unrestricted iphone - legal?
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- 34 Responses
- jbenjohnson
a friend and I were having a disagreement about the legality of unrestricted iphones in the US.
If I purchase an unrestricted iphone off ebay, pop in my own SIM card, is this legal or illegal?
- raf0
You're thinking too much. Just make sure you buy a factory unlocked one, some operators around the world offer them (O2 in UK, Era in Poland, also some in HK, Italy and Belgium, maybe more).
If it's unlocked by a hacker, it will likely re-lock after a firmware update, possibly permanently as Apple tightens their efforts.
- ukit0
Fuck the law
- jbenjohnson0
ok - provided I get a factory unlocked one - is that legal or not in the US?
- raf0
They're sold legally, aren't they?
I assume you wouldn't sleep well if you had non Region 1 DVDs at home either, would you? :D
- jbenjohnson0
haha
- ETM0
Yeah, can't you just pay the $700 for phone only?
- ernexbcn0
you worry too much
- jbenjohnson0
your responses tell me everything i need to know +_+
- ismith0
It's a little sickening when you realize it's actually cheaper to pay $700 or whatever for the phone without a contract... but I don't have a phone or ever use phones so I don't really have a reason to think about it... I'm just posting here, man...
- jbenjohnson0
so - why does anybody bother with at&t at all? seems like a terrible deal compared to an unlocked one...
- no one wants the hassle or the unreliability of an unlocked phone.lambsy
- plus the visual voicemail. can't live without that.lambsy
- other services should cut a deal with google voice to use their shizz (voicemail and the like)ismith
- I've seen hacked iPhones running on T-Mobile... but not the 3G ones...vaxorcist
- jbenjohnson0
bump
- PIZZA0
yeah its perfectly legal, just make sure you get a contract with unlimited data or its basically going to drain your bank account
- lukus_W0
Do you mean a jail-broken iPhone?
- OSFA0
Hmmm, quick question... I've had an unlocked 2G for quite some time now with tmobile. Today it died on me and when I tried to charge it or connect it to my computer, I only get the apple screen - in this case, my pineapple screen ;) - and it flashes repeatedly. iTunes doesn;t even recognize it or open it, wall charger doesn;t work either.... did it die on me???
And if it did, anyone here selling an iPhone? :(
- SteveJobs0
i bought mine on ebay and took my sim out of my bb and have been using it since 2008ish? last year they sent me a couple text threats saying i needed to call them to change up my plan to fit the iphone i was using, or else! i didn't and almost a year later, still using my iphone for the same rate as when i signed up back in 2006.
one disclaimer, though - i'm using the 1st gen iphone, not the 3g, so that might have a lot to do with it.
- OSFA0
wait, the 3g is not supported (tmobile)?
- nb0
Do you actually think there is a law on the books that covers this? Who cares. Do what you want. Apple, mobile companies and corporations do not dictate law.
I've been using the original (2G EDGE) iPhone unlocked for years. I've updated the firmware and version a few times, and am currently running the second-to-latest software on it. Just read the iPhone Dev Team Blog very carefully, and if don't update your iPhone unless you know you can re-unlock it.
- I really really despise the way companies are trying to dictate how people use their products.lukus_W
- We should be free to hack, improve and extend any product we buy - I think it's a question of liberty.lukus_W
- There is a lot of law that allows you to do stuff.. the comms companies try to ignore that..ribit
- their business models depend on making you powerless to escape their contractual hell...vaxorcist