Technology

60073 readers

2964 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.

Our Rules

Follow the lemmy.world rules.
Only tech related content.
Be excellent to each another!
Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
Politics threads may be removed.
No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed

Approved Bots

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

708

FCC proposes ending cellphone carrier locks after 60 days (www.theregister.com)

submitted 5 months ago by ForgottenFlux@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

118 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Long-term carrier lock-in could soon be a thing of the past in America after the FCC proposed requiring telcos to unlock cellphones from their networks 60 days after activation.

FCC boss Jessica Rosenworcel put out that proposal on Thursday, saying it would encourage competition between carriers. If subscribers could simply walk off to another telco with their handsets after two months of use, networks would have to do a lot more competing, the FCC reasons.

"When you buy a phone, you should have the freedom to decide when to change service to the carrier you want and not have the device you own stuck by practices that prevent you from making that choice," Rosenworcel said.

Carrier-locked devices contain software mechanisms that prevent them from being used on other providers' networks. The practice has long been criticized for being anti-consumer.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] Toes@ani.social 5 points 5 months ago (2 children)

How do you feel about removable batteries?

[–] Godort@lemm.ee 13 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

With removable batteries is that there is actually a legitimate reason for getting rid of them, in that it's much harder to waterproof a device with a removable battery.

I'd still like to see the option available, but I can at least understand why it's not from a practical standpoint. The only reason carrier locks exist is to increase the cost of change for the end user, making them less likely to switch providers.

[–] Hellmo_Luciferrari@lemm.ee 4 points 5 months ago

I can see two sides to this:

Removable batteries are great, if you want longevity for a phone, and don't mind sacrificing water resistance.

On the other side of the coin:

Removable batteries have more potential to lower water resistance ratings.

I think more manufacturers should give the choice of a model with a removable battery.