Stolen Phone Databases Go Live
Blocking Unpaid Balances
Now that this is live, I wonder how many phones T-Mobile and AT&T will block (since Sprint and Verizon already do this), when a customer doesnt pay their bill and gets terminated. I wonder what the legality will be when AT&T and T-Mobile say that they technically own the phone until the ETF is paid or the remaining balance is paid.
Ive actually had Sprint one time tell me they owned my phone until I was out of a contract, when I offered to return my phone to them, for a price, or for free, they refused to take it saying, "Its been used, we have no need for a used phone, however, we still own your phone through your contract but if anything happens to it, thats on you!"
With carriers saying things like this, thats so direct yet so vague, ...
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Ive actually had Sprint one time tell me they owned my phone until I was out of a contract, when I offered to return my phone to them, for a price, or for free, they refused to take it saying, "Its been used, we have no need for a used phone, however, we still own your phone through your contract but if anything happens to it, thats on you!"
With carriers saying things like this, thats so direct yet so vague, ...
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T-mobile already does that. If you have an EIP (equipment installment plan) and you cancel or port-out, and do not provide a final payment, the IMEI is blacklisted. Mind you, that only happens if the phone still has money owed on it on the installmen...
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Well....as much as you might dislike it, if you buy carrier equipment, then while you are under contract, the carrier owns the phone.....I can't imagine actually telling a customer that....but it is indeed true, that is what the contract says....
I HOPE they do! If you have a bill, PAY IT! I'm all about anything that helps keep delinquents in line. If you don't pay your bill, why should the carrier eat the loss on the equipment? If you received subsidized equipment pricing, then screw you! Ins...
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Databass? Must be a new kind of mechanical fish.
And 4 carriers isn't enough. Its a great start, but you could then just take that stolen phone to a carrier that doesnt support this databass.
...and there are plenty of those around. MVNO heaven.
The fact that it doesn't do everything is no reason to not do something....over time, more carriers can be added....don't make the perfect the enemy of the good.
