6 ms·

Major US carriers announce principles for unlocking devices

77 points by shawndumas 13y ago

ars 13y ago
This title and article are not accurate. It's not whenever you want - just are just clearly documenting when they will let you. For the actual info read here: http://www.ctia.org/docs/default-source/fcc-filings/ctia-letter-on-unlocking.pdf http://www.ctia.org/docs/default-source/fcc-filings/ctia-let... In short: Prepaid: 1 year. Postpaid: When your contact is up. Military: Upon deployment.
- MrZongle2 13y ago
  I also love this part, in the attachment: "Carriers reserve the right to charge non-customers/non-former-customers a reasonable fee for unlocking requests".
- crazygringo 13y ago
  Who buys a phone "prepaid", that is locked? I bought my iPhone straight from Apple, unlocked, to avoid it. Are there phones you pay for in full, up-front, that are still only available locked?
  - Poiesis 13y ago
    The only carrier I have found with decent coverage at my house is Verizon, who (as far as I can tell) charges me the same amount for a plan whether the phone is subsidized or not, on or off contract. Why shouldn't I get a subsidized plan?
    - pfranz 13y ago
      If subsidized works for you, go for it. There are a bunch of MVNOs that host on Verizon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_mobile_virtual_network_operators https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_mobile_v...
  - simcop2387 13y ago
    Prepaid in this context i think is one of the cheap phones with no contract that you can grab in some places like walmart or gas stations. So you've got to have been using it for a year before you can unlock.
    - greenyoda 13y ago
      You can also buy prepaid, no-contract phones from major carriers like T-Mobile. They're not all cheap; you can get a pre-paid smart phone.
      - toomuchtodo 13y ago
        I just bought an iPhone 5s from T-Mobile yesterday. I paid $650 for it upfront. On a no contract plan. They won't unlock the phone for 45 days.
        brazzy 13y ago
        What is a "no contract plan"?
        toomuchtodo 13y ago
        A post-paid plan with no long-term commitment.
        mikestew 13y ago
        That's disappointing. Is there a reason you didn't just buy an unlocked iPhone directly from Apple? Or did you assume (just as I would have) that because you paid full price it would be unlocked?
        toomuchtodo 13y ago
        It was easier to walk into the T-Mobile store 5 minutes from my house than to order from Apple or Amazon and wait. And I can live with 45 days.
  - stanleydrew 13y ago
    My mom ended up with a locked AT&T Moto X that she bought "off-contract" from the Moto Maker website. She was pretty pissed when she found out she couldn't put it on T-Mobile.
gtr32x 13y ago
In Canada the situation used to be same that you have to wait until after your contract is over then you can unlock your phone for a petty fee. Fido has just changed their policies early this year to allow unlocking for $50 within half a year of starting a contract. Not sure about other carriers, but can't say how glad I was to see this change as I come to US every few months. Of course, still unfortunate that I have to pay the fee, though I'd rather have this than in states where you still have to wait until your contract is up.
- ThatGeoGuy 13y ago
  This is likely due to the CRTC releasing a new wireless code back in June, where they specified that "[c]arriers must offer consumers the ability to unlock unsubsidized devices (ie. devices purchased at full price) at any time." [1] I'm not sure why you paid specifically $50 (as the cost should be specified at the time of contract), as the policy was supposed to be 100% in effect as of December 3rd. Unless of course I'm mistaken and Fido changed their policies before this was introduced. Thankfully though, you can get your device unlocked in Canada after up to 90 days, at your carrier's discretion [1]. (Though really, forcing a 90 day wait won't really affect much in the long run if consumers start using this clause, so I expect most will just be willing to unlock the phone fairly quickly as time goes on) [1] http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/6862/125/ http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/6862/125/
mikestew 13y ago
"If you've bought something you should be able to do whatever you want with it, whether it’s modifying it, or unlocking it. You shouldn't need a massive corporation's permission." If you think $200 buys you an iPhone, you're sadly deluded. "$200 with 2 year contract" means you haven't bought anything, you're still paying the mortgage with every phone bill. If you want to buy something and "do whatever you want with it", Apple, Google, and a host of others will sell you an unlocked phone. And it will cost a bit more than $200 (though the Nexus 5at $349 isn't too far off). On the other hand, if you're fed up with your carrier and would like to switch, you're free to do so. I just did it with AT&T. Walked into a T-Mobile store, asked them to transfer our numbers. The next day I called AT&T and asked, "how much do I owe for the ETF?" I paid the $225/phone (that's how fed up with AT&T I was) over the phone with AT&T. Wait a few days for their accounting system to catch up, go to the web page and enter the IMEI for both phones, and two days later the phones are unlocked. Slapped the T-Mobile SIMs into the iPhones and we were on the air. I just don't get the sentiment of "unlock my free-with-contract phone two months into my contract, you bastards!" It's not your phone. Now, if Verizon, Sprint, or $YOUR_CARRIER don't as readily unlock your phone as AT&T after you pay the ETF or your contract is up, I'll stand with you in your complaint. Otherwise, I don't see the issue.
- joebadmo 13y ago
  I would agree with you if all the carriers offered transparent plans that charge you just the monthly plan amount without the phone subsidy if you bring your own phone. Only T-Mobile does at the moment. As it is, I can bring my own unlocked phone, but I'll still get charged the subsidy.
  - fpgeek 13y ago
    AT&T just announced their own lineup of no-subsidy plans as well: http://www.zdnet.com/at-and-t-announces-new-mobile-share-value-plans-finally-breaks-out-subsidy-fee-7000023986/ http://www.zdnet.com/at-and-t-announces-new-mobile-share-val... To me, this just underlines how the GSM carriers are playing in a very different field than the CDMA carriers (especially after the T-Mobile refarm added 1900 MHz HSPA+ to their network and since new AT&T and T-Mobile phones both support LTE band 4).
sans_seraph 13y ago
How about instead of writing new legislation against cell phone unlocking we enforce the anti trust laws we already have?
- eropple 13y ago
  Would you mind explaining how you think antitrust laws have any bearing on this issue?
  - sans_seraph 13y ago
    Sim locking is purposely breaking the normal functionality of a device in order to limit competition. I wouldn't care so much if there were plenty of other affordable ways to get a phone and coverage, but sim locking is so prevalent in the US that it's unavoidable in many cases, and most phones you can get unlocked are incredibly expensive.
    - eropple 13y ago
      OK, thanks. Now please explain how any of these companies fall under antitrust definitions. (I'll save you the effort: they don't. None have sufficient market share that anyone would go after them and there are enough BYO provides to look at that there's no way you'll win a claim you don't have choice.)
- shmerl 13y ago
  You need to fix the garbage like DMCA 1201 which causes this thing to begin with.
shmerl 13y ago
So, what's going on with repealing DMCA 1201 altogether? This development shouldn't be used as an excuse not to fix the root of the problem.
nachteilig 13y ago
Does this mean that an out-of-contract Verizon iPhone that's unlocked "internationally" but doesn't work on T-Mobile, etc. domestically can now be fully unlocked to work with other domestic carriers? I know it has the proper radios, so I've always assumed it wasn't fully unlocked.

