The term, Subsidy Password, is used by
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. () was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, United States. After having lost $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009, the company split into two independent public companies, Motorol ...
and other handset manufacturers to refer to the 8-digit code (or 16-digit code for phones such as the Motorola K1)
unlock code necessary to remove the
operator lock (also known as
subsidy lock) from
cell phones
A mobile phone, cellular phone, cell phone, cellphone, handphone, hand phone or pocket phone, sometimes shortened to simply mobile, cell, or just phone, is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link whi ...
. This code is randomly assigned to individual cell phones by the
OEM
An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is generally perceived as a company that produces non-aftermarket parts and equipment that may be marketed by another manufacturer. It is a common industry term recognized and used by many professional or ...
on request of the mobile service operator and prevents the use of a particular phone on a cellular network other than that to which the phone was originally sold.
Justification for use
The term "subsidy" refers to the subsidization of cell phones sold to customers that purchase mobile phones as part of a contract with the mobile service operator. Many network operators provide these subsidies as an incentive for users to sign extended contracts, and use the
subsidy lock as a means of protecting their investment. The installation of such locks means that users often are forced to purchase a different phone if they decide to switch their network (of advantage to both the OEM manufacturer and cellular service provider).
CDMA cellular providers that use subsidy locks on their handsets:
Ntelos,
Cricket,
Sprint,
Quest,
Philippines Cellular,
SureWest,
Telus &
Bell Mobility (Not a complete list)
GSM: (SIM unlock)
globe
smart
sun
Alltel or Verizon Wireless do not use any type of subsidy locks on their CDMA phones.
Default Code:000000 or 123456 or 654321
Prepaid cellphones from Alltel & Verizon Wireless come locked from the store, but Verizon Wireless prepaid cellphones can be unlocked with a call to Verizon.
Unlocking services and software
As a result of the lack of open access to the Subsidy Password database, a number of online services have grown around providing alternative
unlocking software. The methods used to unlock cell phones vary although most involve reading the code from the phone and resetting it.
Legal concerns
United States
Network carriers will sometimes agree to unlock their customers' phones upon request. While one could consider that the
Digital Millennium Copyright Act
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is a 1998 United States copyright law that implements two 1996 treaties of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It criminalizes production and dissemination of technology, devices, or ...
brings the legality of such applications under question in the United States, recent legal cases such as ''
Lexmark Int'l v. Static Control Components
''Lexmark International, Inc. v. Static Control Components, Inc.'', is an American legal case involving the computer printer company Lexmark, which had designed an authentication system using a microcontroller so that only authorized toner cartr ...
'' have confirmed that the use of software to reprogram such phones is not illegal. This is particularly true since unlocking applications increases compatibility with alternative networks, promotes positive competition and allows customers with greater freedom to use the phones that they own. In 2010, the
Librarian of Congress exempted unlocking phones from the DMC
Other countries
There are no legal prohibitions to unlocking in the United Kingdom or Canada.
See also
*
Digital Millennium Copyright Act#Anti-circumvention exemptions
*
Mobile phone
A mobile phone, cellular phone, cell phone, cellphone, handphone, hand phone or pocket phone, sometimes shortened to simply mobile, cell, or just phone, is a portable telephone that can make and receive calls over a radio frequency link whi ...
*
SIM lock
SIM lock, simlock, network lock, carrier lock or (master) subsidy lock is a technical restriction built into GSM and CDMA mobile phones by mobile phone manufacturers for use by service providers to restrict the use of these phones to specific co ...
Consumer electronics
Mobile telecommunication services