Unlocking Cell Phones Becomes Illegal

[4GHoward]

It looks like it is going to get much harder to unlock cell phones after January 26, 2013 by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

 

Source: http://www.technewsd...es-illegal.html

[lynyrd65]

That does it, I'm moving to Canada!

 

Changing sig.....

[CAmbrocio1]

Does that include jailbreaking or rooting

[mdus]

what does this mean, in the past sprint would unlock the phone to use outside the US will they still allow that.

[Luuminator]

Does that include jailbreaking or rooting

No unlocking is different then jailbreaking and rooting.

[themuffinman]

Does that include jailbreaking or rooting

 

Of course not, rooting is totally different than unlocking your phone to use on another carrier.

 

what does this mean, in the past sprint would unlock the phone to use outside the US will they still allow that.

 

This will still be allowed, basically its the carriers decision whether the device gets unlocked or not and not the users(if the phone is carrier branded). If you are on a gsm carrier and you bought a phone directly from htc for example then you could do whatever you want with it at any time on any carrier.

[Kaixor]

Wonder how t-mobile will take this, after all they've been advertising about bringing unlocked iPhones over

[4GHoward]

Wonder how t-mobile will take this, after all they've been advertising about bringing unlocked iPhones over

 

T-Mobile released this statement:

 

Increasingly consumers are looking for choice and flexibility in the way they purchase wireless. They want the freedom to bring their own device without having to compromise on value, which is why we will continue to make it easy for consumers to bring unlocked, GSM-compatible devices to T-Mobile.

 

T-Mobile recommends customers contact the device manufacturer or AT&T directly to request the unlock code for their device. Customers would then purchase a SIM card, select a T-Mobile SIM card only Value plan that suits their needs and T-Mobile will help the customer configure their device for its network. T-Mobile offers step-by-step instructions at retail and on the T-Mobile customer support forums online.

 

For more information on T-Mobile’s Bring Your Own Phone program, visit: http://explore.t-mob...ne-sim-card#sim

 

For information on T-Mobile’s SIM Subsidy Unlock Code policy, visit: http://support.t-mob...m/docs/DOC-1588

 

For more information regarding the new DMCA exemption rules, please contact CTIA at ctiamedrel@ctia.org

 

Source: http://allthingsd.com/20130125/psa-unlocking-phones-without-carrier-permission-becomes-illegal-on-saturday/

[4GHoward]

Here is a petition that was started to make unlocking cell phones legal:

 

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/make-unlocking-cell-phones-legal/1g9KhZG7