The FCC wants to force carriers to unlock phones within 60 days

bobs_monkey , 1 hour ago

I’m actually pretty curious to see how the FCC moves forward after Chevron, and I’m hoping Rosenworcel wipes the floor with them

Powderhorn , 2 hours ago

Here’s an idea: How about zero days?

I admittedly don’t get how this is even a thing, having bought unlocked phones for prepaid service going on 14 years now. Wait for a sale on a phone, get a high-end device for like $800 (financing always available), and pay $200 once a year for service.

It’s appalling to me that people think more than $17/month for cell service is reasonable.

Vodulas , 1 hour ago

$800-$1000 up front is a whole lot of money for a lot of people. Also, where did you find a phone plan for $200 year? Asking for a friend…

Powderhorn , 1 hour ago

5GB/month Mint Mobile plan. Eight years in, and it started as 2GB. I buy my music, so I don’t stream. Most data use is background stuff with apps.

Vodulas , 1 hour ago

Oh cool. Good to know, thanks

skullgiver , 32 minutes ago

Carriers can sell phones in bulk so often they’ll be able to negotiate a discount.

With Android phones, they can also fill them to the brim with adware and branding. You can avoid that trash by not buying through your carrier, but that crap does help reduce the price of the phone.

I bought my phone with my plan, but paid off the entire thing in one payment. Saved me like 100 euros, and it didn’t even come with any carrier adware.

Some people use phone plans to buy phones they can’t afford. They’ll be unable to come up with the 1000 bucks you need for a modern flagship but still want a shiny new iPhone. That’s how you get several years of monthly payments and a locked phone.

As for zero days: I doubt carriers can move that quickly without making mistakes. Two months may be a bit long, but some margin so the customer has time to reboot when they’re able to and make the unlock stick makes a lot of sense. I don’t think I’d enjoy a random remote reboot on the day I fulfilled my payment plan, I’d rather be given a few days so it doesn’t reboot while I happen to be out of range or whatever.

autotldr Bot , 3 hours ago

🤖 I’m a bot that provides automatic summaries for articles:

Click here to see the summaryThe Federal Communications Commission wants to standardize the amount of time consumers have to wait to unlock their cell phones to be able to switch carriers. The agency voted unanimously on Thursday to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to make mobile service providers unlock customers’ phones within 60 days of activation. Waiting periods and unlocking requirements vary between carriers, which the FCC said in a press release creates confusion for customers. This is part of Chair Jessica Rosenworcel’s efforts to close the digital divide by expanding the E-Rate program, which gives schools and libraries discounts on internet and telecommunications services. The agency also approved rules to slash the cost of jail calls and prohibit certain fees that drive up prices for incarcerated people seeking to contact their loved ones. It also sets video call rate caps ranging from 11 to 25 cents depending on the type or size of the jail or prison. — Saved 56% of original text.