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Unlocking phones without carrier approval ILLEGAL – [Starting tomorrow]
Starting on Saturday January 26, 2013, a policy update to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act will make it illegal for owners of new cellphones to unlock their devices unless authorized by their carriers. If you are in the process of deciding whether or not you should get your phoned unlocked, then I’d suggest DO IT – today.
For those of you who do not have any idea what “unlocking” means it basically allows your phone to be ‘unlocked’ from being with one carrier, and instead use any 3G or LTE signal that is available in your area. Meaning: you could use AT&T in one neighborhood, Verizon in another, and Sprint in the next.
Approved last October, the new policy applies to newly purchased devices, but not to smartphones owned prior to the deadline. There was a 90-day window in which people could still buy a phone and unlock it, but it closes tomorrow (on January 26). Now, it’s not like it is going to be impossible to get an unlocked phone customers can still (and always have been able to) legally buy unlocked iPhones at unsubsidized prices (out of contract). Currently, Verizon’s version of the iPhone 5 is sold as an unlocked phone, while AT&T will unlock an out-of-contract phone. A petition at whitehouse.gov looks to restore the legality of unlocking cell phones, but only has about 3,000 signatures (as of writing this).
You should go sign it.
Now.
Kevin is an Online and Mobile Marketing Strategist who has worked with companies of all sizes over the last 6 years. You can follow Kevin on any of the social platforms below.
