Comments on: Why you can go to jail for 5 years for unlocking your cellphone http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Thu, 23 May 2013 02:44:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: R_Young http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1665004 R_Young Mon, 25 Feb 2013 23:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1665004 That's kind of illegal.  You can "direct" your enforcement in a certain manner, but this is an impeachable offense, in theory. That said, the government pretty much ignores this already: the number of people arrested for this is tiny to non-existent.  The problem is that the carriers can and do prevent most transfer of phones; it's a giant fucking monopolistic conspiracy that is waved in front of our faces every single day. That’s kind of illegal.  You can “direct” your enforcement in a certain manner, but this is an impeachable offense, in theory.

That said, the government pretty much ignores this already: the number of people arrested for this is tiny to non-existent.  The problem is that the carriers can and do prevent most transfer of phones; it’s a giant fucking monopolistic conspiracy that is waved in front of our faces every single day.

]]> By: cleek http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1663009 cleek Fri, 22 Feb 2013 19:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1663009 don't like the restrictions that come with a subsidized phone? <b>don't sign a contract for a subsidized phone</b> how fucking hard is this? don’t like the restrictions that come with a subsidized phone?

don’t sign a contract for a subsidized phone

how fucking hard is this?

]]> By: Ty Myrick http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662813 Ty Myrick Fri, 22 Feb 2013 17:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662813  I suspect, from the carriers' perspective, the point is to encourage apathy and inertia. If you can't unlock your phone right this minute while you are pissed off, bite the bullet and pay the termination fee, and immediately switch to another carrier, you are more likely to stay with the carrier you have the next time you do have the chance to switch. Another reason might be that carriers are providing economic incentives to phone manufactures such as Apple and Samsung for exclusive rights to carry certain popular phones. If you can unlock your phone, you can sell it to someone who will use that phone on a competing service. Although this argument seems flimsy since there hasn't seemed to be any drop off of people buying iPhones from AT&T while the customers were allowed to unlock their phones.  I suspect, from the carriers’ perspective, the point is to encourage apathy and inertia. If you can’t unlock your phone right this minute while you are pissed off, bite the bullet and pay the termination fee, and immediately switch to another carrier, you are more likely to stay with the carrier you have the next time you do have the chance to switch.

Another reason might be that carriers are providing economic incentives to phone manufactures such as Apple and Samsung for exclusive rights to carry certain popular phones. If you can unlock your phone, you can sell it to someone who will use that phone on a competing service. Although this argument seems flimsy since there hasn’t seemed to be any drop off of people buying iPhones from AT&T while the customers were allowed to unlock their phones.

]]> By: Kernos http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662721 Kernos Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662721 "I have never refrained from any course of action on the ground that it was illegal or immoral..."—Quentin Crisp And they wonder why law and order are becoming passé “I have never refrained from any course of action on the ground that it was illegal or immoral…”—Quentin Crisp

And they wonder why law and order are becoming passé

]]> By: CastanhasDoPara http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662692 CastanhasDoPara Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:40:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662692 Yeah, oops, basically what creesto said too. ...so I suppose the question stands, with a contract in place, what is their objection to unlocking? One is contractually obligated to pay for the service/device one way or the other(another way to look at this is that at the end of the contract whether I pay it off today or trickle it out for the full two years or whatever the device is mine to keep, I'm not expected to mail it back to them, yet). If this is all about customer retention by shitting on your customers/devices then that is a big problem. Or perhaps they just don't really understand their own products? What gives? And again, if I can jailbreak, doesn't that also imply that it is also unlocked? I suppose I could jailbreak and put the carrier's stock ROM back on the device. But, WHY, why would anybody DO that?! Yeah, oops, basically what creesto said too.

…so I suppose the question stands, with a contract in place, what is their objection to unlocking? One is contractually obligated to pay for the service/device one way or the other(another way to look at this is that at the end of the contract whether I pay it off today or trickle it out for the full two years or whatever the device is mine to keep, I’m not expected to mail it back to them, yet). If this is all about customer retention by shitting on your customers/devices then that is a big problem. Or perhaps they just don’t really understand their own products? What gives?

And again, if I can jailbreak, doesn’t that also imply that it is also unlocked? I suppose I could jailbreak and put the carrier’s stock ROM back on the device. But, WHY, why would anybody DO that?!

]]> By: creesto http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662670 creesto Fri, 22 Feb 2013 14:13:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662670 I know, I know, I should read the deets, but srsly: I can legally jailbreak my phone but unlocking is illegal? What moron in teleco's legal dept. overlooked that little window?? I know, I know, I should read the deets, but srsly: I can legally jailbreak my phone but unlocking is illegal? What moron in teleco’s legal dept. overlooked that little window??

