'Unlocking' your cellphone will be illegal starting Saturday

[BajiRav]

I always got my unlock codes from AT&T :p let's see how this works out the next time.

[Lamp0]

As per usualy on Neowin, the story is quite misleading.

You will still be able to unlock your phone in the US, you will just need the carriers permission to do so.

[Praetor]

In my country even if you buy a carrier locked phone, after the contract is over (like after 24 months for an example) the carrier must unlock the phone. Also some carriers are selling unlocked phones by default, because it's pretty obvious that most of the consumers that buys them aren't gonna change the carrier (at least not in the first months), giving those carriers more sales than the others. So glad i live in the "old continent"...

[Xoligy]

Well they do say America is home to some of the dumbest laws and i guess this is one of them.

[Richteralan]

That's why I have a Nexus 4. **** carrier locked phones.

[Oz.]

say what? you can't stop me to unlock my phone !!!

[Scorbing]

It's going to be illegal to unlock your phone, which is your property and it's paid for? Really?

And who's going to stop people from doing that? The internet police? Really?.....Please.

The government should really find better ways to spend their resources and time. This is ridiculous.

[abecedarian paradoxious]

It's going to be illegal to unlock your phone, which is your property and it's paid for? Really?

And who's going to stop people from doing that? The internet police? Really?.....Please.

The government should really find better ways to spend their resources and time. This is ridiculous.

If you purchased a 'locked' phone, it is your property, and purchased with the condition that it is locked to the carrier. You agreed to it and are bound by that.

If you purchased an 'unlocked' phone, it is your property.

Now, as I mentioned elsewhere, using a carrier's 'locked', 'contract' based phone is akin to leasing an apartment. With leased property, after the lease period has expired, the property owner has the options of restricting access, converting to monthly (or other period) terms, or transferring ownership, and that itself is determined by the agreed-upon terms of the lease. You will not legally own the apartment (or smartphone) unless the owner agrees. At the expiration of the cellphone carrier's contract, you can request the 'unlock' code and if the carrier gives that to you, then the phone is lawfully yours.

I, personally, do not agree with the practice, but it is this way, legally.

[BajiRav]

^^ I don't agree with the lease part. I will have to look into fine print though (it's been a while).

As per usualy on Neowin, the story is quite misleading.

You will still be able to unlock your phone in the US, you will just need the carriers permission to do so.

Uh...that's still bad though.

[demon_speed]

So that means that only "out of the box" from the industry allowes already unlocked mobilephones? Btw, there is a loophole to avoid that law, it is to use the Universal SIM that's being sold everywhere to be able to use any network you want out there :). But besides that, isn't it allowed to go see the resellers physical store for support of unlocking the phone and then unbrandning the phone from it's limitations?

[BeerFan]

As per usualy on Neowin, the story is quite misleading.

You will still be able to unlock your phone in the US, you will just need the carriers permission to do so.

Yes, but you see, knowing that fact would require actually reading the source article and using your brain. The vast majority of people here look at the sensational title of the post and respond with a knee-jerk, assume-everything-on-the-internet-is-true kind of reaction.

[Dinggus]

Nevermind.

[+Anarkii Subscriber²]

Im so glad I brought my phone unlocked from Apple. It gives me freedom of choice and if I travel abroad I can just get a prepaid sim for that country and im good to go. Is jailbreaking illegal? If not, I can see many people continuing to jailbreak and then unlocking their phones. Regardless of make.

[The Laughing Man]

Who exactly will enforce this? Batman?