Mobile Phone Unlocking illegal or not?

[AA]

There seems to be a few unlocking services out there that unlock Sim-locked
phones. Is unlocking a mobile without paying for the carrier to unlock it
illegal (in Australia) and will doing so void the warranties on these
phones. I guess I'm referring to pre paid sim locked phones.

[Charlie Wong]

On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 01:14:45 +1100, "AA" <aa (AT) aa (DOT) aa> wrote:

>There seems to be a few unlocking services out there that unlock Sim-locked
>phones. Is unlocking a mobile without paying for the carrier to unlock it
>illegal (in Australia) and will doing so void the warranties on these
>phones. I guess I'm referring to pre paid sim locked phones.

It's not illegal unless the unlocking process changes the serial
number - that makes it illegal in some states.

You may be voiding the warranty depending on the process (especially
if the unlocking process involves opening the phone and accessing
non-user serviceable areas) but yeah... phones are so cheap, what does
it matter?

[Rod Speed]

AA <aa (AT) aa (DOT) aa> wrote in message
news:cnq7sv$2hmj$1 (AT) otis (DOT) netspace.net.au...

> There seems to be a few unlocking services out there that unlock Sim-locked
> phones. Is unlocking a mobile without paying for the carrier to unlock it
> illegal (in Australia)

Nope.

> and will doing so void the warranties on these phones.

That gets complicated.

Legally obviously if the act of unlocking fucks the
phone, thats not going to be covered by warranty.

If the failure has nothing to do with the unlocking, say the
screen becomes unreadable, but the phone still works fine
otherwise, that failure would be covered by warranty if the
phone wasnt physically disassembled to unlock it.

Not completely trivial if the phone company chooses
to tell you to fuck off when its cleary been unlocked
by other than them, and it fails under warranty tho.

The small claims system would normally shaft the phone
company on that, but it can be a bit tricky convincing
the legal parasite on technical issues like that at times.

> I guess I'm referring to pre paid sim locked phones.

There isnt much if any locking of non prepaid phones in
this country. The main exception is imported phones.

[Michael]

"AA" <aa (AT) aa (DOT) aa> wrote in message news:cnq7sv$2hmj$1 (AT) otis (DOT) netspace.net.au...
> There seems to be a few unlocking services out there that unlock
Sim-locked
> phones. Is unlocking a mobile without paying for the carrier to unlock it
> illegal (in Australia) and will doing so void the warranties on these
> phones. I guess I'm referring to pre paid sim locked phones.

Its not illegal and it won't void the warranty assuming you do it correctly.

how the carriers lock their phones is up to them and you are under no
obligation to get it unlocked from them.

its like a new car, you dont have to get it serviced through the dealership
if you dont want to

[AA]

Thanks guys. I actually have a prepaid three phone and want to unlock it.
Just looking around, I can find a place in Adelaide and perth that can
unlock for about $30-$40 but it doesn't help me cos I'm in Sydney. Does
anyone know of a shop in Sydney (other than Three) who can unlock it for me?

I think I'll continue using three but I wanna use the phone for 2 weeks in
Japan (roaming using Vodafone). BTW I have a SE Z1010.

Thanks in advance if anyone can help me out.

Cheers

BTW will this phone even work in japan. I'm assuming it will.





"Michael" <michael (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:%Faod.44339$K7.27666 (AT) news-server (DOT) bigpond.net.au...
>
> "AA" <aa (AT) aa (DOT) aa> wrote in message
> news:cnq7sv$2hmj$1 (AT) otis (DOT) netspace.net.au...
>> There seems to be a few unlocking services out there that unlock
> Sim-locked
>> phones. Is unlocking a mobile without paying for the carrier to unlock it
>> illegal (in Australia) and will doing so void the warranties on these
>> phones. I guess I'm referring to pre paid sim locked phones.
>
> Its not illegal and it won't void the warranty assuming you do it
> correctly.
>
> how the carriers lock their phones is up to them and you are under no
> obligation to get it unlocked from them.
>
> its like a new car, you dont have to get it serviced through the
> dealership
> if you dont want to
>
>

[thegoons]

You cannot roam in Japan on GSM.

