Don't like your cell network? Legal unlocking ends TONIGHT in US

[4me2]

Don't like your cell network? Legal unlocking ends TONIGHT in US

Land of the free big corporate operator

By Bill Ray • Get more from this author


Unlocking a phone to use it with another carrier will be illegal in America from midnight tonight unless the cellphone is already in your hands.
Freeing a phone from a particular network used to be allowed, but under last October's reinterpretation of the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act that right disappears from all handsets bought from Saturday. Jail-breaking devices - to allow the installation of third-party apps - will remain legal, only not on tablets.


The Librarian of Congress has the ability to grant exceptions to the draconian DMCA, and back in 2010 decided that unlocking should be allowed, but those rulings are reviewed every three years and in 2012 there was a change of heart: Americans were given three months to get used to the idea - three months which runs out tonight.
At issue is the ownership of the device as the new rules restrict the rights of the apparent owner to use the technology as they feel fit. It also makes little sense as we could soon see US courts being asked to decide where exactly the line falls between a big phone and a small tablet - American law does not acknowledge the existence of the phablet.
So circumventing the carrier lock on a cellphone will constitute a breach of the DMCA, as will installing Cydia on an iPad (but not an iPhone). Android users rarely have to circumvent blocks to install software, but will also have to avoid unlocking handsets.


Operators lock phones to give them enough time to recover the subsidy they pay when the contract is signed; typically a phone is free or rather cheap and the monthly connection bill makes up for it. Operators remain eternally optimistic that customers will send each other expensive multimedia text messages or download games from the operator's portal, all of which goes into calculating the subsidy and will be missed if the customer switches networks.
The answer is to not buy subsidised handsets, and it’s the availability of such phones that convinced the Librarian of Congress to change the rules. So if you want a subsidised handset you can unlock then best buy one today, otherwise you'll have to pay full price, or not be an American. ®


http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/01...ocking_change/

[macmilm]

I can understand the provider wanting enough time to recoup money on subsidising handsets but this goes way beyond that...
Surely the law should be "illegal whilst in contract" after this period the carrier has recovered all monies legally bound to them and then it just becomes greed.

To be fair if they are offering a good enough service/deals on their network they should have nothing to worry about.

[JonEp]

Just another way to feed the multi billion pound American prison system.

3 unlocks and your out !

[BigBird]

I can understand the provider wanting enough time to recoup money on subsidising handsets but this goes way beyond that...
Surely the law should be "illegal whilst in contract" after this period the carrier has recovered all monies legally bound to them and then it just becomes greed.

To be fair if they are offering a good enough service/deals on their network they should have nothing to worry about.

I agree. While in contract the phone is technically still the property of the phone company. Once the contract is over they don't request the phone back and you can bin it. sell it. or just throw it against the wall if you want to. It is your property which you have paid for during the contract period in what amount to a hire purchase agreement. So why shouldn't you be allowed to get it unlocked to us on another network. And as you say, if the phone company had treated you well and their prices were competitive why would you want to change networks anyway.

This is just another example of corporate america ripping off the consumers that have made them into the rich and powerful companies that they are in the first place.

And where America leads, The UK is sure to follow.

The public could stop these companies overnight if we weren't as greedy as them in our need to have the latest greatest mobile phones and gadgets the minute they come out. I'm just glad I'm not addicted to the latest phones and gadgets. I wouldn't be happy lining the pockets of the profit driven companies who really don't give a fuck about their customers. (">

p.s. Anyone know where I can get a new battery for my Nokia 402. Not lasting more than a few hours now before I have to charge it.

[macmilm]

I agree. While in contract the phone is technically still the property of the phone company. Once the contract is over they don't request the phone back and you can bin it. sell it. or just throw it against the wall if you want to. It is your property which you have paid for during the contract period in what amount to a hire purchase agreement. So why shouldn't you be allowed to get it unlocked to us on another network. And as you say, if the phone company had treated you well and their prices were competitive why would you want to change networks anyway.

This is just another example of corporate america ripping off the consumers that have made them into the rich and powerful companies that they are in the first place.

And where America leads, The UK is sure to follow.

The public could stop these companies overnight if we weren't as greedy as them in our need to have the latest greatest mobile phones and gadgets the minute they come out. I'm just glad I'm not addicted to the latest phones and gadgets. I wouldn't be happy lining the pockets of the profit driven companies who really don't give a fuck about their customers. (">

p.s. Anyone know where I can get a new battery for my Nokia 402. Not lasting more than a few hours now before I have to charge it.

Kind of reminds me of a line in a song by Serj Tankian!!! "CEO's are the disease"

[greens117]

p.s. Anyone know where I can get a new battery for my Nokia 402. Not lasting more than a few hours now before I have to charge it.

try turningthe data off, that should help.
try ebay for the replacement

[macmilm]

try turningthe data off, that should help.
try ebay for the replacement

Bluetooth was always a battery killer on my Nokia !!

