Rogers Refused to Unlock my phone. Illegial!

[BearFBI]

So I had an old phone that was locked to rogers. I used to use it when I was with them but I got a new galaxy s10 but thought it would be a great idea to keep my old phone as a backup phone. First I knew I had to unlock it so I contacted a rogers live chat agent. The agent refused to unlock it because I was not a customer. Here is the transcript.

07:47:56 PM [BearFBI] ...Transferred from Virtual Assistant chat...

07:50:25 PM [BearFBI] Hello I have an android phone that i need to unlock. Its currently locked to the Rogers network. My IMEI is XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
07:52:22 PM [Joseph] Hi, I'm Joseph from Rogers in Moncton and I'll be helping you today.
07:52:29 PM [Joseph] I can definitely assist you with unlocking your device. Are you a Rogers cell phone customer? 
07:53:05 PM [BearFBI] No
07:53:55 PM [Joseph] I do apologize but I cannot assist with unlocking a device if you are not a Rogers customer.
07:53:57 PM [Joseph] Was there any other questions? 
07:54:54 PM [BearFBI] I was previously a rogers customer and i had a paygo account. I ported out and switched phones now im trying to use this phone as a backup but it needs an unlock code from rogers.
07:55:30 PM [BearFBI] The phone was bought locked with rogers
07:56:25 PM [Joseph] You need an active account with Rogers. If not I cannot help .Sorry again
07:56:26 PM [Joseph] Was there any other questions? 
07:56:28 PM [BearFBI] I still remember my login info
07:57:47 PM [BearFBI] if you cannot unlock my phone then this is illegial. I will file a complaint with the CCTS. Thats why i left rogers. You guys do things like this. I unlocked many rogers phones in the past and no one has given me this issue.
07:58:15 PM [Joseph] We recently changed our Policy to better assist our customers.
07:58:17 PM [BearFBI] Why do i have to have a rogers account all the sudden ?
07:58:35 PM [BearFBI] This does not better assist anyone
07:58:48 PM [BearFBI] Even Bell dosent do this
07:59:11 PM [BearFBI] Could it be possible to login with my old paygo account
07:59:12 PM [Joseph] Feel free to share your concerns online : https://www.rogers.com/consumer/contactus/share-a-concern
07:59:29 PM [BearFBI] I still have my login info but no plan associated with it
07:59:31 PM [Joseph] Is the account active?
07:59:35 PM [BearFBI] is that enough to unlock it
07:59:50 PM [Joseph] You need an active Rogers account.
07:59:51 PM [BearFBI] I ported out from the account.
08:00:39 PM [BearFBI] So how would I unlock this ?
08:00:56 PM [BearFBI] I payed for the phone you cant do this
08:02:07 PM [BearFBI] Hello?
08:02:12 PM [Joseph]

The guy disconnected and I thought I would try again to chat with another agent. I ended up getting the same agent and I threw a huge fight. In the end he had no choice but to give my the unlock code. Unbelievable Thats why I left rogers. They treat customers terribly. I cant even unlock a phone that I bought. If anyone is seeing this and is with rogers or even bell PORT out immediately. 

[Anonymous]

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@Korth wrote:

How could Rogers legally impose a 12 month limitation?

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Because they can get away with it. No one's going to go to all that trouble with CCTS or legal action for something they could pay a nominal sum to get done.

And they know it.

And of course remember that the providers are in the pockets of the CCTS.

[Korth]

1. Any device provided by a service provider to the customer for the purpose of providing wireless services must be provided unlocked.
2. If a device is, or becomes, locked to a service provider’s network, that service provider must unlock the device, or give the customer the means to unlock the device, upon request, at no charge.

CRTC rules about unlocked/unlocking phones have been in force since Dec 2017.

I would ask the Rogers rep to explain why they believe this 12-month limitation is legal. I would remind them that if they don't want to explain it to me then they can explain it to the CCTS.

https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/phone/mobile/codesimpl.htm

[dabr]

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@d33rg wrote:

I am having the same problem with Rogers.  They will not unlock my cell phone because I no longer had an account with them in the past 12 months.  I sent an email to the CRTC to let them know that Rogers is not following the CRTC guidelines of allowing ex-Rogers customers to have our old Rogers cell phones unlocked. CRTC has yet to reply to my email to explain why Rogers is allowed to do this.  I believe if more people who have this problem email the CRTC and explain that Rogers in not unlocking old Rogers phones because of their 12 month time limit then the CRTC will jump in and do something for us.  If anyone has had this problem with Rogers and cannot get Rogers to unlock their phone, please email the CRTC and let them know.  The more emails CRTC receive about this, may just be what is needed to encourage them to enforce their guidelines.  I hope all of you in this same circumstance will email CRTC too.  Thanks

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@d33rg   What kind of a phone do you have?  If it's a Samsung you can phone their customer service number to get the unlock code.  I'm not too sure if other phone makers also will give you the unlock code too, although I don't see why not.

