Smartphone Unlocking becomes illegal on Jan 26th

Just_Me_D

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I don't think it's going to prevent much. Unlockers are still unlocking today.

I agree, Garz. I can't see any enforcement action being taken against individuals who unlock their own devices.
 

vietalogy

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I think unlock service can still unlock if your phone was purchased before the new year. As of now chronic is still unlocking iphone.

Sent from my Nexus 4
 

iDonev

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I think we need an official word from iMore: are we still allowed to help people looking to unlock, or does the taboo list get a new addition?
 

Alli

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Somehow I don't believe unlocking will become verboten, unless the US suddenly comes up with enough $$ to hire people to enforce this absurd new law. And unlike software piracy, unlocking is not taking money out of someone else's pocket.

Carry on.
 

iDonev

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... unlike software piracy, unlocking is not taking money out of someone else's pocket....

Not entirely true. While no individual loses money, both the device manufacturer and the carrier do. The carrier loses a customer and the manufacturer doesn't sell a second device for the customer's new carrier.
 

3cit

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Not entirely true. While no individual loses money, both the device manufacturer and the carrier do. The carrier loses a customer and the manufacturer doesn't sell a second device for the customer's new carrier.

capitalism by control... sounds a little bit creepy!
 

Garz

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I think we need an official word from iMore: are we still allowed to help people looking to unlock, or does the taboo list get a new addition?

Back to what Alli had stated, I don't see a issue at this time for unlock discussions to be prohibited. Things can obviously change but yeah I agree with carrying on at this time.
 

Garz

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Not entirely true. While no individual loses money, both the device manufacturer and the carrier do. The carrier loses a customer and the manufacturer doesn't sell a second device for the customer's new carrier.

But if a customer gets upgrade pricing and leaves to go elsewhere, the carrier still charges their hefty ETF so they still get the money. Apple still sells unlocked iPhones at retail so if person pays upgrade pricing and then ETF, it works out to be the same really.
 

Just_Me_D

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Not entirely true. While no individual loses money, both the device manufacturer and the carrier do. The carrier loses a customer and the manufacturer doesn't sell a second device for the customer's new carrier.

Your statement is assuming that everyone who unlocks their devices leave their wireless carrier for another one. Some people simply want their devices unlocked so they can flash custom roms or make changes to their devices like remove carrier-related apps that they don't want.
 

Alli

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I've just read the official word from CTIA (What), and it seems that other than the 3rd party unlockers that have popped up in the last few months, nothing has changed. AT&T was unlocking phones if your contract was up - they will still do it.
 

Timhewitt

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If you have fully paid for your phone, the carrier will still unlock it.

If you however unlock your phone before you have fully paid for it, the carrier may now legally block your IMEI number if they so choose.

There will not be any police action against you, simply a loss of service and the inability to use your modified phone on any GSM network in the world.

Don't want to worry about this? Then buy your phone factory unlocked rather than carrier subsidized.
 

iDonev

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But if a customer gets upgrade pricing and leaves to go elsewhere, the carrier still charges their hefty ETF so they still get the money.

Agreed. The carrier gets the money due on the current contract. But from an economic standpoint if you do away with 3rd party unlocks, the customer will be left with a fancy iPod touch once they leave the carrier. And the hassle of selling the old phone and/or getting a new one might be enough of a motivation to not leave the carrier in the first place, therefore guaranteeing more revenue for the carrier.

Apple still sells unlocked iPhones at retail so if person pays upgrade pricing and then ETF, it works out to be the same really.

I don't know how it is in the US - if a customer pays the ETF is the carrier obliged to unlock the device? If that's so, I agree with your statement.
On the other hand, if that's not the case the customer would've made three payments:
1. Subsidized pricing on phone one for carrier one.
2. ETF with carrier one.
3. Subsidized pricing on phone two with carrier two.
While selling the old phone will make up for one of the subsidized prices, that scenario involves two devices. And for device manufacturers the device count is all that matters.

Your statement is assuming that everyone who unlocks their devices leave their wireless carrier for another one. Some people simply want their devices unlocked so they can flash custom roms or make changes to their devices like remove carrier-related apps that they don't want.

Here I confess platform ignorance. On the iOS side of things these factors never come into play - in the time I've been active on iMore, never have I read that someone wanted to unlock "just in case". In all instances the person was moving to another country/carrier.
 

3cit

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If you have fully paid for your phone, the carrier will still unlock it.

If you however unlock your phone before you have fully paid for it, the carrier may now legally block your IMEI number if they so choose.

There will not be any police action against you, simply a loss of service and the inability to use your modified phone on any GSM network in the world.

Don't want to worry about this? Then buy your phone factory unlocked rather than carrier subsidized.

dreamcrusher
 

Just_Me_D

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...(snipped)....
Here I confess platform ignorance. On the iOS side of things these factors never come into play - in the time I've been active on iMore, never have I read that someone wanted to unlock "just in case". In all instances the person was moving to another country/carrier.
That doesn't mean that there aren't people who indeed unlock their devices "just in case". As for you reading in all instances that the people who wanted their phones unlocked were moving to another country or carrier, again, you're assuming that every iMore forum member who have unlocked devices created a post letting us know why they did it. But hey, I get what you're saying. :)
 

wolfedude88

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Your statement is assuming that everyone who unlocks their devices leave their wireless carrier for another one. Some people simply want their devices unlocked so they can flash custom roms or make changes to their devices like remove carrier-related apps that they don't want.

Unlocking the device from the carrier and unlocking the device for custom roms are two different things.
 

Just_Me_D

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Unlocking the device from the carrier and unlocking the device for custom roms are two different things.

Yes, I know. There is carrier/SIM unlock & unlocking of the bootloader. The person I was primarily conversing with basically stated that people unlock their devices only to leave the country or go to a different carrier and although, I agree that people do unlock for those reasons, it does not apply to "everyone".
 

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