77 points by shawndumas 13y ago

ars 13y ago

This title and article are not accurate. It's not whenever you want - just are just clearly documenting when they will let you. For the actual info read here: http://www.ctia.org/docs/default-source/fcc-filings/ctia-letter-on-unlocking.pdf http://www.ctia.org/docs/default-source/fcc-filings/ctia-let... In short: Prepaid: 1 year. Postpaid: When your contact is up. Military: Upon deployment.

MrZongle2 13y ago
I also love this part, in the attachment: "Carriers reserve the right to charge non-customers/non-former-customers a reasonable fee for unlocking requests".
crazygringo 13y ago
Who buys a phone "prepaid", that is locked? I bought my iPhone straight from Apple, unlocked, to avoid it. Are there phones you pay for in full, up-front, that are still only available locked?
- Poiesis 13y ago
  The only carrier I have found with decent coverage at my house is Verizon, who (as far as I can tell) charges me the same amount for a plan whether the phone is subsidized or not, on or off contract. Why shouldn't I get a subsidized plan?
  - pfranz 13y ago
    If subsidized works for you, go for it. There are a bunch of MVNOs that host on Verizon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_mobile_virtual_network_operators https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_mobile_v...
- simcop2387 13y ago
  Prepaid in this context i think is one of the cheap phones with no contract that you can grab in some places like walmart or gas stations. So you've got to have been using it for a year before you can unlock.
  - greenyoda 13y ago
    You can also buy prepaid, no-contract phones from major carriers like T-Mobile. They're not all cheap; you can get a pre-paid smart phone.
    - toomuchtodo 13y ago
      I just bought an iPhone 5s from T-Mobile yesterday. I paid $650 for it upfront. On a no contract plan. They won't unlock the phone for 45 days.
      - brazzy 13y ago
        What is a "no contract plan"?
        toomuchtodo 13y ago
        A post-paid plan with no long-term commitment.
      - mikestew 13y ago
        That's disappointing. Is there a reason you didn't just buy an unlocked iPhone directly from Apple? Or did you assume (just as I would have) that because you paid full price it would be unlocked?
        toomuchtodo 13y ago
        It was easier to walk into the T-Mobile store 5 minutes from my house than to order from Apple or Amazon and wait. And I can live with 45 days.
- stanleydrew 13y ago
  My mom ended up with a locked AT&T Moto X that she bought "off-contract" from the Moto Maker website. She was pretty pissed when she found out she couldn't put it on T-Mobile.

gtr32x 13y ago

In Canada the situation used to be same that you have to wait until after your contract is over then you can unlock your phone for a petty fee. Fido has just changed their policies early this year to allow unlocking for $50 within half a year of starting a contract. Not sure about other carriers, but can't say how glad I was to see this change as I come to US every few months. Of course, still unfortunate that I have to pay the fee, though I'd rather have this than in states where you still have to wait until your contract is up.

