In Case You Missed It: Unlocking Your Cellphone Is Now Illegal

By Rob Boggan

Those looking for a reason to love unsubsidized phones got pretty major validation this past Saturday. On that day, it became illegal to unlock any subsidized phone or tablet from any carrier. The biggest advantage to unlocking your phone, is more or less being able to move said device from one carrier to another compatible carrier’s network without the need of purchasing more equipment. Carriers have, for years held the upper hand in this scenario in particular for customer who weren’t very computer savvy, but now even those who would’ve known ways around the carrier road block, now even they lose their advantage. Those who chose to ignore this new legislature and unlock their device anyway, could be subject to a fine up to $2,500 and those looking to make a profit from a newly unlocked device will be subject to a fine up to $500,000 and possibly jail time.

Doesn’t that Nexus 4 look that much more attractive now??