PSA: It is now illegal to unlock your cell phone

[T_Yamamoto]

No one gives a flying phuck.

Just saying.

 

[amdhunter]

Carriers can suck my swampass.

 

[waggy]

WTF kind of terrible logic is this? As per above, ATT will let you unlock the phone after the contract is over, unless you have evidence of other carriers not permitting this, then it's a moot point. The company can recoup its investment, you get your untethered freedom, no problem.

If you don't want to be bound initially, you pay full price for the phone. Not an issue.

what kind of fucked up logic is it that you think the company can Get laws that tell you how you can use stuff you own!?

they fucking recoup the investment with the 2 yr contract. if i break the contract they have fees for it.

 

[Lifted]

This just gives a chance for the phone company to recoup their investment in the subsidized phone.

Oh, so you're saying if I bring an unlocked phone to VZW, or am out of contract, I'll get a cheaper rate?

News to me.

 

[zbalat]

Oh, so you're saying if I bring an unlocked phone to VZW, or am out of contract, I'll get a cheaper rate?

News to me.

An unlocked phone (GSM) won't work on VZW's CDMA network.

 

[Mixolydian]

Not if you vote for politicians with integrity.

There's no such thing as politicians with integrity.

 

[AlienCraft]

I ,for one , welcome our Corporate overlords.

 

[Raghu]

This law applies to phones made after January 26th 2013 only.

I hope this motivates more people to go prepaid with their own phone and some of the smaller carriers to disrupt the market by offering innovative contracts. ATT and VZW are too big for rational competition.

 

[Colt45]

I need to make a 'DAT AMERICAN FREEDOM' picture to post in all these threads. I can't decide what the picture should be of though.

Maybe a sad bald eagle, some defective apple pie and a rusty chevy? what else? A bunch of CEOs and politicians, I guess.

 

[Puppies04]

You sure about that? I thought that no matter what, if you got it subsidized you can't unlock it even if your contract runs out, even if you pay the etf.

That doesn't sound plausible, once the contract is paid off you own the phone outright, while under contract the handset is deemed to still belong to the phone company with you paying "monthly instalments" towards it (not quite but lets not over complicate things).

 

[OCGuy]

1st world problems

 

[bigrash]

There's no such thing as politicians with integrity.

Ain't that the truth.

 

[polarmystery]

I can see the future...

"Excuse me sir, you are breaking the law by cutting your banana you just purchased into pieces instead of eating it from your hand."

 

[DaTT]

that's bullshit.

Fine they subsidize the phone. IF you take the phone and change carriers they are going to slam you with fees.

IF they want it locked then they should GIVE you the phone.


not that this is really going to stop anyone.

I agree with the bold statement.

Also, if your contract runs out and you unlock your phone, I'm not really sure how this can hold up in court as illegal, you own the property. I would imagine any half decent lawyer would have this thrown out immediately.

 

[Lifted]

An unlocked phone (GSM) won't work on VZW's CDMA network.

Oops, I meant out-of-contract phone.

 

[mmntech]

One of the tech sites put it eloquently by asking what's the country come to when the librarian of congress is regulating the cell phone industry.

Next phone I get, I'll be buying an unlocked one up front and going prepaid. Wasted enough money on contracts. I should have done it when my last contract went up and I don't know why I didn't.

 

[lxskllr]

Next phone I get, I'll be buying an unlocked one up front and going prepaid. Wasted enough money on contracts. I should have done it when my last contract went up and I don't know why I didn't.

How will you do your part at being a good Canuck, when you aren't "buying" new gadgets every 2 years? Think of your countrymen! or at least think of the poor Chinese, and corporations that need your support...

 

[Red Squirrel]

I saw this, had to post.

:awe:

 

[Raghu]

How will you do your part at being a good Canuck, when you aren't "buying" new gadgets every 2 years? Think of your countrymen! or at least think of the poor Chinese, and corporations that need your support...

By buying it every year, since he neednt wait for the contract to expire to get a new phone

That might actually make a lot of financial sense.

 

[OCGuy]

Yay, more lower-middle and upper-lower ATOTers with entitlement complexes who have no idea what it takes for a company to front out the money to design infrastructure or a phone.

I am not for .gov stepping in on things as trivial as mobile phones, but if you don't like it, either pay full price, or get it cheaper with a 2-year contract. After that, do what you want.

I couldn't imagine owning the same phone for 2+ years...they are advancing much too rapidly right now for that.

I used to be that way with PC components, but they have hit a wall recently. Phones are taking off.

 

[DaTT]

I saw this, had to post.

:awe:

I like this.