Chile Mandates All Phones be Sold Unlocked
Chile Mandates All Phones be Sold Unlocked
Posted 01/04/2012 at 3:43pm
| by Ryan Whitwam
38
Comments
Print
Down in the Republic of Chile, government regulators have made a bold move to increase openness in the nation’s wireless industry. As of January 2nd, all phones sold in the country must be unlocked for use on any compatible carrier. This rule change will go along with mandatory number portability set to go into effect January 16th.
Even devices that were sold before the new regulations will be taken care of. A website will be available that takes a device IMEI number and device info, then spits out an unlock code. Chile is not the first country to ban SIM-locking. Singapore and Israel both forbid carriers from locking handsets.
There are various methods of unlocking devices without carrier approval around the world, but Chileans won’t have to worry about that anymore. In the US, most phones are locked, but carriers will usually unlock a device at the end of a contract. There is also the problem of CDMA networks in the US, which require carrier provisioning for phones to work.
More like this
38
Comments
Comments are closed on this article
Bad Kharma
January 04, 2012 at 10:56pm
Nice to see a country whose politicians aren't owned by the big US multinationals. It would be nice to see in Canada, but it seems that PM Harper is too deeply in their pockets.
ApathyCurve
January 05, 2012 at 11:12am
So some cat named "Bad Kharma" whines on the internet about crony capitalism and a spambot replies to him...
Yeah, there's a joke in there somwhere.
Ghost XFX
January 04, 2012 at 10:31pm
Our gov't is too busy coming up with asinine bills to control the Internet, to be so bold to unlock all the phones. What a shame, Chile understands the freedom of choice more than the U.S.A.
dgrmouse
January 04, 2012 at 10:31pm
None of the comments I've seen so far take note of the biggest advantage of decoupling phone from carrier: software choice. Carriers are not ethical, and if they can sell your usage data and Facebook status to an advertiser they will do it without asking you or sharing the profits.
With regard to the technical difficulties the author expresses, I have zero sympathy - one can /create/ technical difficulties to hinder compatibility quite easily if allowed to do so. The television networks, I assure you, would LOVE to be able to broadcast in a way that forced you to choose a "FOX" TV /or/ a "NBC" TV but refuse to license to anyone that wanted to allow you to tune into both. Those no-government-intervention conservative nutjobs that have posted earlier can't envision this, but it's exactly what would happen if the TV networks were not tightly regulated. It is only a measure of the increasing corruption our government has succumbed to that cellular networks are not as well regulated as cable and network services.
ApathyCurve
January 05, 2012 at 11:25am
There is a balance point in the market between laissez faire and regulation. The Invisible Hand doesn't work in a pure form; that was proven by the excesses of robber barons in the late 19th century. Likewise, modern quasi-socialism in places like Greece, France and the UK have proven that over-regulation will also strangle the golden goose. So I'm in agreement that some level of regulation is necessary; the problem is who decides the proper level? Do you trust politicians? Because I don't.
Also, when you make sweeping generalizations like "carriers are not ethical," you undermine the validity of your argument. Stick to specific examples and avoid ad hominem attacks (such as "conservative nutjobs"), and you'll be taken more seriously.
dukeofurl
January 04, 2012 at 7:07pm
Now, if only they would do that here in The United States. The problem is that big telcoms own the federal government.
dgrmouse
January 04, 2012 at 10:15pm
Agree, 100%. Hard to believe that our government once broke up AT&T and protected us from unlawful wiretapping.
routine
January 04, 2012 at 6:46pm
As with all government action this will have unintended consequences.
My guess... Higher phone prices
dgrmouse
January 04, 2012 at 10:12pm
What an absurd assumption. You would have the business interests in Chile or elsewhere decide for themselves what frequency, power, etc. that the telephone radios operate at? Derp derp, no - you would not jeopardize the entire nation's infrastructure. The carriers do not have the interest of the people in mind, and Chile is lucky to have a government that is working toward the interest of the people instead of the corrupt corporate-driven system we have in the US.
Holly Golightly
January 04, 2012 at 5:29pm
Wow, that is great news for the people of Chile. As an American, I kind of envy them a little. I hate the idea of spending $300 on a phone locked to Verizon. I wonder how long will it take for Congress to fight for our mobile freedoms? These phones are too expensive to be locked. For that I might as well get a tablet and call it a day. None of the GSM/CDMA mess.
