i have a question. I have Verizon, but it's one that has a SIM card but
I thought all Verizon was TDMA. I am a little uncertain as to which
carriers might actually work. For instance, someone told me Straight
Talk offered more data thhan Verizon for the same price, but i wonder
would this work or TMobile or something. i very much like Verizon's
coverage, but the data is a bit expensive, and there is no unlimited for
prepaid. I did not buy this phone from Verizon but used, and it was
already out of contract or had been paid off. Can anoyone recommend a
data plan and carrier that might work with this phone. i called Verizon
about the unlocking a couple of weeks ago, but I did not realize it had
not yet gone into effect, and i was very rudely told never would my
phone be unlockable, it was Verizon, and that was that. I mentioned the
new unlocking phone law, and i was informed they did not have to abide
by it. i am glad to know that agent was obviously lying.
Eden
On 2/13/2015 7:17 AM, Mike Arrigo wrote:
This was definitely a long time coming, and I'm glad it's happened.
For me at least, I think I still will continue to purchase unlocked
devices out of the box, they cost a bit more but well worth it.
Original message:
Hello All,
I am delighted to post the following cNet News article for your
consideration.
The URL to the original article is at the bottom of the text.
Mark
U.S. carriers, you'll have to unlock those phones
Starting now, it will be much easier for people to jump from one
carrier to
another and take their smartphone with them.
by Don Reisinger
The days of carriers locking down devices to keep customers in place are
officially dead.
Starting now, all US carriers must comply with requests from postpaid
and
prepaid customers to unlock their devices, as long as certain
parameters are
met. The industry group CTIA had committed last year to have all
wireless
carriers adhering to the regulation by February 11, 2015.
The move follows from President Obama last year signing into law the
"Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act," which
overruled a
controversial 2012 decision by the Library of Congress.
The debate over phone unlocking has come a long way in just a few short
years. Unlocking a phone allows owners to put the device on whatever
carrier
network they choose. For years, carriers have locked down devices,
allowing
them only to connect to their own networks. The move was designed to
keep
customers close and not see them stray to other carriers.
"We are pleased the FCC acknowledged the participating wireless
carriers met
the deadlines to unlock their customers' devices per the Consumer
Code for
Wireless Service," said Scott Bergmann, the CTIA's vice president for
regulatory affairs, in a statement. "We also remind consumers that an
unlocked device does not necessarily mean an interoperable one since
different carriers use different technologies and spectrum bands."
For customers, the inability to unlock handsets had been a nuisance.
Many
consumers, seeking better network coverage or data plan pricing, have
wanted
to be able to move to a different network without having to buy a new
device. An unlocked handset would allow that interchange between,
say, AT&T
and T-Mobile networks. Locked devices force customers to stick with
their
carrier networks and if they decide to switch, to buy a new device on
the
other carrier.
In 2013, the issue of unlocking hitting a tipping point when the
Libary of
Congress held that the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) banned
American consumers from unlocking their devices without the consent
of their
carriers. Critics took issue with the ruling, which actually came
down in
2012 but went into effect in 2013. Then in August 2014 came the
"Unlocking
Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act," which effectively made
unlocking legal again.
Under the CTIA's Consumer Code for Wireless Service that went into
effect
Wednesday, carriers will have no choice but to remove locks on
devices owned
by both postpaid and prepaid wireless users.
On the postpaid side, carriers must unlock devices after a customer
in good
standing has fulfilled "postpaid service contract, device financing
plan, or
payment of applicable early termination fee." In other words, those
subscribers who get smartphones for less by paying a subsidy at the
beginning and paying in full over the life of a contract, must have
satisfied that payment covenant before they can be allowed to unlock
their
device.
On the prepaid side, things are bit simpler: carriers must, upon
request,
unlock a handset "no later than one year after initial activation."
All unlocking, regardless of the type of customer, must be completed
within
two days of a request, and carriers are now required to inform
consumers of
their policies.
"Carriers that lock devices will clearly notify customers that their
devices
are eligible for unlocking at the time when their devices are
eligible for
unlocking or automatically unlock devices remotely when devices are
eligible
for unlocking, without additional fee," the code reads. "Carriers
reserve
the right to charge non-customers/non-former-customers with a
reasonable fee
for unlocking requests. Notice to prepaid customers may occur at
point of
sale, at the time of eligibility, or through a clear and concise
statement
of policy on the carrier's website."
http://www.cnet.com/news/new-regulation-requires-us-carriers-to-unlock-user-
phones/?tag=nl.e703&s_cid=e703&ttag=e703&ftag=CAD090e536
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