Will installing Ubuntu Phone be illegal in the USA?

[AllWires]

Hi,

In the USA there was a law passed recently that makes it illegal to bypass the bootloader security of a device.

Does this mean that it will be illegal to install Ubuntu Phone and Tablet on devices with locked bootloaders (e.g., the Nexus 7)?

[Mark Phelps]

IF I was you, I'd worry more about if such a thing is even possible given that, according to a write-up on Verizon's approach:


By way of the encrypted bootloader, the device is effectively made worthless because when a new carrier flashes their software to the phone, the bootloader recognizes it as "Unapproved Software" and puts the device into a boot loop.

To me, this means that even if you COULD flash a Verizon phone with Ubuntu, it still would not work.

[Cheesemill]

Also Ubuntu phone is not meant as a product for users to install on their own mobile phones. It is intended as a product for mobile phone manufacturers to ship devices with already installed.

It may be possible for users to install it on some models of phone, but only after someone does the work of porting it for that specific model. This may or may not happen for any particular model.

[iponeverything]

Not every phone in the US is carrier locked or required to be.

no need to unlock an unlocked phone,so laws broken in the case of a google phone.

[txbahai]

Seems interesting, I think it will be a long time before we see Ubuntu on phones in the US from any major carrier.

[BonceyDoesLinux]

Is anyone going to care if you bypassed the bootloader? It's your phone. Most US laws are stupid, and the people that keep reinstating these SOPA and PIPA stuff.

[oldos2er]

Moved to Mobile Technology Discussions.

[Danny1234]

I don't think it is illegal.It is just like an app.

[CloakandPigeon]

Is anyone going to care if you bypassed the bootloader? It's your phone. Most US laws are stupid, and the people that keep reinstating these SOPA and PIPA stuff.

Locking phones to carriers should be illegal. There is already a contract holding you to pay monthly for 2-3 years, no reason to lock the phone down.


I don't think it is illegal.It is just like an app.

http://gizmodo.com/5978982/unlocking-your-phone-is-illegal-starting-tomorrow

[3rdalbum]

Seems interesting, I think it will be a long time before we see Ubuntu on phones in the US from any major carrier.

The first products are meant to be coming out next year. Is that long enough?

Besides, this thread has nothing to do with bootloaders or official Ubuntu Phone devices. Removing the network lock on a phone is illegal in the USA, but that has nothing to do with the operating system on the phone.

[Cheesemill]

The first products are meant to be coming out next year. Is that long enough?

It's actually even sooner, October I believe...

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2013/02/first-ubuntu-phone-available-october-says-shuttleworth

[SeijiSensei]

Removing the network lock on a phone is illegal in the USA, but that has nothing to do with the operating system on the phone.

From my experience, GSM phones aren't locked. I've bought phones from third parties and used them on AT&T's network simply by moving my SIM card. I didn't change providers, but I'd be surprised if they wouldn't have worked had I put a T-Mobile SIM in them instead.

These were all traditional phones. I don't know if I could simply replace the SIM from my new Galaxy S3 from T-Mobile with a SIM from AT&T, but I'd bet I can.

[3rdalbum]

It's actually even sooner, October I believe...

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2013/02/first-ubuntu-phone-available-october-says-shuttleworth

It's been corrected in the last few days; 13.10 is when Ubuntu Phone will be on the same codebase as desktop Ubuntu, and presumably the phone environment will be installable on the desktop. Actual Ubuntu phones will ship next year.


From my experience, GSM phones aren't locked.

You mean, in America. In most countries, GSM phones from carriers are network-locked.

[grahammechanical]

There is already a contract holding you to pay monthly for 2-3 years, no reason to lock the phone down.

This does not apply to the user of a stolen phone. I see lots of places in London offering to unlock mobile phones. I do not know if it is legal or illegal in the UK to do this. But why is it necessary?

Regards.

[kurt18947]

It's been corrected in the last few days; 13.10 is when Ubuntu Phone will be on the same codebase as desktop Ubuntu, and presumably the phone environment will be installable on the desktop. Actual Ubuntu phones will ship next year.



You mean, in America. In most countries, GSM phones from carriers are network-locked.

The GSM phones I've had in the U.S. were indeed network locked. The carrier (AT&T in this case) heavily subsidizes high end phones expecting to get their money back plus a bunch more over the life of the contract. In my experience, once the contract terms are fulfilled, they're willing to issue an unlock code.

AT&T and T-mobile sell prepaid phones. They are GSM phones, I don't know if there is any network lock involved there or not.

[e8hffff]

Hi,

In the USA there was a law passed recently that makes it illegal to bypass the bootloader security of a device.

Does this mean that it will be illegal to install Ubuntu Phone and Tablet on devices with locked bootloaders (e.g., the Nexus 7)?

It all depends on the company that releases the device making a complaint. It's not really criminal code stuff, as people have a right to manipulate their possessions, but you may be under a civil agreement not to and that may be backed by some sort of criminal-code legislation.

Google uses open-source and that tends to mean they aren't a restrictive company to end user modification, or are expected to have it open under licence. This is why most of the images are to suit Google hardware.

[Grinage]

I wonder if this could have anything to do with the price of unlocked phones, a few months ago I looked at buying an unlocked phone and noticed it was almost three times the cost of the same phone if I bought it from any US carrier. It's always been a little higher for unlocked phones but trippling in price seems to be excessive. I was only looking at one model of phone so I don't know if this is the same across the board.