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Without provisions for equipment installment plans, this would likely end financing of phones by carriers (potentially pushing consumers to higher cost mechanisms, like credit cards or other traditional credit instruments). When locked, the phone is the collateral. Free and clear phones should be unlocked immediately.
Without provisions for equipment installment plans, this would likely end financing of phones by carriers (potentially pushing consumers to higher cost mechanisms, like credit cards or other traditional credit instruments). When locked, the phone is the collateral. Free and clear phones should be unlocked immediately.
The phone is still collateral whether it’s locked or not. In fact, AT&T is the only one of the big 3 carrier that locks their devices that are financed. The other ones don’t bother.
If you terminate your cellular service with an installment plan it’s typical that you immediately owe the balance. Whether the phone is locked or not makes no difference on whether the company can collect on the debt.
Without provisions for equipment installment plans, this would likely end financing of phones by carriers (potentially pushing consumers to higher cost mechanisms, like credit cards or other traditional credit instruments). When locked, the phone is the collateral. Free and clear phones should be unlocked immediately.
Without provisions for equipment installment plans, this would likely end financing of phones by carriers (potentially pushing consumers to higher cost mechanisms, like credit cards or other traditional credit instruments). When locked, the phone is the collateral. Free and clear phones should be unlocked immediately.
Yep, no more carrier locked $20 iPhones.
This only helps the credit card companies. There definitely should be an exception to force unlocking if you are on a payment plan. And it will make it harder for the poor and those with bad credit to get a phone. T-Mobile for instance will let you finance a phone regardless of credit once you have been a customer for a year. I believe that some of the MVNOs will even let you get up to a midrange phone like an older…
What about other carrier modifications to devices, like when a carrier prevents a Pixel phone's bootloader being "OEM unlocked" so that GrapheneOS or other alternative systems software can be installed?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
They'd still make you pay off the full amount before you could close off your account. Pretty standard in the US. Locking is just an evil way to add more friction.
People with nothing don’t care if they get sent to collections, hence the need to have some control over the device while monies are owed for it. Just like vehicle interlocks for subprime auto notes. Until you pay off the collateral, it isn’t your ownership, simply permission to use while servicing the debt.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Markets exist where SIM locking has been prohibited for a long time (Wikipedia says Canada, Chile, China, Israel, and Singapore at least). Financing still exists in these countries. The phone is absolutely not "collateral". The carrier does not take it back if you default (even if they could, they wouldn't be able to get anything of value for it). Unlocking is just an inconvenience that prevents enough people from ch…
Yes, because in Canada at least, if you terminate your contract, you have to pay out the phone. That's how it's done. Really, it's not a complicated solution.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
They'd still make you pay off the full amount before you could close off your account. Pretty standard in the US. Locking is just an evil way to add more friction.
People with nothing don’t care if they get sent to collections, hence the need to have some control over the device while monies are owed for it. Just like vehicle interlocks for subprime auto notes. Until you pay off the collateral, it isn’t your ownership, simply permission to use while servicing the debt.