Wingzero_x
January 06, 2012 at 4:53am
Couldn't agree with you more. Where I live my phone service is awful, but I really like my phone, and the carrier that does have great coverage in my area doesn't carry the phone. Seriously the is nothing like turning a corner and losing a call. So I'm forced to use two phones, from 2 different carriers. Just recently though I was freed from one, thanks to the better selection of pre-paid.
Holly Golightly
January 08, 2012 at 9:43pm
You know, prepaid has changed a lot from then till now. Now for just $30, you can get unlimited phone calls under select carriers. I used to buy $10 top up cards which got me 20 minutes. As corrupt and expensive these phone companies are, I am glad to see some serious competition in the prepaid markets. When prices are lowered, we consumers win. Hopefully cellphones will drop market value. Unlocked can cost as much as $800. Insane if you ask me. I am still thinking about going with Skype though because it is $6 and still unlimited. They just need to make tablets as small as cellphones, then switching over would be super easy.
Zallomallo
January 04, 2012 at 5:43pm
I hate the idea of the government mandating how cellular devices should be sold. You can buy phones unlocked, they're just super expensive, but now totally out of line with other mobile products.
Holly Golightly
January 04, 2012 at 9:07pm
The problem is, the price for an unlocked phone is more than the price of a tablet itself. Something seems a little off with the telecom industry and is in dire need of regulation. Heck, the early termination is now $350 plus $300 for the cost of the new phone. Smartphone bills are around $100 a month, and you pay more for less. So for 2 years, you are paying $3,050 or more if you get a smartphone that is locked with any of the major carriers. I say spending $500 on a tablet with $6 a month Skype and $50 mobile broadband is a much more attractive offer to my wallet right about now. Total spent on getting the cool package is only $1,344 compared to the locked package at $3,050.
austin43
January 05, 2012 at 11:56am
If the price is too high, then people will stop paying it; plain and simple. It's the way capitalism works, and the government should focus on getting rid of needless regulation, rather than adding more. A smartphone is a privilege, not a right. If the price is too high for you, then maybe stick to a regular phone plan, or hey, just don't have a cell phone at all. *sigh* Entitlement has gotten out of control in this country.
Holly Golightly
January 08, 2012 at 9:53pm
First off, we need phones. How else would unemployed Americans get jobs if they can not get a phone call to schedule a job interview?
Feature phones are going the way of the Dodo Bird. We are in the 21st century. Look at computers. They used to be over $2,000 on average, and now you can get one as cheap as $200! Why can't the telecom business go this route? I guess if I wanted to really save money, I could always get a typewriter instead of a computer.
Having a smartphone is not a right... But we kind of need it if we are to stay connected with the world around us. Otherwise where would we be without technology? We need to improve the quality of life in this country, and therefore, we need technology.
Wingzero_x
January 06, 2012 at 5:35am
Normally I would agree whole heatedly with you, but in this case that is too general. These contracts are too expensive and confining to get out of if needed. What happens when because of career obligations people are forced to move in an area where the carrier they have doesn't have service? Should they be made to continue paying for a service they can't use? My first cell contract was with Ameritech and the phone was useless within 3 miles of my house. I hated paying that bill. At the time there were no alternatives, and no way out.
Just so you know, I am only referring to the service only not the hardware.
blkpanthr
January 04, 2012 at 5:43pm
it wont really matter unless you are going to take that phone to another carrier AFTER your contract, as you are locked in contract for the discounted amount.
If you try to buy it from say verizon, then go elsewhere, you will owe verizon the full retaill price of the phone....
in effect, its still locked...by a contract...
Holly Golightly
January 04, 2012 at 9:15pm
Well, there is the problem. These contracts are a bit too much. If you cut the service prematurely, you have to pay an early termination fee of more than $300. If you continue the service, then you pay about $100 a month. The customer is not truly free to switch service at will. What we need is our phones to be unlocked and to have cellphone contracts banned. That way we are free to use any service as we please. Then businesses will truly compete for our money. These cellphone companies have collected enough money from us as is.
blkpanthr
January 05, 2012 at 12:38pm
Tthere are smaller carriers that have plans without contracts.
However, you have to pay full price for the phone. $600-$800 for a smart phone.
Holly Golightly
January 08, 2012 at 9:58pm
Well, that is not a reasonable price either. For $500, I can get a tablet with a bigger screen, more memory, and larger drive. I also can enjoy the freedom with switching carriers instead of being locked to one service. Either way, the telecom industry should have some more regulation... Otherwise, these giants would get out of control.
blkpanthr
January 08, 2012 at 10:28pm
i think youve missed the point, its called minituraization...
