobile has never let me down.