Unlocking Cellphones Becomes Illegal in USA.

zom

I wonder when someone will force the same idea in Europe!

In October 2012, the Librarian of Congress, who determines exemptions to a strict anti-hacking law called the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), decided that unlocking mobile phones would no longer be allowed. But the librarian provided a 90-day window during which people could still buy a phone and unlock it. That window closes on January 26.

http://www.technewsdaily.com/16514-unlocking-cellphones-becomes-illegal.html

Ghandee

zom wrote: »

I wonder when someone will force the same idea in Europe!


http://www.technewsdaily.com/16514-unlocking-cellphones-becomes-illegal.html

Worse than buying a gun ?

EoghanIRL

It is crazy that we cant use our own property as we like it. This is only being done because carriers are greedy.

Bad Santa

Impossible to police.

There are so many loopholes to exploit that the law would easily be circumvented.

Looks like it will be repealed anyway:

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

EoghanIRL wrote: »

It is crazy that we cant use our own property as we like it. This is only being done because carriers are greedy.

Well, their argument to that is that they have subsidized the phone.

Surely ya can still buy simfree unlocked?

senorwipesalot

Im fcuked if Im spending 300 quid on something I cant unlock.

COYVB

Bad Santa wrote: »

Well, their argument to that is that they have subsidized the phone.

which is why they put you on a long contract. unlocking the phone doesnt get you out of your legal obligation to pay up your contract

krudler

That'll be completely impossible to police, good luck enforcing that

Bad Santa

COYVB wrote: »

which is why they put you on a long contract. unlocking the phone doesnt get you out of your legal obligation to pay up your contract

The vast majority of unlocked phones were originally bought as prepay, not contract.

Last year eMobile dropped the Galaxy Mini to €59 and as Samsung's are a cinch to unlock, I decided to buy a few and seen many others getting told there was a cap on the amount that could be sold and indeed, was told the same myself.

Go into any of the Chinese shops in or around the city centre and take a look behind the counter at the boxes and you'll see evidence of that. Subsidized phones are the lifeblood of a lot of those shops.

CollardGreens

I don't totally understand it (not very tech minded, claim being E-tarted) but I do wonder if this is why there is all the advertising I am seeing in the states about "how to get a phone for free"?

According to the article from the OP, they are very expensive so I'm real confused now?

Chuck Stone

Just another dumb law people will ignore.

Corporate America strikes again I see...

I couldn't see this pass in Europe, in fact Finland banned SIM locking until about 7 or 8 years ago.

fasttalkerchat

Is there not some sort of rule against it everywhere?

Dartz

Everything's illegal in the USA

Only the enforcement changes.

CollardGreens

Everything's illegal in the USA

Only the enforcement changes.

Huh? Pot just became legal in Colorado, guns are all over the place. Now I agree with the Corp. America comment, but everything ain't illegal.

I've been searching for ammo for one of my guns for over a week and they sell out as soon as they put it out in stock. Nope, not everything.

Dartz

CollardGreens wrote: »

Huh? Pot just became legal in Colorado, guns are all over the place. Now I agree with the Corp. America comment, but everything ain't illegal.

I've been searching for ammo for one of my guns for over a week and they sell out as soon as they put it out in stock. Nope, not everything.

Legal in Colorado

But still a crime at Federal level.

That's the point. The US is such a tangled mass of laws, jurisdictions, by laws and ordinances that frankly... everything's bound to be illegal. The only thing that matters is whether they want to charge you with it.

It's also why you should never under any circumstances speak to an American police officer.

You might explain why you didn't commit the crime they brought you in for.... but they'll still be looking to find a way to make sure they didn't waste their time, and they will find one.

CollardGreens

What are the gun and pot laws in Ireland? Are they legal?

downwithpeace

Land of the Free claimed its next victim, phone OS :rolleyes:

Dartz

CollardGreens wrote: »

What are the gun and pot laws in Ireland? Are they legal?

Firearms can be legally possessed

Pots too.

CollardGreens

Firearms can be legally possessed

Pots too.

So anybody above age that doesn't have a criminal background can go into a gun store and purchase a rifle, shotgun, semi auto gun, semi pistol, or revolver just like we can in America?

Thats pretty amazing, some on this site have complained that it's heck to even get a hunting gun?

Is it different in the state or place where you live, the laws I mean?

PhlegmyMoses

CollardGreens wrote: »

So anybody above age that doesn't have a criminal background can go into a gun store and purchase a rifle, shotgun, semi auto gun, semi pistol, or revolver just like we can in America?

Thats pretty amazing, some on this site have complained that it's heck to even get a hunting gun?

Is it different in the state or place where you live, the laws I mean?

You can get guns used for hunting and sport, but you need to renew your certs every few years. Revolver and pistol ownership was effectively ended in 09 using a grandfathering clause.

Degag

CollardGreens wrote: »

Huh? Pot just became legal in Colorado, guns are all over the place. Now I agree with the Corp. America comment, but everything ain't illegal.

I've been searching for ammo for one of my guns for over a week and they sell out as soon as they put it out in stock. Nope, not everything.

Is it just me, or is everything about this post wrong...

Overheal

Stop buying subsidized carrier products then. That $300 phone you bought actually costs $800.

COYVB

Overheal wrote: »

Stop buying subsidized carrier products then. That $300 phone you bought actually costs $800.

If we're getting into semantics, it probably cost about $150

zom

COYVB wrote: »

If we're getting into semantics, it probably cost about $150

It's $150 after production + $650 profit for management which finally gives $800. That's literary how "subsidize" works - you get 1$ product, set it's price as $5 and then "subsidize" it as $3 (and still get 200% profit).

krudler wrote: »

That'll be completely impossible to police, good luck enforcing that

It's ease the same way as close dope shops or shops with pirated software. They are not going to fight single users, they are going to close (make illegal) unlock shops.

gobnaitolunacy

From the country that made Kinder Eggs illegal....