ThatGeoGuy 13y ago
This is likely due to the CRTC releasing a new wireless code back in June, where they specified that "[c]arriers must offer consumers the ability to unlock unsubsidized devices (ie. devices purchased at full price) at any time." [1] I'm not sure why you paid specifically $50 (as the cost should be specified at the time of contract), as the policy was supposed to be 100% in effect as of December 3rd. Unless of course I'm mistaken and Fido changed their policies before this was introduced. Thankfully though, you can get your device unlocked in Canada after up to 90 days, at your carrier's discretion [1]. (Though really, forcing a 90 day wait won't really affect much in the long run if consumers start using this clause, so I expect most will just be willing to unlock the phone fairly quickly as time goes on) [1] http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/6862/125/ http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/6862/125/

mikestew 13y ago

"If you've bought something you should be able to do whatever you want with it, whether it’s modifying it, or unlocking it. You shouldn't need a massive corporation's permission." If you think $200 buys you an iPhone, you're sadly deluded. "$200 with 2 year contract" means you haven't bought anything, you're still paying the mortgage with every phone bill. If you want to buy something and "do whatever you want with it", Apple, Google, and a host of others will sell you an unlocked phone. And it will cost a bit more than $200 (though the Nexus 5at $349 isn't too far off). On the other hand, if you're fed up with your carrier and would like to switch, you're free to do so. I just did it with AT&T. Walked into a T-Mobile store, asked them to transfer our numbers. The next day I called AT&T and asked, "how much do I owe for the ETF?" I paid the $225/phone (that's how fed up with AT&T I was) over the phone with AT&T. Wait a few days for their accounting system to catch up, go to the web page and enter the IMEI for both phones, and two days later the phones are unlocked. Slapped the T-Mobile SIMs into the iPhones and we were on the air. I just don't get the sentiment of "unlock my free-with-contract phone two months into my contract, you bastards!" It's not your phone. Now, if Verizon, Sprint, or $YOUR_CARRIER don't as readily unlock your phone as AT&T after you pay the ETF or your contract is up, I'll stand with you in your complaint. Otherwise, I don't see the issue.

joebadmo 13y ago
I would agree with you if all the carriers offered transparent plans that charge you just the monthly plan amount without the phone subsidy if you bring your own phone. Only T-Mobile does at the moment. As it is, I can bring my own unlocked phone, but I'll still get charged the subsidy.
- fpgeek 13y ago
  AT&T just announced their own lineup of no-subsidy plans as well: http://www.zdnet.com/at-and-t-announces-new-mobile-share-value-plans-finally-breaks-out-subsidy-fee-7000023986/ http://www.zdnet.com/at-and-t-announces-new-mobile-share-val... To me, this just underlines how the GSM carriers are playing in a very different field than the CDMA carriers (especially after the T-Mobile refarm added 1900 MHz HSPA+ to their network and since new AT&T and T-Mobile phones both support LTE band 4).

sans_seraph 13y ago

How about instead of writing new legislation against cell phone unlocking we enforce the anti trust laws we already have?

eropple 13y ago
Would you mind explaining how you think antitrust laws have any bearing on this issue?
- sans_seraph 13y ago
  Sim locking is purposely breaking the normal functionality of a device in order to limit competition. I wouldn't care so much if there were plenty of other affordable ways to get a phone and coverage, but sim locking is so prevalent in the US that it's unavoidable in many cases, and most phones you can get unlocked are incredibly expensive.
  - eropple 13y ago
    OK, thanks. Now please explain how any of these companies fall under antitrust definitions. (I'll save you the effort: they don't. None have sufficient market share that anyone would go after them and there are enough BYO provides to look at that there's no way you'll win a claim you don't have choice.)
shmerl 13y ago
You need to fix the garbage like DMCA 1201 which causes this thing to begin with.

shmerl 13y ago

So, what's going on with repealing DMCA 1201 altogether? This development shouldn't be used as an excuse not to fix the root of the problem.

nachteilig 13y ago

Does this mean that an out-of-contract Verizon iPhone that's unlocked "internationally" but doesn't work on T-Mobile, etc. domestically can now be fully unlocked to work with other domestic carriers? I know it has the proper radios, so I've always assumed it wasn't fully unlocked.