Major Change May Be Coming To A Cell Service Provider Near You

CNET is reporting that T-Mobile is considering abandoning the dreaded 2-year contract.  Consumers have long complained about the requirement of marrying oneself to a 2-year long commitment in order to secure an affordable price on a phone.  Industry insiders say the up front cost of the devices will go up, but consumers will save in the long run.  The hope is that once T-Mobile makes the move, Verizon, AT&T and others will follow suit.

More tech drama…

What’s all the noise from the White House about the new prohibition on ‘unlocking’ your phone for use with a different carrier?  A new law makes it a crime to “unlock” your phone without your current carrier’s permission, even if your contract with that carrier is now expired.  The White House has raised the issue of allowing the unlocking of phones after receiving a petition with over 100,000 signatures.  ‘Unlocking’ refers to removing or altering the electronic ‘lock’ that allows a phone only to work with a specific carrier.  The action requires a PIN to allow the phone to function on other’s networks.  Under the current ban, violaters could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000.