Refer: http://tinyurl.com/5ckp8


"AA" <aa (AT) aa (DOT) aa> wrote in message news:cnsj7h$bfb$1 (AT) otis (DOT) netspace.net.au...
> Thanks guys. I actually have a prepaid three phone and want to unlock it.
> Just looking around, I can find a place in Adelaide and perth that can
> unlock for about $30-$40 but it doesn't help me cos I'm in Sydney. Does
> anyone know of a shop in Sydney (other than Three) who can unlock it for
me?
>
> I think I'll continue using three but I wanna use the phone for 2 weeks in
> Japan (roaming using Vodafone). BTW I have a SE Z1010.
>
> Thanks in advance if anyone can help me out.
>
> Cheers
>
> BTW will this phone even work in japan. I'm assuming it will.
>
>
>
>
>
> "Michael" <michael (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote in message
> news:%Faod.44339$K7.27666 (AT) news-server (DOT) bigpond.net.au...
> >
> > "AA" <aa (AT) aa (DOT) aa> wrote in message
> > news:cnq7sv$2hmj$1 (AT) otis (DOT) netspace.net.au...
> >> There seems to be a few unlocking services out there that unlock
> > Sim-locked
> >> phones. Is unlocking a mobile without paying for the carrier to unlock
it
> >> illegal (in Australia) and will doing so void the warranties on these
> >> phones. I guess I'm referring to pre paid sim locked phones.
> >
> > Its not illegal and it won't void the warranty assuming you do it
> > correctly.
> >
> > how the carriers lock their phones is up to them and you are under no
> > obligation to get it unlocked from them.
> >
> > its like a new car, you dont have to get it serviced through the
> > dealership
> > if you dont want to
> >
> >
>
>

[AA]

Thanks for that.

But even the info in your URL link says I can. (Not on GSM of course) VF JP
has a W-CDMA network, and my SE Z1010 is a 3G W-CDMA capable phone. The
only question is whether my AUS VF sim card is compatible.

Am I wrong?

But in any case, if I can't unlock it, it defnitely won't work.




"thegoons" <thegoons (AT) bigpond (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:30e4ltF2v3aj9U1 (AT) uni-berlin (DOT) de...
> You cannot roam in Japan on GSM.
>
> Refer: http://tinyurl.com/5ckp8
>
>
> "AA" <aa (AT) aa (DOT) aa> wrote in message news:cnsj7h$bfb$1 (AT) otis (DOT) netspace.net.au...
>> Thanks guys. I actually have a prepaid three phone and want to unlock it.
>> Just looking around, I can find a place in Adelaide and perth that can
>> unlock for about $30-$40 but it doesn't help me cos I'm in Sydney. Does
>> anyone know of a shop in Sydney (other than Three) who can unlock it for
> me?
>>
>> I think I'll continue using three but I wanna use the phone for 2 weeks
>> in
>> Japan (roaming using Vodafone). BTW I have a SE Z1010.
>>
>> Thanks in advance if anyone can help me out.
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> BTW will this phone even work in japan. I'm assuming it will.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "Michael" <michael (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote in message
>> news:%Faod.44339$K7.27666 (AT) news-server (DOT) bigpond.net.au...
>> >
>> > "AA" <aa (AT) aa (DOT) aa> wrote in message
>> > news:cnq7sv$2hmj$1 (AT) otis (DOT) netspace.net.au...
>> >> There seems to be a few unlocking services out there that unlock
>> > Sim-locked
>> >> phones. Is unlocking a mobile without paying for the carrier to unlock
> it
>> >> illegal (in Australia) and will doing so void the warranties on these
>> >> phones. I guess I'm referring to pre paid sim locked phones.
>> >
>> > Its not illegal and it won't void the warranty assuming you do it
>> > correctly.
>> >
>> > how the carriers lock their phones is up to them and you are under no
>> > obligation to get it unlocked from them.
>> >
>> > its like a new car, you dont have to get it serviced through the
>> > dealership
>> > if you dont want to
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>

[thegoons]