600-800 is the retail price
that will never change unless the manufacurers find a cheaper way to build them.
you can want cheaper all you like, but it wont happen unless it becomes cheaper to make them.
Holly Golightly
January 09, 2012 at 12:08am
Say hello to the Samsung Galaxy Player 5.0! It is an MP3 player that functions just like a tablet, and comes at the same exact size of a cellphone. $269 is the market price. Just use Skype with Clearwire and you are good to go. Miniturization indeed. Although cellphones seem to be getting bigger and now they top at 4.7" so for that, I might as well get this 5" tablet and pay $6 a month with no contract and save big money. Consumers win...
http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/mp3-players/YP-G70CWY/XAA
blkpanthr
January 10, 2012 at 5:13pm
consumer who dont want a cell service perhaps win.
its not premium smart phone.....come on...
its an iTurd touch made by samsung...mind you id buy it before id buy a touch, but its not a cell phone.
no gps
no cell data
no cell voice
Holly Golightly
January 11, 2012 at 10:21pm
It is not about the brand, it is about the performance. This Samsung device performs in every exact way of a cellphone would. Actually, it runs Android 2.3, which is found on some of the latest Droid phones. Now some people will say "it is not Apple" but I never cared for brand, I care about quality, and Samsung delivers. They make the best screens in the market. Also, this Samsung Galaxy Play 5.0 has a 5 inch screen while the iPod Touch only has a 3 inch screen. Bigger is better. The part that makes this such a competitive device is that it is so affordable for the specs in comes in. I mean, this bad boy packs 60 hours of battery life. It can do 8 hours of HD video, which is pretty darn impressive in my book.
GPS is overrated. GLONASS is the future! (It uses the Earths atmosphere to locate your position, not satellites)
It is good it has no cell data. Anything cellular has radioactivity. Plus, cellphone data comes with broadband caps, and comes at a very expensive price.
Cell voice is so 1980s. Why should I have to pay 45¢ a minute after I go over my alloted package? I'd rather pay $6 for unlimited Skype than pay $60 for less to the big telecoms.
The future of the cellphone industry is going to die right next to the cable box industry. They are too expensive, and give you packages that aren't realistic. 1,000 channels? Who the hell has time for that? 700 minutes split between a family of 5? Not enough time. This is why the future is wearable computer that will monitor our health and seamlessly stay connected to our friends and family at a price that even poor people people can afford. You'll see... The future is definitely exciting.
blkpanthr
January 11, 2012 at 11:56pm
so......u admit its not a smartpphone?
marketing is clearly not your stong suit, people want a PHONE that does everything, not a Ipod that does SOME things...
sure, you make some valid points...but thats not what a majority (read: where the money is) of people want, myself included.
Holly Golightly
January 12, 2012 at 1:05am
I have never said it is a smartphone. It is like a smartphone. Only more bigger and more affordable. It is running the same exact OS found in the Droid X2 and the HTC EVO. Again, bigger in screen size, and more affordable... By $400 in the full standard market value. Plus I save about $96 a month. Now that's winning!
Smartphones are yesterday. Tablets are today. Wearable computers are tomorrow. With an economy like this, not everybody can afford to pay for smartphone limited data caps.
Marketing is definitely not your thing either... No offense. LMAO. Hey, if you like paying $300 for a cellphone and be locked for 2 years with $100 a month phone bills and limited minutes, that's on you. Not everybody is like you. Thank God.
Like I said, once people find out they can pay $6 a month on a phone service with unlimited voice to the WORLD they will quickly drop their limited national roaming $100 a month phone service in a heartbeat. Well, if they can afford to pay $350 for an early termination fee. How bureaucratic!
People do not want to be shackled by limits. People want to call and log online without ever wondering, "did I go over my limit?" Absolute freedom that can not be enjoyed with these expensive phone companies.
LMAO, I remember a time when flip phones were cool. Everybody wanted a feature phone. And now look at it... Dead! Nobody wants one. This is the evolution of technology, and the next step? Tablets! Smartphones were very cool back in 2008, but this is 2012, and technology is moving faster than ever before. Why limit yourself to data caps and alloted minutes?
Oh, who am I kidding? You are probably still using a landline and watching tv through a cable box. These primative devices need to end once and for all. Eventually, you will follow the evolution too... You know, in fear of being left behind.
blkpanthr
January 12, 2012 at 8:36am
your $6 a month fee DOEST NOT get you any sort of national coverage, as its WI-Fi only.