]]> By: Jeremiah Blatz http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662651 Jeremiah Blatz Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662651 So even best case, we get an empty promise that expires in a few years. Lovely. I'm going to continue to chalk this up to "Americans don't understand the structure of the US government." So even best case, we get an empty promise that expires in a few years. Lovely. I’m going to continue to chalk this up to “Americans don’t understand the structure of the US government.”

]]> By: Jeremiah Blatz http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662650 Jeremiah Blatz Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662650 I have a couple guesses: 1) They want you to stick around if you have an attachment to you phone, even when your contract is up 2) They don't want you cashing out in a huff after some particularly bad service or the like. The couple hundred dollars they get for early termination pales compared to what they make off you in a year. I have a couple guesses:
1) They want you to stick around if you have an attachment to you phone, even when your contract is up
2) They don’t want you cashing out in a huff after some particularly bad service or the like. The couple hundred dollars they get for early termination pales compared to what they make off you in a year.

]]> By: ando bobando http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662647 ando bobando Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662647 And that is why my Galaxy Nexus was unlocked from the start. And my Nexus One before that. Phones are one of the very few things that we purchase in such a weird, weird fashion. I decided to go old-school and buy the thing outright. People thought I was crazy for paying $600 for a phone. Like somehow they're NOT paying $600+ for their phones? And that is why my Galaxy Nexus was unlocked from the start. And my Nexus One before that. Phones are one of the very few things that we purchase in such a weird, weird fashion. I decided to go old-school and buy the thing outright. People thought I was crazy for paying $600 for a phone. Like somehow they’re NOT paying $600+ for their phones?

]]> By: Brian Easton http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662639 Brian Easton Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662639 That has nothing to do with unlocking. An unlocked phone can be moved to a different carrier, that's all unlocking does. What you are talking about is jail breaking and that is legal for smartphones. That has nothing to do with unlocking. An unlocked phone can be moved to a different carrier, that’s all unlocking does. What you are talking about is jail breaking and that is legal for smartphones.

]]> By: Paul_Werner http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662635 Paul_Werner Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662635 Not sure how many people that read BoingBoing also read Android Police but here's a great article on the same subject: http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/02/21/now-that-the-president-has-to-respond-to-the-phone-unlock-petition-lets-talk-about-what-he-and-you-can-actually-do/ Not sure how many people that read BoingBoing also read Android Police but here’s a great article on the same subject:

http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/02/21/now-that-the-president-has-to-respond-to-the-phone-unlock-petition-lets-talk-about-what-he-and-you-can-actually-do/

]]> By: Andrew Molloy http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662589 Andrew Molloy Fri, 22 Feb 2013 10:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662589 I just bought a Nexus 4 sim free, no bloatware and no manufacturer overlay, it's great. I'm already on a contract but since my contract is under £5/month for calls, unlimited data/texts I'm not going to complain about it being for 2 years. Still cheaper than almost all contracts that come with a subsidised phone.  I just bought a Nexus 4 sim free, no bloatware and no manufacturer overlay, it’s great. I’m already on a contract but since my contract is under £5/month for calls, unlimited data/texts I’m not going to complain about it being for 2 years. Still cheaper than almost all contracts that come with a subsidised phone. 

]]> By: euansmith http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662586 euansmith Fri, 22 Feb 2013 10:10:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662586 I bought myself a sim free phone off the internet and then got a giff-gaff sim (£12 for a months use with a bunch of minutes plus unlimited texts and internet use). I don't have ungrading or anything a locked phone contract might offer, but its working pretty good so far. I bought myself a sim free phone off the internet and then got a giff-gaff sim (£12 for a months use with a bunch of minutes plus unlimited texts and internet use). I don’t have ungrading or anything a locked phone contract might offer, but its working pretty good so far.

]]> By: CastanhasDoPara http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662487 CastanhasDoPara Fri, 22 Feb 2013 05:03:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662487 Three words: Custom Bloat-Ware. Those annoying little widgets you can't get rid of that hobble, hamper, hinder and or bombard you with adverts and such while "emulating" functionality the phone already does much better in the first place (for example ATT my Wifi app, it hijacks your wifi setup and basically just breaks it, why? obviously so you are dumped to the cellular network more often which makes them money, sort of, if you go over your plan, it's all just so damn stupid, *sigh*) Three words: Custom Bloat-Ware.

