CRTC Bans Cellphone Unlocking Fees

[CyFr]

This is mostly a follow-up story from the past year or two.

Source CBC News: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/crtc-wireless-code-cellphone-1.4161711

 

Quote

As of December 1st, Cellphone providers in Canada will have to unlock your phone free of charge.

The unlocking fee has always been unpopular with customers. It has even been referred to it as a "ransom fee."

"Now after paying for the phones we are held ransom to unlock them to go to another provider. Totally ridiculous," stated one person. "Excuse me, but I own the phone."

"That's called a 'Ransom Fee' or 'Hostage Fee' in any other business," wrote another individual. "It is unbelievable how the government allows these companies to extort money like this!"

2

 

 

This should at least be useful for @Linus when he's reviewing phones or maybe more cumbersome.

Earlier reports indicated that cellphones makers might have to provide the phones to the carriers unlocked from the start, or from the manufacturing floor.

[79wjd]

Of all the ridiculously obnoxious things, unlocking fees has been one of the few things Verizon hasn't done. 

 

But it's good that it's becoming banned (albeit in lesser America).

[vanished]

I thought this was already done a long time ago?

[Princess Luna]

Amazing never thought Brazil would be ahead of Canada on something like this, in here this is mainstream since 2009, communication lines are forbidden to lock devices since and unlocking was an obligatory free service to all older models.

[CyFr]

1 minute ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

I thought this was already done a long time ago?

The ruling was made a long time ago, but now it's enforceable.

[dizmo]

I don't think it'll make it any harder for Linus, pretty sure all of his review units are factory unlocked devices anyway.

Been waiting for this, glad it's finally here. I personally always just buy an unlocked device outright, but for those that don't it was a very understandable frustration.

[CyFr]

yeah... I'm poor, but I still paid extra for my phone so I would only have a 2 year contract rather than 3.

[TetraSky]

Good, it was dumb that you had to pay, to be able to use your phone, that you had paid, on another carrier's network. You'd think all those fees they charged you during your 2~3 year contract would've covered that god damn fee to begin with. (Since you do end up paying more for the phone with a contract than if you had just bought it out right from the get go, just like with any "Get it now pay later in X number of months!" scheme.)

[Matu20]

Finally, US legislation is catching up.

[flibberdipper]

4 minutes ago, Matu20 said:

Finally, US legislation is catching up.

This is for Canada. AFAIK we're still stuck with the damn ransom fee here in the states.

[iRandomize]

In Denmark the phone operators stopped sim-locking phones by themselves. One operator did it for a competitive advantage, and soon after the remaining competitors had to follow suit to avoid bad press.

 

To be honest, it baffles me that American operators are still sim-locking phones. It's such a big deal amongst customers, that it's an actual competitive advantage to stop doing it.

[AshleyAshes]

37 minutes ago, Matu20 said:

Finally, US legislation is catching up.

Fun Fact: Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has been managing communications technology in the United States ever since it was created by the passing of the Federal Communications Act which was passed by the United States Congress in 1934.

 

Additional but unrelated fun fact: The biggest American holiday is the summer is July 1st, or 'Canada Day' which The United States has celebrated since 1814 as part of an effort to demonstrate reverence and submission to Canada and The British Empire after the Canadian's burned down the city of Washington.  American's gather on Canada Day and hope that Canadians take notice of how well behaved they are and not burn Washington again.

[Stefan1024]

3 hours ago, AshleyAshes said:

Fun Fact: Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has been managing communications technology in the United States ever since it was created by the passing of the Federal Communications Act which was passed by the United States Congress in 1934.

 

Additional but unrelated fun fact: The biggest American holiday is the summer is July 1st, or 'Canada Day' which The United States has celebrated since 1814 as part of an effort to demonstrate reverence and submission to Canada and The British Empire after the Canadian's burned down the city of Washington.  American's gather on Canada Day and hope that Canadians take notice of how well behaved they are and not burn Washington again.

Given what the "leaders" do in Washington at the moment, it mingt be time for a second (selective) burn down.

Go, Cnadians! /s

 

On topic: Yes it's about time to have this fees gone. But I prefer to buy my phne with cash, i hate to be bound to a carrier for years.

[flibberdipper]

5 hours ago, AshleyAshes said:

Fun Fact: Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has been managing communications technology in the United States ever since it was created by the passing of the Federal Communications Act which was passed by the United States Congress in 1934.

 

Additional but unrelated fun fact: The biggest American holiday is the summer is July 1st, or 'Canada Day' which The United States has celebrated since 1814 as part of an effort to demonstrate reverence and submission to Canada and The British Empire after the Canadian's burned down the city of Washington.  American's gather on Canada Day and hope that Canadians take notice of how well behaved they are and not burn Washington again.

This is such good smartassery... I love it.

[RagnarokDel]

and in a move that shocks exactly 0 person, Bell is not abiding by those rules.

[vanished]

1 minute ago, RagnarokDel said:

and in a move that shocks exactly 0 person, Bell is not abiding by those rules.

Well they'll have to... that's why they're called rules

[RagnarokDel]

Just now, Ryan_Vickers said:

Well they'll have to... that's why they're called rules

It's all over r/Canada different users went to Bell and they refused to do it

[vanished]

Just now, RagnarokDel said:

It's all over r/Canada different users went to Bell and they refused to do it

OH boy!  Can't wait for the class-action lawsuit thread to popup in a day or two!

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

I forgot about this an ordered my Galaxy A5 on Tuesday... WHOOOPS.

[dalekphalm]

A long time coming. I'll eventually get my iPhone 6S unlocked. Probably wait until the rush dies down.

[dizmo]

5 hours ago, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

I forgot about this an ordered my Galaxy A5 on Tuesday... WHOOOPS.

You can still get it unlocked

I doubt they'd go back and unlock all the current stock phones anyway.

[mr moose]

It shits me having to pay an unlocking fee for a phone that is 2 years old, however I understand why telcos wouldn't want to unlock new phones for free, they sell them cheaper and make their money back through network subscription.   I do like the idea of being able to buy a cheaper pre paid phone rather than having to sign up to an over priced contract.