Crossposted for comments
"AA" <aa (AT) aa (DOT) aa> wrote in message news:cnsnc5$cu1$1 (AT) otis (DOT) netspace.net.au...
> Thanks for that.
>
> But even the info in your URL link says I can. (Not on GSM of course) VF
JP
> has a W-CDMA network, and my SE Z1010 is a 3G W-CDMA capable phone. The
> only question is whether my AUS VF sim card is compatible.
>
> Am I wrong?
>
> But in any case, if I can't unlock it, it defnitely won't work.
>
>
>
>
> "thegoons" <thegoons (AT) bigpond (DOT) com> wrote in message
> news:30e4ltF2v3aj9U1 (AT) uni-berlin (DOT) de...
> > You cannot roam in Japan on GSM.
> >
> > Refer: http://tinyurl.com/5ckp8
> >
> >
> > "AA" <aa (AT) aa (DOT) aa> wrote in message
news:cnsj7h$bfb$1 (AT) otis (DOT) netspace.net.au...
> >> Thanks guys. I actually have a prepaid three phone and want to unlock
it.
> >> Just looking around, I can find a place in Adelaide and perth that can
> >> unlock for about $30-$40 but it doesn't help me cos I'm in Sydney. Does
> >> anyone know of a shop in Sydney (other than Three) who can unlock it
for
> > me?
> >>
> >> I think I'll continue using three but I wanna use the phone for 2 weeks
> >> in
> >> Japan (roaming using Vodafone). BTW I have a SE Z1010.
> >>
> >> Thanks in advance if anyone can help me out.
> >>
> >> Cheers
> >>
> >> BTW will this phone even work in japan. I'm assuming it will.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> "Michael" <michael (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote in message
> >> news:%Faod.44339$K7.27666 (AT) news-server (DOT) bigpond.net.au...
> >> >
> >> > "AA" <aa (AT) aa (DOT) aa> wrote in message
> >> > news:cnq7sv$2hmj$1 (AT) otis (DOT) netspace.net.au...
> >> >> There seems to be a few unlocking services out there that unlock
> >> > Sim-locked
> >> >> phones. Is unlocking a mobile without paying for the carrier to
unlock
> > it
> >> >> illegal (in Australia) and will doing so void the warranties on
these
> >> >> phones. I guess I'm referring to pre paid sim locked phones.
> >> >
> >> > Its not illegal and it won't void the warranty assuming you do it
> >> > correctly.
> >> >
> >> > how the carriers lock their phones is up to them and you are under no
> >> > obligation to get it unlocked from them.
> >> >
> >> > its like a new car, you dont have to get it serviced through the
> >> > dealership
> >> > if you dont want to
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>

[Craig Ian Dewick]

"AA" <aa (AT) aa (DOT) aa> writes:

>Thanks guys. I actually have a prepaid three phone and want to unlock it.
>Just looking around, I can find a place in Adelaide and perth that can
>unlock for about $30-$40 but it doesn't help me cos I'm in Sydney. Does
>anyone know of a shop in Sydney (other than Three) who can unlock it for me?

I was under the impression that it was actually illegal to lock phones to
just one carrier? I would refuse to buy or accept a phone offered to me as
part of a contract which was locked to the particular carrier.

Usually I buy handsets outright so I can pick and choose a carrier and plan
that suits me, rather than having to accept what's on offer as a contract
bundle at the time. I still use a Nokia 8210 as my main phone and will look
at upgrading it next year. I still have a Siemens S10A handset that is used
as a rugged 'field' handset from time to time. It will out-last any of the
current generation of 'toy' G3 handsets in terms of physical reliability.

My other golden rule - no flip phones! 8-) Any mobile device which has a
folding or otherwise hinged component is just asking to be damaged...

Craig.
--
Craig Dewick (craig (AT) poison (DOT) lios.apana.org.au). http://lios.apana.org.au/~craig
APANA Sydney Regional Co-ordinator. Operator of Jedi (an APANA Sydney POP).
Always striving for a secure long-term future in an insecure short-term world
Have you exported a crypto system today? Do your bit to undermine the NSA.

[Craig Ian Dewick]

"thegoons" <thegoons (AT) bigpond (DOT) com> writes:

>You cannot roam in Japan on GSM.

Or in the USA/Canada.

Craig.
--
Craig Dewick (craig (AT) poison (DOT) lios.apana.org.au). http://lios.apana.org.au/~craig
APANA Sydney Regional Co-ordinator. Operator of Jedi (an APANA Sydney POP).
Always striving for a secure long-term future in an insecure short-term world
Have you exported a crypto system today? Do your bit to undermine the NSA.

[Rod Speed]

Craig Ian Dewick <craig (AT) lios (DOT) apana.org.au> wrote in
message news:co84uq$ii3$1 (AT) yoda (DOT) apana.org.au...
> AA <aa (AT) aa (DOT) aa> writes

>> Thanks guys. I actually have a prepaid three phone and want to unlock
>> it. Just looking around, I can find a place in Adelaide and perth that can
>> unlock for about $30-$40 but it doesn't help me cos I'm in Sydney. Does
>> anyone know of a shop in Sydney (other than Three) who can unlock it for me?

> I was under the impression that it was actually
> illegal to lock phones to just one carrier?

Nope, quite common with prepaid.

> I would refuse to buy or accept a phone offered to me as
> part of a contract which was locked to the particular carrier.