Those annoying little widgets you can’t get rid of that hobble, hamper, hinder and or bombard you with adverts and such while “emulating” functionality the phone already does much better in the first place (for example ATT my Wifi app, it hijacks your wifi setup and basically just breaks it, why? obviously so you are dumped to the cellular network more often which makes them money, sort of, if you go over your plan, it’s all just so damn stupid, *sigh*)

]]> By: Michael Flanagan http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662472 Michael Flanagan Fri, 22 Feb 2013 04:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662472 I *could* be mistaken but I believe this is a European directive, not limited to France. I *could* be mistaken but I believe this is a European directive, not limited to France.

]]> By: Michael Flanagan http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662469 Michael Flanagan Fri, 22 Feb 2013 04:22:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662469 Possibly this refers to flashing a custom ROM / OS on, for example, an Android device. That alone is not the same as "unlocking" – the device will still only work with your original carrier. Possibly this refers to flashing a custom ROM / OS on, for example, an Android device. That alone is not the same as “unlocking” – the device will still only work with your original carrier.

]]> By: Michael Flanagan http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662468 Michael Flanagan Fri, 22 Feb 2013 04:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662468 I don't agree that "of course you don't own it". You may not pay full price for the device at the time of purchase but the cost of the phone is built into the often lengthy service contract. When that contract is up, often you will have paid a lot more for the phone than the RRP of an unlocked device, even if you subtract service cost. And I'm not even sure i understand the issue from the carriers perspective. Unlocking your phone does not get you out of your contact. They'll sill get your cash for the next 12/18/24 months. What's the issue? I don’t agree that “of course you don’t own it”. You may not pay full price for the device at the time of purchase but the cost of the phone is built into the often lengthy service contract. When that contract is up, often you will have paid a lot more for the phone than the RRP of an unlocked device, even if you subtract service cost.

And I’m not even sure i understand the issue from the carriers perspective. Unlocking your phone does not get you out of your contact. They’ll sill get your cash for the next 12/18/24 months. What’s the issue?

]]> By: Rob http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662462 Rob Fri, 22 Feb 2013 04:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662462 Executive can say they aren't enforcing it. In reality, they aren't going to do squat. Executive can say they aren’t enforcing it.

In reality, they aren’t going to do squat.

]]> By: Jeremiah Blatz http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662447 Jeremiah Blatz Fri, 22 Feb 2013 03:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662447 I'm not entirely sure what the executive branch is supposed to do about the unlocking thing. Obama and co may heartily agree with the petitioners, but it really out of his hands. Also, if you "buy" a locked phone from a carrier, of course you don't own it. My next phone will be unlocked, and I will not have a contract with my carrier. It's a sucker's game, and somehow* capitalism has provided a way out. * surprising considering how unlike a free market the cell service world is. I’m not entirely sure what the executive branch is supposed to do about the unlocking thing. Obama and co may heartily agree with the petitioners, but it really out of his hands.

Also, if you “buy” a locked phone from a carrier, of course you don’t own it. My next phone will be unlocked, and I will not have a contract with my carrier. It’s a sucker’s game, and somehow* capitalism has provided a way out.

* surprising considering how unlike a free market the cell service world is.

]]> By: Rob http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662408 Rob Fri, 22 Feb 2013 03:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662408 "a poorly written statute, the DMCA" I don't think it's poorly written at all. I have no doubts it's doing exactly what's intended. We're just not the beneficiaries. “a poorly written statute, the DMCA”
I don’t think it’s poorly written at all. I have no doubts it’s doing exactly what’s intended. We’re just not the beneficiaries.

]]> By: Boundegar http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662345 Boundegar Fri, 22 Feb 2013 02:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662345 Here's what I don't understand.  Where I live there are several phone stores - all of them Cricket stores - that advertise "WE FLASH PHONES."  Is that the same thing as unlocking?  And if so, how is it a franchise store can advertise this illegal service? Here’s what I don’t understand.  Where I live there are several phone stores – all of them Cricket stores – that advertise “WE FLASH PHONES.”  Is that the same thing as unlocking?  And if so, how is it a franchise store can advertise this illegal service?

]]> By: Stephen Olsen http://boingboing.net/2013/02/21/why-you-can-go-to-jail-for-5-y.html#comment-1662326 Stephen Olsen Fri, 22 Feb 2013 01:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=214605#comment-1662326 The French govt made NOT being able to unlock your phone illegal but in Communist Russia phones unlock YOU. Seriously though, illegal to stop you in France. The French govt made NOT being able to unlock your phone illegal but in Communist Russia phones unlock YOU. Seriously though, illegal to stop you in France.

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