Jump to content

An End to Unlocking Restrictions Ahead?


Corrine

Recommended Posts

Perhaps we'll see an end to jailbreaking unlocking being an issue.

 

New FCC chairman tells wireless carriers to unlock cell phones | Ars Technica

In one of his first days on the job, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler has asked the CTIA Wireless Association to move quickly toward unlocking phones for consumers.

 

When a phone is unlocked, it can be used with any wireless carrier. It became illegal for consumers to unlock phones on their own earlier this year because of a ruling by the Librarian of Congress, who is responsible for handing out exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

 

In practice, carriers are often willing to unlock phones, particularly when the customer has finished paying off his or her contract. But the ban potentially creates problems for customers when they want to travel overseas without paying huge roaming fees or if their carrier refuses to unlock their phone. Wheeler said in his confirmation hearing in June that he wants to end the ban.

Edited by Corrine
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jailbreaking is fundamentally different than unlocking. The companies cannot legally prevent you from jailbreaking a device (or rooting it if Android).

 

However, the waters were far more murky when unlocking was discussed. Having a specific rule in place to protect unlocking is in everyones best interest.

 

Adam

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Right you are, Adam. I had been reading something on jailbreaking and rooting. Thread title edited. If unlocking by phone owners becomes allowed, jailbreaking and rooting, which are separate from unlocking, would still invalidate a warranty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest LilBambi

But it's not illegal. Invalidating the warranty is really annoying if they know about it as Adam said. That is their way of controlling users. And it stinks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But it's not illegal. Invalidating the warranty is really annoying if they know about it as Adam said. That is their way of controlling users. And it stinks.

IMO, rooting an Android device is a legit reason for voiding the warranty. Once a device is unlocked, the user can do all sorts of things that will "brick" the device. Read any of the device forums in XDA to see how often rooted devices are "bricked" by their owners.

 

I routinely root my tablets. But I don't do it until the warranty has expired. In fact, I have an Acer A500 right now that I bought used and I'm having fits trying to unbrick it. It will boot to TWRP menu but I can't get it to successfully flash a ROM. There is no way that Acer should be held responsible for that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

IMO, rooting an Android device is a legit reason for voiding the warranty. Once a device is unlocked, the user can do all sorts of things that will "brick" the device. Read any of the device forums in XDA to see how often rooted devices are "bricked" by their owners.

 

I've not heard a whole lot about the possibility of bricking an iOS device, but I suppose it could happen. Any time I've had an issue I was able to put it into DFU mode and restore to factory.

 

Adam

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've not heard a whole lot about the possibility of bricking an iOS device, but I suppose it could happen. Any time I've had an issue I was able to put it into DFU mode and restore to factory.

 

Adam

As far as I know there isn't an iOS community developing OS upgrades. I was speaking strictly about Android devices. I have an Asus TF201 that Asus stopped upgrading at HC. But thanks to the XDA community it is running Android 4.3.2.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

As far as I know there isn't an iOS community developing OS upgrades. I was speaking strictly about Android devices. I have an Asus TF201 that Asus stopped upgrading at HC. But thanks to the XDA community it is running Android 4.3.2.

 

The iOS jailbreak community is alive and kicking. I have not jailbroken my device recently because it works just fine. I also use my ipHone as my primary line, so having it go down due to bricking or anything like that would not be tolerated by my employer.

 

Adam

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...