Posted on 02/02/2013 7:16:37 AM PST by EXCH54FE
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Just because you own your smart phone doesn't mean you have complete control over the device. No matter where you live or work or attend school, lots of people communicating on smart phones is pretty standard.
"If you spend money on a phone you should be able to use the phone however you please as long as it's within the boundaries of the law," says GW law student CJ Hancock.
Those boundaries have just gotten a little smaller, at least for anyone who bought a phone after January 26. Now, exemptions laid out in the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, including allowing users to unlock spart phones or jailbreak tablets, have expired. This means if you are caught doing so, you could face over a $2000 fine. If you're doing so for commercial purposes, you could be find up to $500,000 or spend 5 years behind bars.
"From a competitive standpoint, it really hurts consumers," says Public Knowledge Vice President of Legal Affairs Sherwin Siy.
Siy says the big winners here are the large cell phone carriers who want to lock you in to contracts. The losers: you, the cell phone users.
"If someone's giving you terrible service, you should be able to switch," says Siy.
"I know a lot of people who do it," says GW Fresham Imran Moledina. "They'll buy a phone, say from AT&T, and get it jail-broken or unlocked and switch it to Verizon for a cheaper plan or T-Mobile."
(Excerpt) Read more at fox17.com ...
With some notable exceptions, businessmen favour free enterprise in general but are opposed to it when it comes to themselves.
--Milton Friedman
I have GSM unlocked iPhone 3GS and main reason for it to be unlocked is if I travel overseas, I can get a local SIM card.Of course now, SIM cards are getting more non-standard.
i have always thought 2 years goes by fast, I am rarely in contract with my carrier. When you are out of contract deal with them tough and they will cave and give you a pretty good deal. You can even get them to not hook you up for email and an internet data plan which saves you $360 a year if you are on computer at work and home anyway.
you could be find
who's phone is this
Editor wanted; inquire within.
If I’m not mistaken this was legislation passed when the demo-coms (the hyphenated deocrats) were in control . There was a lot of screaming about that legislation mainly about the publication of the patent details which the Chicoms could steal. Am I correct ? But was this part of the bill ? Any FR know about this ?
Check out Consumer Cellular. No contract involved. My wife and I switched to them about three weeks ago. We were with T-Mobile and our service was costing us right around $180/month for two phones. Our plan with consumer Cellular is now 42.50/month for two phones. Our connection signal strength is much much better than with T-Mobile. CC has Very flexable plans that you can change at any time for no fees.
If you are wanting a new phone they have some very nice ones at reasonable prices. Here is a link to their phone selections. http://www.consumercellular.com/Info/Phones
I highly recommend Republic Wireless. Besides having an awesome name, they have a Motorola Defy XT for $250.00 with no contract and $19.00/ month for unlimited talk/text/data on the Sprint network, including free unlimited TTD roaming on Verizon. The catch is you need WiFi at your home to qualify, as the phone is designed to use WiFi to make calls whenever possible.
I have no idea if the phone can be jail broken, but for $19 a month I don’t care. I’m typing this message on it...
The simple answer to this is for STATES to start passing LAWS requiring ALL SERVICE PROVIDERS to BUY BACK EVERY LOCKED PHONE AT FULL RETAIL PRICE if they refuse to give permission to unlock. GAME OVER. easy legislation, and can be done in Small Claims Court. Make it a condition of their Business License, watch this crap die overnight.
Check them out at ting.com. Better yet, use the url techguy.ting.com and you'll save $25 on any phone you get.
StraigeTalk at Walmart works great. Buy the phone ($30 to $199) and its $45.00 a month, unlimited everything. Switched from Sprint where I had bills avg. $200- $300 a month for the same thing.
StraigeTalk at Walmart works great. Buy the phone ($30 to $199) and its $45.00 a month, unlimited everything. Switched from Sprint where I had bills avg. $200- $300 a month for the same thing.
Johnny: It’s the phone cops. They know what I did here today.
Venus: What are you talking about?
Johnny: They’re coming to get me, man!
Venus: That’s paranoia, man!
Johnny: Wake up, sucker, this is the phone company we’re talking about! They see everything, they know everything, they got their own covert police force! I’m probably wired for sound right now! I gotta get out of here!
Venus: Johnny!
Johnny: Don’t use my name!!
The funny thing is that since you have gotten Consumer Cellular the only phone service endorsed by the AARP you are still using T-Mobile so your service coverage and quality are the same. There are Carriers in the United States such as T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint. Then there are resellers who do not own a single transmission tower or FCC license such as Consumer Cellular, Strait Talk, Virgin Mobile and the like. You are now supporting the very liberal left leaning AARP every month when you pay your bill. It’s all very confusing really with so many companies such as Consumer Cellular representing themselves as phone carriers when they are only reselling.
That sounds great.
I am not a member of the AARP. I am using a phone service that saves us $137.50 a month, not supporting AARP. And the connection is certainly better than T-Mobile. We can now actually make a call from inside the house now and not have to go outside just to get one signal bar to show up.
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