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AT&T Says Malware Secretly Unlocked Hundreds of Thousands of Phones
alphadogg writes: AT&T said three of its employees secretly installed software on its network so a cellphone unlocking service could surreptitiously funnel hundreds of thousands of requests to its servers to remove software locks on phones. The locks prevent phones from being used on competing networks and have been an important tool used by cellular carriers to prevent customers from jumping ship.
I was out of contract over a year ago, but I'm still fighting to get mine unlocked.
I am willing to save hundreds of dollars a year if the only downside is being minimally inconvenienced. The yearly savings for me is more than the cost of a new phone (~$720).
What convinced me the other carriers are crooks is how they advertise the prices for their plans and then tack on another $20 to actually use a phone with those plans. Huh? $60/month for 12Gb, but actually using a phone to get to that data adds $20/month? That's, I think, Verizon's current advertising for their "one plan" that actually four different plans with different amounts of data.
I almost signed up with AT&T at what I thought would be a good rate, and then was told "and add $40 if you want to use a phone on that plan". I told the guy I already had a phone, I didn't need a new one, and he told me it wasn't to GET a phone, it was to USE my own phone.
That's like selling a car for $100, but add on another $20,000 if you want it to actually be able to move.
Honestly bet those customer service reps have the instructions available to help with unlocking a phone but instead claim ignorance when asked because it usually takes time to explain over the phone to someone not already somewhat technically adept.
They do this to avoid higher average handling time metrics so they dont get churned out of the call center.
setting the system up like this is a brilliant means around the requirements of the FCC if this is malice rather than just accidental.