Unlocking Cell Phone now illegal

• pmoney25

  

  http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/01/24/unlocking-cellphones-becomes-illegal-saturday/
  
  I do believe the attack on technology is under way. Too much freedom
• rydawg5

  That's silly. If you own the phone, you should be able to do what you want with it.
• justincredible

  

  Yay, more laws. :rolleyes:
• GoChiefs

  

  justincredible;1373995 wrote:Yay, more laws. :rolleyes:

  
  Fuckin' Obama.
• justincredible

  

  GoChiefs;1374013 wrote:Fuckin' federal government.

  Indeed.
• stlouiedipalma

  Sounds to me as if it is just a means of protecting the carriers.
• gut

  stlouiedipalma;1374194 wrote:Sounds to me as if it is just a means of protecting the carriers.

  True. And I doubt the OEM's are crying that much - if you jump ship you'll have to buy a new phone. The biggest scam going is the subsidy for signing a 2-yr contract - keeps prices artificially high. Otherwise, new high-end phones would go for like $400-$450, and competition would probably drive them lower.
• I Wear Pants

  gut;1374302 wrote:True. And I doubt the OEM's are crying that much - if you jump ship you'll have to buy a new phone. The biggest scam going is the subsidy for signing a 2-yr contract - keeps prices artificially high. Otherwise, new high-end phones would go for like $400-$450, and competition would probably drive them lower.

  Europe disagrees.
  
  And this, like a whole bunch of the DMCA is a stupid law. There's absolutely no harm that comes from a device being unlocked. The argument that it protects carriers is silly because of ETFs. If I go to ATT to receive superphone X for $10 with a new service agreement and leave before the 2 years are up because I unlocked the device and want cheaper/better service from another carrier I'm going to be nailed with the ETF to cover the remaining subsidy amount.
  
  I really don't understand the reasoning behind this shit.
• O-Trap

  

  stlouiedipalma;1374194 wrote:Sounds to me as if it is just a means of protecting the carriers.

  That's like saying that making it illegal to use a dime as a screwdriver is protecting screwdriver manufacturers.
  
  This is an asinine law. My property is my property. If I BUY the phone, then I have paid for it. As such, the carrier has received payment for it. The carrier, then, needs no further protection.
• Gblock

  Isnt it more that they want you to be trapped into a monopoly on using their apps/software? which they then can charge you for and raise the prices on? it definitly seems like you would lose all versatility and freedom on things you can use your phone for
• O-Trap

  

  Gblock;1374362 wrote:Isnt it more that they want you to be trapped into a monopoly on using their apps/software? which they then can charge you for and raise the prices on? it definitly seems like you would lose all versatility and freedom on things you can use your phone for

  Eh, as I recall, the app stores that most people use are either the Apple-specific one or the Android specific one. That doesn't change with the unlocking of a phone.