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A comment on Unlocking Cellphones Becomes Illegal Saturday in the U.S.. Parent comment

Re:Unlocking Cellphones Becomes Illegal Saturday in the U.S. by girvo on Thursday January 24, 2013 @07:55PM (#5113298)
I've worked in telco in Australia for a number of years now, we are better off: the phones cost is built into the plan these days (hence why an iphone on a $35 plan is an extra $23 per month).

It used to be worse. They used to come locked, and getting unlocked was an exercise in pulling teeth. Thankfully things are better now.

To those that say it's a lease, it's not: you cannot give the phone back and receive the money you've paid for it. It is your handset. You cannot even request a new one if it doesn't suit you (here in Australia anyway). Unlocking the phone does not cancel the contract: you still pay that monthly fee.

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Re:Unlocking Cellphones Becomes Illegal Saturday in the U.S. by Terretta on Thursday January 24, 2013 @09:11PM (#5113536)
On a lease, you also can't give the car back and receive the money you've paid for it. Nor can you swap the car for a different one. Even if you left the car at the dealer, you'd still pay your monthly lease fee. It's a contract.
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