Never miss an update Follow AppleInsider
Thursday, January 24, 2013, 09:10 pm
Unlocking cellphones without carrier permission will be illegal come Saturday
As per U.S. federal stipulation, the unauthorized unlocking of certain cellphones will be considered illegal, and enforcement is set to start with new phones purchases made from Saturday onward.
The new rule is a result of the Librarian of Congress' decision to dissolve an exemption to the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA), which previously allowed mobile phones to be unlocked by users. While the determination came in October of 2012, Tech News Daily pointed out that the librarian provided a 90-day buffer in which wireless customers could purchase and unlock their phones. That period ends on Saturday.
Cellular providers "lock" the phones they sell to their proprietary network bands to stop people from using a competing carrier's service. The practice is meant in part to ensure subscription revenues from customers who purchased subsidized hardware, like the iPhone. By unlocking a phone, owners can use their handsets on other compatible networks, a plus for frequent travelers and those wanting to switch carriers.
Users can readily purchase unlocked handsets like the iPhone 5 directly from Apple, while AT&T offers an unlocking service for out of contract phones. It was also reported in September that the Verizon version of Apple's latest iPhone comes unlocked out of the box.
On Topic: iPhone
- 10M Samsung flagship phones in 28 days a 'record,' 5M iPhone 5 in 3 days 'disappointing'
- Briefly: Virgin Mobile offers 15% discount on prepaid iPhone 4/4S
- Intel chips could have powered first iPhone, CEO Otellini says
- Multi-colored SIM trays allegedly for 'iPhone 5S' may signal more color options
- Apple's iPhone e-wallet concept suggests payment options based on context
Previous Comments View All
My device, my rules.
Is there operationally any difference between a user unlocked device and a carrier unlocked one? Aside from needing to redo it each software update, that is. If not, it doesn't matter, as the telecoms won't be able to tell.
To make it clear again, it's just phones sold after that date, correct? All phones purchased prior to it are still legally user-unlockable, right?
The difference is $450.
The difference is $450.
...operationally...
Good to know, though.
My device, my rules.
Is there operationally any difference between a user unlocked device and a carrier unlocked one? Aside from needing to redo it each software update, that is. If not, it doesn't matter, as the telecoms won't be able to tell.
To make it clear again, it's just phones sold after that date, correct? All phones purchased prior to it are still legally user-unlockable, right?
If you brought your phone from the carriers, they'll have your IMEI, and if the telcoms colluded to do so, they could theoretically blacklist any IMEI that was sold on another carrier.
Doubtful anything like that will happen, but still makes me wish the European system was more prevalent here.
Telecoms throwing money at the lawmakers to get what they want.
Only in the U.S.A.... the "land of the free" ... NOT...
What a load of rubbish. Other jurisdictions *require* carriers to allow unlocking... Truly, the US is captured by corporate interests...
If you brought your phone from the carriers, they'll have your IMEI, and if the telcoms colluded to do so, they could theoretically blacklist any IMEI that was sold on another carrier.
Oh, they couldn't do that. What of the legally unlocked phones? There'd be no way of tracking.
Everything's a bit goofy.
For example, under the new rules, you can jailbreak a phone, but not a tablet. If that's not a good argument for tablet-sized phones, I don't know what is - grin. Heck, maybe Samsung saw this coming.
Of course, everyone remembers (or should) that three years ago, Apple argued against allowing jailbreaking. They claimed their reputation would be hurt by jailbroken phones that are "more prone to bugs" (not like Apple has none of their own).
They claimed their reputation would be hurt by jailbroken phones that are "more prone to bugs"...
They are.
They are.
Obvious next question: have jailbroken phones hurt their reputation? Or do people understand that it's not stock software.
(I'd think that jailbroken iPhones have HELPED their product's reputation, since it's often a way that their users can claim to have at least the availability of equal functionality to some of their competition.)
Latest Apple Headlines
-
Google engineers talk fragmentation, how to make Android work for emerging markets
~21 hours ago -
Editorial: Apple's billions are building an empire for the future
~1 day ago -
Review: AL13 raises the bar for iPhone bumper design
~2 days ago -
10M Samsung flagship phones in 28 days a 'record,' 5M iPhone 5 in 3 days 'disappointing'
~2 days ago -
Song skipping feature in Apple's 'iRadio' reportedly holding up Sony deal
~2 days ago - more...
| Model | White | Black | |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPad mini (WiFi only) | |||
| 16GB WiFi |  |
$329.99 | $329.99 |
| 32GB WiFi | |
$429.99 | $429.99 |
| 64GB WiFi | |
$529.99 | $529.99 |
| iPad mini (WiFi + 4G) | |||
 |
 |
 |
|
| 16GB 4G White | $459.99 | $459.99 | $459.99 |
| 32GB 4G White | $559.99 | $559.99 | $559.99 |
| 64GB 4G White | $659.99 | $659.99 | $659.99 |
| 16GB 4G Black | $459.99 | $459.99 | $459.99 |
| 32GB 4G Black | $559.99 | $559.99 | $559.99 |
| 64GB 4G Black | $659.99 | $659.99 | $659.99 |
Lowest Prices Anywhere!
| Model | Price | You Save |
|---|---|---|
| Core i5 MacBook Pros w/ Retina | ||
| 13" 2.5GHz/8GB/128GB | $1,406.48 | $292.52 |
| 13" 2.5GHz/8GB/256GB | $1,479.99 | $519.01 |
| 13" 2.5GHz/8GB/512GB | $1,699.99 | $799.01 |
| Core i7 MacBook Pros w/ Retina | ||
| 13" 2.9GHz/8GB/256GB | $1,599.99 | $599.01 |
| 13" 2.9GHz/8GB/512GB | $1,799.99 | $899.01 |
| 15" 2.3GHz/8GB/256GB | $1,899.99 | $299.01 |
| 15" 2.6GHz/8GB/512GB | $2,299.99 | $568.01 |
| 15" 2.7GHz/16GB/768GB | $2,699.99 | $499.01 |
My device, my rules.
Is there operationally any difference between a user unlocked device and a carrier unlocked one? Aside from needing to redo it each software update, that is. If not, it doesn't matter, as the telecoms won't be able to tell.
To make it clear again, it's just phones sold after that date, correct? All phones purchased prior to it are still legally user-unlockable, right?