Your problem.

> Usually I buy handsets outright so I can pick and choose a carrier and
> plan that suits me, rather than having to accept what's on offer as a contract
> bundle at the time. I still use a Nokia 8210 as my main phone and will look
> at upgrading it next year. I still have a Siemens S10A handset that is used
> as a rugged 'field' handset from time to time. It will out-last any of the
> current generation of 'toy' G3 handsets in terms of physical reliability.

Irrelevant to whether locking is illegal. It aint.

> My other golden rule - no flip phones! 8-) Any mobile device which has
> a folding or otherwise hinged component is just asking to be damaged...

Mindless stuff.

[Rod Speed]

Craig Ian Dewick <craig (AT) lios (DOT) apana.org.au> wrote in
message news:co84vm$ii3$2 (AT) yoda (DOT) apana.org.au...
> thegoons <thegoons (AT) bigpond (DOT) com> writes

>> You cannot roam in Japan on GSM.

> Or in the USA/Canada.

Wrong again. You just need a multiband phone, stupid.

[Paul remove-the-nospam Day]

In aus.comms.mobile Craig Ian Dewick <craig (AT) lios (DOT) apana.org.au> wrote:
> >You cannot roam in Japan on GSM.
>
> Or in the USA/Canada.

I wonder how my Optus GSM was working in Canada and the US a few months
ago then. :)

PD

--
Paul Day Web: www.bur.st/~paul GPG Key ID: 7FF655A8

[Michael]

"Craig Ian Dewick" <craig (AT) lios (DOT) apana.org.au> wrote in message
news:co84uq$ii3$1 (AT) yoda (DOT) apana.org.au...
> "AA" <aa (AT) aa (DOT) aa> writes:
>
> >Thanks guys. I actually have a prepaid three phone and want to unlock it.
> >Just looking around, I can find a place in Adelaide and perth that can
> >unlock for about $30-$40 but it doesn't help me cos I'm in Sydney. Does
> >anyone know of a shop in Sydney (other than Three) who can unlock it for
me?
>
> I was under the impression that it was actually illegal to lock phones to
> just one carrier? I would refuse to buy or accept a phone offered to me as

Nope

> part of a contract which was locked to the particular carrier.

Good for you. Very few Aus carriers ever locked contract phones/

> My other golden rule - no flip phones! 8-) Any mobile device which has a
> folding or otherwise hinged component is just asking to be damaged...

Crap

[Michael]

"Craig Ian Dewick" <craig (AT) lios (DOT) apana.org.au> wrote in message
news:co84vm$ii3$2 (AT) yoda (DOT) apana.org.au...
> "thegoons" <thegoons (AT) bigpond (DOT) com> writes:
>
> >You cannot roam in Japan on GSM.
>
> Or in the USA/Canada.

Wrong, and wrong

[Kralizec Craig]

"Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> writes:

>Craig Ian Dewick <craig@lios.apana.org.au> wrote in
>message news:co84vm$ii3$2@yoda.apana.org.au...
>> thegoons <thegoons@bigpond.com> writes

>>> You cannot roam in Japan on GSM.

>> Or in the USA/Canada.

>Wrong again. You just need a multiband phone, stupid.

True, but GSM-900, as used in Australia, is not used in the USA or Canada.
CDMA is. and I think GSM-1800 might be. The USA/Canada uses PCM-900 instead
of GSM which is why phones not supporting CDMA don't work in most of North
America.

That said, almost all handsets coming onto the market now are multi-band
capable due to the way marketters are pushing new uses for phones such as
video and internet, etc. which just can't be done using conventional GSM.

Craig.

--
SUN RIPENED KERNELS - Surplus Sun Microsystems Equipment, Parts + Accessories
Waterfall, NSW, Australia - Operated by Craig Dewick - Founded in 1996
Main site: www.sunrk.com.au - Ebay Shop: www.ebayshops.com.au/sunripenedkernels
Ph: +612-9520-2547 - Fax: +612-9520-2557 - Mobile: 04-2163-0547 (int. +614)

[Kralizec Craig]

"Michael" <michael@yahoo.com> writes:

>> part of a contract which was locked to the particular carrier.

>Good for you. Very few Aus carriers ever locked contract phones/

They are now though. All the pre-paid phones are locked. Contract phones are
generally not locked but you have to pay a big price to get out of the
contract, so it's 'locking by default' as most people don't want to pay
hefty early-exit fees.

