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Android Q Will Include More Ways For Carriers To SIM Lock Your Phone (9to5google.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from 9to5Google: Over the weekend, four commits were posted to various parts of Android's Gerrit source code management, all entitled "Carrier restriction enhancements for Android Q." In them, we see that network carriers will have more fine-grained control over which networks devices will and will not work on. More specifically, it will be possible to designate a list of "allowed" and "excluded" carriers, essentially a whitelist and a blacklist of what will and won't work on a particular phone. This can be done with a fine-grained detail to even allow blocking virtual carrier networks that run on the same towers as your main carrier.
Restriction changes are also on the way for dual-SIM devices. At the moment, carriers can set individual restrictions for each SIM slot, but with Android Q, carriers will be able to lock out the second slot unless there's an approved SIM card in the first slot. This SIM lock restriction is applied immediately and will persist through restarting the phone, and even doing a factory reset. Thankfully, in both cases, emergency phone calls will still work as expected, regardless of any restrictions on the particular SIM cards in your phone.
Restriction changes are also on the way for dual-SIM devices. At the moment, carriers can set individual restrictions for each SIM slot, but with Android Q, carriers will be able to lock out the second slot unless there's an approved SIM card in the first slot. This SIM lock restriction is applied immediately and will persist through restarting the phone, and even doing a factory reset. Thankfully, in both cases, emergency phone calls will still work as expected, regardless of any restrictions on the particular SIM cards in your phone.
If you think Android is about "Freedom" then you haven't visited https://myactivity.google.com/ If anything Google is using those to devices to collect a tonne of data about people.
I'd be careful on that. I have had some carriers lock unlocked phones, or re-lock phones that were unlocked. How does this rev of Android know the difference between a phone that was locked from the factory versus a carrier trying to seize control of a factory unlocked device and lock it to their network?
I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of carriers would love to lock out that second SIM as a matter of principle.
In this case you decided to rent your phone from the carrier. You pay monthly for it, if you exit early there are fees and they want the phone back or the remainder of the balance on it, right?
Just buy the phone unlocked, or get a contract from someone who doesn't lock it to one network. I get the impression that such options are not widely available in the US, but around here it's common, usually cheaper and I've never bought a SIM locked phone ever.
This. In almost every country I've been to you can buy phones outright and stick a SIM from any carrier in them. It gets a bit fuzzy when new networks are established and sometimes the frequencies used are not supported by all handsets, but generally if you're buying locally your phone will work (those of use who buy cheaply from importers need to do their homework).
Only in the US are you restricted by the carriers. Only a few carriers will permit a non-carrier phone to even be registered on their network and even then you need to register the IMEI on their network before they'll let you do anything. Not like here in the UK where I can walk into Tesco and get a SIM card that will register itself. In fact the UK 3 brand PAYG (Pay As You Go) SIM is highly prized by American travellers because it includes data roaming to 73 countries. Last time I went to the US I used a 3 SIM and got 1GB of data for £10 that just worked when I turned my phone on in LAX, no mucking about at an AT&T store.
Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
Thankfully, in both cases, emergency phone calls will still work as expected, regardless of any restrictions on the particular SIM cards in your phone. In the US, cell phone companies are required by the FCC to connect any 911 call on a phone that connects to its tower. You do not have to have any service, or even a SIM card, as long as your phone can connect. That's why some companies advertise those "911 emergency phones" knowing they must work; and hoping people don't realize any old cell phone will do the same. Got a few years old phone you no longer use? Keep it charged and you have a 911 only phone.
I'm a consultant - I convert gibberish into cash-flow.
Then go, see and touch a phone, then asked for an unlocked one. If they can't provide one, you at least have no problem with your conscience for buying it cheaper online.
It might teach them that those who sell what the customer demands stay in business. Ya know, like, how it was supposed in capitalism?
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Wat?
The salesman needs and deserves to know why he/she lost the sale. Walking out without saying anything is literally the rudest thing you can do.
Certainly don't be a dick about it, but always let people know why they've lost your business.
A government is a body of people notably ungoverned - AC
What the Citizen's United ruling did was grant the corporation itself "human" rights.