Unlocking Cell Phones in U.S. to Become Illegal January 26
Librarian of Congress's 90-day window ends on Saturday.
Unlocking cell phones in the United States will become illegal on January 26 due to the expiry of a 90-day window that deemed the practice legal.
During the October of 2012, the Librarian of Congress, which decides the exemptions to the anti-hacking law dubbed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), ruled that unlocking mobile phones would no longer be deemed legal in America.
However, it approved a 90-day window that allowed consumers to purchase a phone and unlock it without any legal repercussions. The window, though, comes to an end on January 26.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) questions DMCA's right to determine who can unlock a phone. EFF attorney Mitch Stoltz said: "Arguably, locking phone users into one carrier is not at all what the DMCA was meant to do. It's up to the courts to decide."
Unlocking a phone (not to be confused from jailbreaking -- a method to run additional software and instill modified code -- which remains legal) allows it to function on more than one carrier.
While the deadline will make it illegal to unlock cell phones in the U.S., carriers such as Verizon offer devices such as the iPhone 5 as an unlocked smartphone, while AT&T will unlock a handset when its contract has expired.
I think its about time the US does away with corporate lobbying. It needs to be illegal for a corporation, or a representative of corporations to give money to the gov't. And any politician who violates this needs to be immediately fined and removed from their position.
I still feel like a lot of people will unlock their phones, regardless.
I think its about time the US does away with corporate lobbying. It needs to be illegal for a corporation, or a representative of corporations to give money to the gov't. And any politician who violates this needs to be immediately fined and removed from their position.
Don't forget the corporations since they're the ones actually orchestrating all this; Verizon, at&t, Apple, Samsung, Sprint, etc. The carriers want to continue overcharging you and like the manufacturers, they want you to keep "upgrading" your phone and keep you from using your old phone with carriers that offer a cheaper alternative.
I still feel like a lot of people will unlock their phones, regardless.
I worked in the cell phone industry for a few years.
This is why. Phone cost at total retail value. $800. Phone cost at 2 year contract value. $199. Cost of Early Termination Fee of contract. $150 (depends on phone now adays). So whats stopping someone from buying the phone 2 year contract, then ending the contract and going to a different carrier. (not being able to unlock it
So as you can see they do it so they don't lose money. There was a HUGE HUGE inflation of people that would buy iphones (when it was locked to AT&T only) End their contract and sell the phones jailbreak the phones and sell them on ebay for a huge profit.
On the other hand. Where there's push, there's pull. They do abuse this system and after a certain period i think your phone should be allowed to be unlocked. What i don't understand about this article is it says it'll be "legal" within 90 day time frame.. How the hell are they going to be able to tell?
Trolling the yanks at its finest.
Only thing I can think of is:
1. You don't usually have the phone "paid for" until the end of your contract period.
or
2. The mobile companies slipped the government $$$.
Reading comprehension fail... o_O
It is not illegal to purchase or be in possession of an unlocked handset... it is illegal to engage in the process of unlocking the handset.
You just couldn't resist, could you?
/insert picture of Linus giving them the finger
Then you can pay full price for said phone. Enjoy spending close to a grand for each new release.
When you consider the data plan they force upon you with a high end subsidized smart phone, the up front cost on an unlocked one usually saves you money over the life of that contract, still. There is no loyalty. T-mobile let me leave for another carrier after 7 years of service without putting up much of a fight.
Agreed. Not sticking up for the cell phone companies. They are expensive. And I was one of those A$$**** at one point in time who "let" customers walk. (we actually had a rating system) It depended on how much the consumer spent. Along with costs of providing services in that area, whether it was contracts with other cell companies to feed off their towers, Tower repair / upgrade costs. Etc Etc Etc. For instance. Someone in Death valley With a population of 1 would have a 1 star rating. We would Literally "try" to let them go. Versus someone maybe in San Diego who has unlimited everything is a 5 Star rating. We'd do just about everything to keep that person.
Just trying to challenge people to think about why would they do such a thing (not unlocking). Versus the common and typically wrong jump to conclusions of cell phone companies and gov are working together to screw over and take money from the common man
Guess bottom line. cell companies are a business. Their goal is to make money.