[blindlaw] Smart Phone article of interest

Michael Nowicki mnowicki4 at icloud.com
Sun Jul 21 01:26:38 UTC 2013


Hylis members,

I apologize for any typographical errors in this message, as I am composing it using Siri. Personally, I don't believe that jailbreaking the phone will help. This is because the problem lies within the phone's compatibility with a given network, not in getting inside the operating system. For example, AT&T and T-Mobile are GSM networks. This means that phone number and other data are stored on a SIM card. Sprint and Verizon, on the other hand, are CDMA networks.m; Data is stored in the phone itself. My point is that a GSM phone will not work on a CDMA network and vice versa, unless the phone is built to work on both types of networks. For that reason, no AT&T phone can possibly work on sprint. It would be like trying to catch NAM station on FM only radio. I hope this helps.

Michal

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 20, 2013, at 12:36 PM, Russ Thomas <rthomas at emplmntattorney.com> wrote:

> Find someone that knows how to "jailbrake" the phone. That might work.
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Daniel
> McBride
> Sent: Saturday, July 20, 2013 9:20 AM
> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Smart Phone article of interest
> 
> Ross:
> 
> Just wanted to fuss about an aspect of smart phones that really ticks me
> off.
> 
> In May of 2012, I purchased an I Phone 4S.  I got a 60% discount for signing
> a 2 year contract with the vendor, AT&&T.  My monthly bill for the unlimited
> access service is $100.84.
> 
> Back in February, I did the math and figured out that I would save money if
> I breached my 2 year deal, paid the liquidated sum of $200 agreed to and
> started the same unlimited access service with Sprint for $50 per month.
> There was but one problem.
> 
> When I inquired with my local Sprint vendor, I was advised that the very
> expensive I Phone that I purchased wasn't really mine.  That is, my very
> expensive I Phone can be activated, and utilized, through AT&T alone.
> 
> So, the phone I thought I purchased, and was dumb enough to believe that I
> owned, is actually the property of AT&T and I am merely leasing same for 2
> years.
> 
> After the 2 year contract expires, I either renew my lease with AT&T, or the
> very expensive I Phone is worthless as, even after fulfilling my contract, I
> cannot have any competitor activate their service on what I thought was my
> phone.
> 
> Now, what really ticked me off about this is that this was not disclosed to
> me by the AT&T sales person when I made the purchase.  I understand that I
> am educated, that I am my own best advocate and that I should have thought
> to ask about this issue.  However, it never occurred to me that the
> transaction was a lease and not an owner purchase.  I believe it to be
> deceptive and that this should be the obligation of the lessor to disclose
> pursuant to principles of truth in advertising, as this was an advertised
> program.
> 
> Furthermore, I have a niece that manages a T Mobil store and I called her
> about this issue.  She advised that the circumstances described above are
> the usual practice across the board with all smart phone service providers.
> 
> Anyway, just my 2 cents worth of useless knowledge.
> 
> Dan McBride
> Fort Worth, Texas
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindlaw [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ross Doerr
> Sent: Saturday, July 20, 2013 10:29 AM
> To: 'Blind Law Mailing List'
> Subject: [blindlaw] Smart Phone article of interest
> 
> The link below is for an article about smart phone plans, and it raises a
> fascinating legal issue. To be fair, it is an issue that is not exclusively
> a blindness or low vision issue. For that very reason an opportunity to
> change it  may be a better one than if it was presented as strictly a
> "blind" issue.
> As you listen to it, note two interesting things - first, on a regular cell
> phone plan that you sign up for two years with, the cost of the smart phone
> you didn't pay "up front" is a part of you monthly bill. So, if that is so,
> as the two interviewers say, why doesn't that "cell phone payment" part of
> your monthly bill get dropped after the phone is paid off?
> Second, you can rent a smart phone and pay for it until you want what they
> bill as a "free" upgrade to a newer phone. As the interviewer points out,
> aren't you paying for the same phone twice?
> So, for those of you who are contracts or transactional attorneys - is that
> legal? How can they charge all of us out here twice for the same thing?
> I will openly confess my lack of legal expertise on such an issue, my
> practice focus is on disability specific laws and regulations, so I would
> like to know what others have to say on the matter.
> By the way, if you have a "dumb phone" like I do, isn't it handled the same
> way? Did I pay for my motorola twice? 
> 
> WBUR radio article
>    New Smartphone Upgrade Plans Can Be Costly In The Long Run
> http://www.wbur.org/npr/203683450/new-smartphone-upgrade-plans-can-be-costly
> -in-the-long-run
> When you get the WBUR website up, scroll down to the "play" button that
> should appear directly under the author of the article and click on it.
> Interesting, isn't it.
> 
> Ross A. Doerr Esq.
> Visit my blog at:
> http://journeyblind.blogspot.com/
> 
> 
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