New law = Unlocked phone a Felony Offense?

[spamuback]

Hello  - I was surfing the other day a came across a post about a recent law change that was no doubt a result of pressure from service lobbyist - and it said that if you have service and unlock a phone that it is now a felony? When you search for unlocked phones that can be used for any provider or because some carriers limit features - they are sold everywhere - and by nearly every major retailer advertising buy your "unlocked phone" here. Is it referring to subsidized phones or if someone bought an unlocked phone to use for verizon service - should they be concerned?

[HawaiiBKC]

It states that if you were to buy a locked phone through a carrier that you are not aloud to unlock the device without prior consent from the carrier themselves.

I'm not too sure if it only applies to phones on a contract or not.

Carriers offering unlocked phone isn't nothing to worry about...because well..they're already unlocked.

[spamuback]

Thanks for the reply - the blog post I read it in left more questions than answers. I see people selling unlocked phones on classified sites like craiglsist, ebey etc that are private users and those offering to unlock a phone as a service and wondered if you were participating in a crime to allow them to unlock a phone you bought from someone other than a service provider.

[HawaiiBKC]

It should be deemed illegal by law if you participated in having your phone unlocked via third party if the carrier did not approve the unlock.