[d33rg]

I am having the same problem with Rogers.  They will not unlock my cell phone because I no longer had an account with them in the past 12 months.  I sent an email to the CRTC to let them know that Rogers is not following the CRTC guidelines of allowing ex-Rogers customers to have our old Rogers cell phones unlocked. CRTC has yet to reply to my email to explain why Rogers is allowed to do this.  I believe if more people who have this problem email the CRTC and explain that Rogers in not unlocking old Rogers phones because of their 12 month time limit then the CRTC will jump in and do something for us.  If anyone has had this problem with Rogers and cannot get Rogers to unlock their phone, please email the CRTC and let them know.  The more emails CRTC receive about this, may just be what is needed to encourage them to enforce their guidelines.  I hope all of you in this same circumstance will email CRTC too.  Thanks

[Naepalm]

@BearFBI  even now though they can't refuse even if you were under contract. Those "contracts" are essentially useless because you can cancel at any point without repercussion. This is their fault though the contracts used to be like selling your first born, so the CRTC made changes. 

[BearFBI]

@Korth Well I got my unlock code as I mentioned above. I messaged back got the same guy and argued. He eventually gave it to me. If that was the case I would definitely submit a complaint with the CCTS

[Korth]

@BearFBI 

You still can attempt to contact Rogers one more time - save screenshots, email, etc - then submit a complaint to CCTS. Rogers will no doubt attempt to contact you and do what they can (what they're required) to unlock code fairly promptly afterwards, lol, they won't like "unresolved" issues on file with CCTS. But they likely won't do anything until the Powers That Be force things.

[Anonymous]

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@Triguy wrote:

CRTC wireless code of conduct requires providers to unlock phones upon request.

https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/phone/mobile/code.htm

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Yes. That's right. Linked earlier. But Rogers seems to be ignoring that code through this and other shenanigans. Thus the topic.

[Triguy]

CRTC wireless code of conduct requires providers to unlock phones upon request.

https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/phone/mobile/code.htm

[BearFBI]

@zblackma Yep. Sadly I haven't received the transcript for that one yet.

[zblackma]

@BearFBI  Thanks. I read the transcript. Had a good laugh. Did your fit go something like this? Bleep! Bleepity! Bleep! Bleep!! Bleep!!! etc. 😂 

[BearFBI]

@darlicious Aggreed. They find ways to cheat on wireless code and get away with it.

[darlicious]

Rogers and fido have operated their mobile services consistently in a manner that solely benefits the interests of its shareholders and turning profits at the expense of its customers. My experience of dealing with them and monthly erroneous billing and illegally charged overages and fees directly led me to public mobile. They flagrantly violated numerous WCC regulations and intentionally misled even the most financially savvy with confusing billing layouts  that contained false information and used negative billing practices to cheat you out of your money before you even started your billing period. As far as im concerned their entire head office should be in federal prison.

[BearFBI]

@brettster99 They also said you have 12 months to unlock any device after canceling your account. I cancled my account 1 month ago. Very stupid rule. Then this is funny. I contacted a rogers agent again. And I told him if its true or not. And he said there was something talking about this in mobile suryps website and he said it was not true.

[brettster99]

@BearFBI 

I just saw on Mobile Syrup that they changed there policy for any phone that was locked before 2017 decision by the CTRC and wants to be unlocked would need an active Rogers account.

They said it’s because people were selling illegal stolen unlocked phones from Rogers. BS I say.

apperantly any phone after 2017 this policy won’t affect them. Just stupid in my opinion 

[Anonymous]

And the world wonders why there are criminals. If a corporation can violate a regulation that they're required to follow then their license should be revoked and in this case their spectrum should be re-distributed.

But no. No one will care. Least of all the CRTC. Oh but won't someone think of the employees. That's why there are laws and regulations. For the people. Not those abstract invented concepts called a corporation. Guess who rules anyway. I hate the $h1t that corporations can just get away with. Gah!

[popping]

Started yesterday, Rogers will not unlock their phone if you are not a current subscriber or a subscriber within last 12 months.

https://mobilesyrup.com/2020/04/21/rogers-fido-devices-unlocking-rules/

[BearFBI]

@Anonymous Exactly. I was going to file a complaint with the CRTC. They only reason they can have to not unlock your phone is if you bought it on a contract and its not over yet. Even bell says you need an active account but if you speak to a customer service representative they give you the unlock code. 

[Anonymous]

 @BearFBI 

And other readers: A company would be acting outside of their regulatory bounds. ie. illegally. F 1 (ii)

Wireless Code 

F.    Mobile device issues

1. Unlocking

(i) Any device provided by a service provider to the customer for the purpose of providing wireless services must be provided unlocked.

(ii) If a device is, or becomes, locked to a service provider’s network, that service provider must unlock the device, or give the customer the means to unlock the device, upon request, at no charge.