That is flat out unaaceptable to anyone who uses a phone.
$300 for a contracted phone? someones ripping you off.
i paid $99 for my shiny new 3vo back in july...
Holly Golightly
January 12, 2012 at 2:34pm
What are you talking about? ClearWire 4G WiFi is nationwide. You take the aircard with you and pick up reception from cell towers like you do with regular cellphones. Heck, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, and At&t all offer the "MiFi" aircard so you get WiFi no matter which part of the country you are at.
Verizon sells the Droid Razer for $300. The 64GB iPhone 4S is $400 with 2 contract from Verizon. Sure, there are older phones that retail for $100, but they are not cutting edge like Droid with LTE or ever so popular iPhone. This is from their official stores and website. Rip-off pricing? You got that right.
Note that ClearWire will launch their LTE+ network which will be the fastest in the nation. Better than LTE. It does 120mbps, which is about 4 times the speed of cable, or twice the typical speed (50mbps) of FiOS. I can travel anywhere in the nation with my WiFi card and use Skype Premium (only $6) and have unlimited calls in the palm of my hand with that Samsung device. I can cancel my service anytime I please and not have to worry about those bureaucratic contracts with early termination fees.
So if I do the math, I add ClearWire's $50 a month service with Skype's $6 a month service... That adds up to $56 which means I save about $44 from the average phone bill with Verizon. I can use that $44 to buy better things and invest more onto my gaming rig. Believe me, it is better this way.
blkpanthr
January 12, 2012 at 2:45pm
umm..the device you are talking about is a wifi device,it does not have a cell radio...
Holly Golightly
January 12, 2012 at 2:57pm
Well, if the big telecom companies offer aircards, then what does this mean? Uh oh. These cards translate 4G cellular data into WiFi for your portable gadgets. If you do not believe me, see for yourself.
http://www.clearwire.com/company/our-network
http://ria.sprint.com/ria/pages/index.jsp?ms=4G&INTNAV=ATG:HE:4G#!/devices/mifi
http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/Phones/cell-phone-detail.aspx?cell-phone=T-Mobile-4G-Mobile-HotSpot
So there you have it. Think of it as tethering a cellphone to a laptop. Pretty basic stuff here.
blkpanthr
January 12, 2012 at 3:08pm
ok, so your system requires the sammy device plus a hotspot device....
2 devices, 2 power requirement, 2 pockets to hold them, intermediate connection issues, etc
very invonvenient...
no thanks...ill take one deivce for all of it...
Holly Golightly
January 17, 2012 at 9:09pm
1 Device at 1 very high steep price for 1 hundred dollars.
Haven't you heard? 2 is better than 1! I'd much rather save money on things I care than be a loser who is always broke who is struggling to pay for a pointless utility like a cellphone bill.
You do not need the Samsung device to use Skype. Some of the hottest tech items run Skype too. Heck, I'd much rather get an iPad2 if I know it would save me on my monthly bills.
Cellphones have become primitive devices. The iPads are cooler than iPhones. Soon, quadcore tablets will soon outsell duocore cellphones.
$6 vs $60... Do the math.
Wingzero_x
January 06, 2012 at 4:56am
She has her days. (Just in case though, prepare for a blizzard.)
someuid
January 04, 2012 at 3:56pm
I guess the big question here is do cell phone sales and service plans take off due to this openess, or does it not have any affect? I'm assuming it lures a lot of extra people into the market for portable devices, and users are quicker to upgrade to new models knowing they don't have to navigate service contracts and locked phones by carrier.
It would be nice if this was done in the US as well. Open choice to the consumer so they can vote with their wallets.
Connect with MaximumPC
Featured Content
The gang discusses the GTX 690, Trinity, Ivy Bridge, Amazon, big-box stores, MMOs,...
This month's issue
Feature
Build a PC On Any Budget
Feature
Cloud Services Showdown
How-To
Encrypt Your External Drive
Build It
Upgrade an X58 Rig
Most Commented Articles
Latest Max PC Tweets
- maximumpc: Original RickRoll Video Returns to YouTube After 24-Hour Copyright Hiatus http://t.co/MaH9Sxyy1 day 1 hour ago
- maximumpc: Corsair has decided not to go forward with its $78 million IPO, citing weak equity market conditions http://t.co/A5a4DAzj1 day 2 hours ago
- maximumpc: Want to work at Maximum PC? Our Online Managing Editor, Alex, is moving away, so we need a new one. http://t.co/9Z7JCh0E2 days 23 hours ago
