The Most Ridiculous Law of 2013

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by BWinmill

Yes, somebody did hold a gun to my head. At least, figuratively speaking. There comes a point where you either have to accept terms laid out by other people or become disconnected from the rest of society. In my case it was being accessible in order to maintain employment. For other people, it will be to stay in the loop socially.

Could have just bought the phone sim free / unlocked.

[mewmartigan]

I would like to see the stats on how many people actually unlock their phone with the intention of switching to another carrier.

With iPhone, all the carriers have it anyway. iPhone owners ususally just jailbreak to modify the way the OS works.

Android users unlock their phones in order to be able to put custom ROMs on.

I've hung around a few android forums in my day and have never seen a post that said "I can't wait to buy a Droid Razr, unlock it and then run that bad boy on AT&T!"

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

Could have just bought the phone sim free / unlocked.

In my country and in these days, sure. I already mentioned that my second phone was never tied to a carrier. The story was different when I bought my first phone. Now was I supposed to quit my job simply because the only phones available at the time were tied down to a carrier?

Here's the thing: people get phones for different reasons. It's wonderful to say we should reject all of the options that are disagreeable, but that simply doesn't work for most people. This is because different people have a different balance priorities (e.g. costs, features, services, etc.) and those priorities may lead them to accept terms that are less than perfect. Likewise the need for a mobile phone will vary from person to person.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

I would like to see the stats on how many people actually unlock their phone with the intention of switching to another carrier.

With iPhone, all the carriers have it anyway. iPhone owners ususally just jailbreak to modify the way the OS works.

Android users unlock their phones in order to be able to put custom ROMs on.

I've hung around a few android forums in my day and have never seen a post that said "I can't wait to buy a Droid Razr, unlock it and then run that bad boy on AT&T!"

Now, it must be made mention that unlocking the bootloader IS NOT THE SAME as unlocking SIM access. Unlocking the bootloader is what has to be done for changing ROMs. You can still have a phone with a custom ROM, but tied to a carrier.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

I would like to see the stats on how many people actually unlock their phone with the intention of switching to another carrier.

With iPhone, all the carriers have it anyway. iPhone owners ususally just jailbreak to modify the way the OS works.

Android users unlock their phones in order to be able to put custom ROMs on.

I've hung around a few android forums in my day and have never seen a post that said "I can't wait to buy a Droid Razr, unlock it and then run that bad boy on AT&T!"

This is just a sliver of the stat, but right at this moment, there are 32,909 active listings for unlocked cell phones on ebay. These people, btw, are the target of this law.

[NightGeometry]

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

I would like to see the stats on how many people actually unlock their phone with the intention of switching to another carrier.

With iPhone, all the carriers have it anyway. iPhone owners ususally just jailbreak to modify the way the OS works.

Android users unlock their phones in order to be able to put custom ROMs on.

I've hung around a few android forums in my day and have never seen a post that said "I can't wait to buy a Droid Razr, unlock it and then run that bad boy on AT&T!"

It's anecdote, so not data, but... of the people I know pretty much everyone who can afford to buy the device outright does, in order not to be tied in to a 2 year contract. In general it normally works out slightly cheaper buying outright (not taking into account time value of money, just in a raw comparison).

[tompe]

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

I would like to see the stats on how many people actually unlock their phone with the intention of switching to another carrier."

You often need an unlocked phone when you want to use your phone abroad with a local sim card.

[Dopedangel]

Kk

Originally Posted by wizwor

This is just a sliver of the stat, but right at this moment, there are 32,909 active listings for unlocked cell phones on ebay. These people, btw, are the target of this law.

Why here we sign a 2 year contract get a subsidized phone. Then its our phone we can sell it or use it with some other carrier as long as we pay our monthly dues. Many people do that some online stores even buy and sell such phones.
American carriers are just fleecing customers and most of you don't realize it. Just read a blog post today where a guy was complaining that At&t enabled and started billing him for data where as he was on a voice and text plan only just because he was using an iPhone with data disabled

[tompe]

Originally Posted by Dopedangel

Kk

Why here we sign a 2 year contract get a subsidized phone. Then its our phone we can sell it or use it with some other carrier as long as we pay our monthly dues. Many people do that some online stores even buy and sell such phones.

Usually a locked phone are more subsidized because they count on it being use for longer than the initial contract length. If you unlock it without paying the unlocking fee to the phone company then the phone company loose this advantage and have subsidized the phone to much.

[kennyc]

Just switched my landline number to verizon... two year contract...

[citac]

And I just bought a phone that can accept two SIM cards from different carriers, and use one for work/SMS, and the other for voice calls with family who live in the southern part of the country. I pay about 4 Euros and get 1000 minutes of conversation out of it. Both of my numbers are prepaid cards i buy every month, and they cost me no more that 15 Euros total. I have it set to only use my home or work WiFi for any data downloads.

[kacir]

American cell-phone providers have decided that instead of competing on prices and/or quality they would earn their money by aggressively fleecing helples customers.

At this moment there is discussion on Slashdot about an unbelievable practice of mobile carriers in USA.
A customer bought an used non-locked smartphone. Bought a voice-only contract for it. He set the phone up so that it will not use over-the-cell data, ony WiFi. The carrier started to charge him $30 data plan regardless. It turned out, that ALL cell-phone providers automatically start charging you for data if they find out that your phone is capable of using data.
I couldn't believe.
I know that cell-phone providers in USA provide very crappy and extremely expensivew services, but this is too much. When I was in USA I saw how brutally cell-phone providers, internet providers and cable TV operators overcharge hapeless customers for crappy basic service.

Now, with this stupid law, they have ahother weapon on their hands to screw their suck^H^H^H^Hcustomers even more efffectively.

My american friends told me that just up until a few years ago situation wasn't this bad. Then carriers started to synchronize their ever-higher prices for their ever-more-limited services. Imagine, they charge you even for "incoming" minutes. So when you purchase 100 minutes and somebody calls you for 10 minutes, ony 90 minutes remain on your plan after the call. Outrageous.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by BWinmill

In my case it was being accessible in order to maintain employment.

Originally Posted by BWinmill

Sorry, but some of us need to put food on the table. If you are unwilling to accept that I needed the phone for my job, there is really no point in discussing matters further.

Seriously? I mean, I can see how you have to put food on the table. But complaining that you have to have a work-phone is utterly silly. If the phone you had before was not acceptable for your employer, then just find the cheapest phone and provider that is acceptable, and get it - locked in or not.

[taustin]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Seriously? I mean, I can see how you have to put food on the table. But complaining that you have to have a work-phone is utterly silly. If the phone you had before was not acceptable for your employer, then just find the cheapest phone and provider that is acceptable, and get it - locked in or not.

Of, if it's actully required to do the job, tell the employer they need to pay for it, making it their phone. If they won't, get a job a a place that isn't abusive.

There are always options. Not always better options, but better is a matter of opinion. If having an unlocked phone really matters to you, there are options. Move to a place with more competition, get a job with an employer who will handle the phone, whatever. If it isn't that important to you, then it isn't that important to you.

[Jozawun]

Originally Posted by taustin

Of, if it's actully required to do the job, tell the employer they need to pay for it, making it their phone. If they won't, get a job a a place that isn't abusive.

There are always options. Not always better options, but better is a matter of opinion. If having an unlocked phone really matters to you, there are options. Move to a place with more competition, get a job with an employer who will handle the phone, whatever. If it isn't that important to you, then it isn't that important to you.

You should move countries to get a better phone deal?