>> My other golden rule - no flip phones! 8-) Any mobile device which has a
>> folding or otherwise hinged component is just asking to be damaged...

>Crap

You won't be saying that if you have a flip phone which breaks into two
pieces. There's a burgeoning market in phone repair but the extent to which
it grows is 'controlled' indirectly by the telco's offering contract bundles
with very low entry prices to make it look like it's more cost-effective to
dump a broken phone and buy a new one.

Craig.


--
SUN RIPENED KERNELS - Surplus Sun Microsystems Equipment, Parts + Accessories
Waterfall, NSW, Australia - Operated by Craig Dewick - Founded in 1996
Main site: www.sunrk.com.au - Ebay Shop: www.ebayshops.com.au/sunripenedkernels
Ph: +612-9520-2547 - Fax: +612-9520-2557 - Mobile: 04-2163-0547 (int. +614)

[Rod Speed]

Kralizec Craig <cd@lios.apana.org.au> wrote in
message news:cpfj2l$icc$2@yoda.apana.org.au...
> Rod Speed <rod_speed@yahoo.com> writes
>> Craig Ian Dewick <craig@lios.apana.org.au> wrote
>>> thegoons <thegoons@bigpond.com> writes

>>>> You cannot roam in Japan on GSM.

>>> Or in the USA/Canada.

>> Wrong again. You just need a multiband phone, stupid.

> True, but GSM-900, as used in Australia,
> is not used in the USA or Canada.

Irrelevant. You just need a multiband phone, stupid.

> CDMA is.

In theory. In practice the main CDMA carrier here doesnt roam internationally.

> and I think GSM-1800 might be.

I told you that a multiband GSM phone roams fine, stupid.

> The USA/Canada uses PCM-900 instead of GSM

Wrong again. There is plenty of GSM in USA/Canada.

> which is why phones not supporting CDMA
> don't work in most of North America.

Not a fucking clue, as usual.

> That said, almost all handsets coming onto
> the market now are multi-band capable

So they can certainly roam in USA/Canada, stupid.

> due to the way marketters are pushing new uses for phones such as
> video and internet, etc. which just can't be done using conventional GSM.

Wrong again with USA/Canada. There is
quite a bit of conventional GSM there now.

[Rod Speed]

Kralizec Craig <cd@lios.apana.org.au> wrote in
message news:cpfj9d$icc$3@yoda.apana.org.au...
> Michael <michael@yahoo.com> writes

>>> part of a contract which was locked to the particular carrier.

>> Good for you. Very few Aus carriers ever locked contract phones/

> They are now though.

Nope, NOT CONTRACT PHONES.

> All the pre-paid phones are locked.

Wrong again. Quite a few arent.

> Contract phones are generally not locked
> but you have to pay a big price to get out
> of the contract, so it's 'locking by default'

Nope, nothing to do with locking at all.

> as most people don't want to pay hefty early-exit fees.

Separate issue entirely. And you can always use BOTH the
supplied sim AND another that has cheaper rates in a contract
phone thats still under contract, so it clearly aint LOCKED, stupid.

>>> My other golden rule - no flip phones! 8-) Any mobile
>>> device which has a folding or otherwise hinged
>>> component is just asking to be damaged...

>> Crap

> You won't be saying that if you have a
> flip phone which breaks into two pieces.

Pity most of them dont.

> There's a burgeoning market in phone repair but the extent to which
> it grows is 'controlled' indirectly by the telco's offering contract bundles
> with very low entry prices to make it look like it's more cost-effective to
> dump a broken phone and buy a new one.

Separate matter entirely to your original pig
ignorant stupid claim about flip phones in general.

[Michael]

"Kralizec Craig" <cd@lios.apana.org.au> wrote in message
news:cpfj2l$icc$2@yoda.apana.org.au...
> "Rod Speed" <rod_speed@yahoo.com> writes:
>
> >Craig Ian Dewick <craig@lios.apana.org.au> wrote in
> >message news:co84vm$ii3$2@yoda.apana.org.au...
> >> thegoons <thegoons@bigpond.com> writes
>
> >>> You cannot roam in Japan on GSM.
>
> >> Or in the USA/Canada.
>
> >Wrong again. You just need a multiband phone, stupid.
>
> True, but GSM-900, as used in Australia, is not used in the USA or Canada.
> CDMA is. and I think GSM-1800 might be. The USA/Canada uses PCM-900
instead
> of GSM which is why phones not supporting CDMA don't work in most of North
> America.

What are you on about? They dont use GSM 1800, its GSM 1900.
What on earth is PCM-900?