[casio]

how will they know if the phone is unlocked?

[DejaVu]

This is purely a law to pass (something to do).

It's not gonna be enforceable, how could it be? Most phones can be unlocked by the average Joe anyway.
It's too far down the line to add this as illegal.

Too much information on the internet to stop it from happening.

[BigBird]

This is purely a law to pass (something to do).

It's not gonna be enforceable, how could it be? Most phones can be unlocked by the average Joe anyway.
It's too far down the line to add this as illegal.

Too much information on the internet to stop it from happening.

My cousin has a phone repair shop and will stop doing unlocks if this became law in the UK. Unlocking is where he makes most of his money. I remember when unblocking became illegal he stopped doing unblocks because he could never be sure if someone who came in with a phone for unblocking was a sting operation.

Most of his unlocks are through a third party, usually through an online server. Gone are the days where you could purchase a box for a one time cost and do as many unlocks as you like with it. At the moment his cost for iphone unlocks is quite high at around £60 so he advises customers, as long as they are the original contract holders, to contact the phone company who will unlock it for around £15. This law would change that and these unlock servers would become illegal and put the owners at risk of prosecution.

I don't agree that most phones can be unlocked by the average Joe these days. If that was the case then why is he paying a third party for server unlocks. He has been running the shop and doing unlocks for over ten years. I'm sure he would be doing it himself without having to pay for a third party server unlock if it was possible.

If you know different and have some some advice for him I will pass it on. (">

[B.I.G.]

I just don't see the point in this law at all, a phone has to be connected to a network to get use out of it so surely its swings and roundabouts anyway...someone leaves 3 and joins o2, someone leaves voda and joins 3 and someone leaves o2 and joins voda..

[BigBird]

I just don't see the point in this law at all, a phone has to be connected to a network to get use out of it so surely its swings and roundabouts anyway...someone leaves 3 and joins o2, someone leaves voda and joins 3 and someone leaves o2 and joins voda..

It means they will be able to offer incentives to gain new customers, but hype the prices for existing customers by making it less cost effective to leave for another company when their contract is up. Some will switch anyway to get the latest phone but there are many, including myself, who will hang on the the existing phone and cut costs by opting for a sim only deal, possibly with a cheaper company. They can up the cost of sim only deals because your mobile is, by law, permanently locked to their network (">

[B.I.G.]

Ah so it's for no valid reason other than ripping people off....should fly through the house of lords then.

[casio]

its nothing to worry about yet m8 this is the USA's flawed system not ours, that said I hope our law makers are a little bit less shortsighted and if not who cares unlocking can be as simple as selecting unlock when you jailbreak lol

[macmilm]

My cousin has a phone repair shop and will stop doing unlocks if this became law in the UK. Unlocking is where he makes most of his money. I remember when unblocking became illegal he stopped doing unblocks because he could never be sure if someone who came in with a phone for unblocking was a sting operation.

Most of his unlocks are through a third party, usually through an online server. Gone are the days where you could purchase a box for a one time cost and do as many unlocks as you like with it. At the moment his cost for iphone unlocks is quite high at around £60 so he advises customers, as long as they are the original contract holders, to contact the phone company who will unlock it for around £15. This law would change that and these unlock servers would become illegal and put the owners at risk of prosecution.

I don't agree that most phones can be unlocked by the average Joe these days. If that was the case then why is he paying a third party for server unlocks. He has been running the shop and doing unlocks for over ten years. I'm sure he would be doing it himself without having to pay for a third party server unlock if it was possible.

If you know different and have some some advice for him I will pass it on. (">

I unlock plenty of phones for family & friends.. I find (most) can be unlocked for free but are a bit complicated especially Samsung. with many you get a long unlock codes and hidden menus that are very long and u get 3 (sometimes 1) attempt before perm lockout.. I think the complication plus to get the codes you need a bit of tech savvy stops people unlockin themselves and sends thousands to unlock shops..

Basically it usually can be done but for £10 - £15 quid on the high street most just get it done in town e.t.c

Personally only ever paid to unlock 1 phone and have unlocked probably best part of 100 !!!

Just me 2p m8

[eblaster101]

Apple are the only ones who have followed a different route to network locks. Most phones are unlocked through the software within the phone or a calculation is done to generate a code by the provider. I think iphones all require authorisation from Apple to be unlocked.

I dont think this will follow in the UK but im sure networks will be pushing for it for their benefit.

[franko2K13]

nice post

[beerman]

nice post

FFS just spent the last 5 minutes reading this thinking I'm sure this already happened.

Sure enough when I checked the date I noticed a noob bumped the thread to get his post count up!

So Franko wtf was so nice about this post?

[Geko]

What a twat. I just read the whole thread.

[4me2]

nice post

7 day ban.

When you come back you'll find your post count has been set to zero.