popularFrugalForever posted Today 02:05 AM
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Item 1 of 2
popularFrugalForever posted Today 02:05 AM
Cricket Wireless Debut S3 64GB, 4GB RAM (Prepaid) for $19.88 after $15 walmart cash - Anchor Gray
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The law governing phone unlocking in the United States is primarily defined by the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama on August 1, 2014. This act repealed a prior rule that made phone unlocking illegal under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), thereby allowing consumers to unlock their devices legally.
Under this law, carriers are required to unlock a customer's phone upon request once the device has been paid for in full or the contract term has been completed, provided the account is in good standing.
The law also mandates that carriers cannot charge a fee for unlocking a device. While the law establishes the right to unlock, the specific process and timing vary by carrier. For example, UScellular automatically unlocks postpaid devices after a specified locking period (120 days for most devices, or completion of a 36-month installment contract for Apple iPhones) if the account is in good standing. Prepaid devices are typically unlocked 120 or 180 days after activation. However, carriers are not required to unlock devices that are lost, stolen, obtained fraudulently, or sold by another carrier. Additionally, courts have ruled that compelling an individual to unlock a device using biometric data like fingerprints does not violate the Fifth Amendment, as it is considered a physical act rather than testimonial evidence.
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