Can cellphone companies know when you rooted your phone?

[momo951]

I want to root my Motorola Triumph on Virgin Mobile and I know that rooting goes against their services. So is there any way that they would know if I rooted it and then cancel my service?

 

[Yeahha]

Virgin mobile will not cancel your service, trust me. I doubt they have the ability to tell you have gained root access, but even if they did they won't cancel your service unless you start using an extreme amount of data which would flag the account likely i.e. using the phone to tether often.

 

[wayrad]

I want to root my Motorola Triumph on Virgin Mobile and I know that rooting goes against their services. So is there any way that they would know if I rooted it and then cancel my service?

I've never used Virgin Mobile, so please excuse me if this is a dumb question...is it really against their TOS to root the phone, or does it just void your warranty? People sometimes assume the two are synonymous, but I've never heard of a carrier actually forbidding its customers to root. But as I said, I'm not familiar with VM.

 

[Yeahha]

I've never used Virgin Mobile, so please excuse me if this is a dumb question...is it really against their TOS to root the phone, or does it just void your warranty? People sometimes assume the two are synonymous, but I've never heard of a carrier actually forbidding its customers to root. But as I said, I'm not familiar with VM.

Virgin Mobile is pay as you go, no contract you just pay for service month by month and purchase the phone out right. Their TOS basically outlines only what you pay and what you get not what you can/can't do.

 

[momo951]

I've never used Virgin Mobile, so please excuse me if this is a dumb question...is it really against their TOS to root the phone, or does it just void your warranty? People sometimes assume the two are synonymous, but I've never heard of a carrier actually forbidding its customers to root. But as I said, I'm not familiar with VM.

Yes it's against their tos. That's why they sold the motorola triumph with stock android in hopes that people would not root the phone. One of their spokesman also said that they take a strong stance against rooting because it will "jeopardize" virgin mobile.

 

[Yeahha]

Yes it's against their tos. That's why they sold the motorola triumph with stock android in hopes that people would not root the phone. One of their spokesman also said that they take a strong stance against rooting because it will "jeopardize" virgin mobile.

Really? I can't find anything in their TOS that says that. I did find the news story where the suit says it is but not anything that backs up his statement

 

[Yeahha]

Ok this is the only thing I found that may back this up.

From Virgin Mobile USA

The software and content on our mobile phones and devices, including the operating system, applications, data, information, music, games, images, text and other material, are owned by us or our business partners. You are permitted to use this software and content solely in connection with your use of your Virgin Mobile phone or device with our service as expressly authorized under the Terms of Service... by modifying any hardware or software on our mobile phones or devices, or by distributing, copying or otherwise using any of the software or content on one of our mobile phones or devices in a manner that is not authorized by the Terms of Service, your license to the software and content will terminate immediately and your continued use will constitute copyright infringement.

Which sounds like they would be able to do something about rooting, however if I understand correctly they do not own the copyright to the vanilla android software on their phones, so if you called them and said you rooted you may get blacklisted otherwise you should be safe, google isn't going to go after you for rooting and flashing new roms. You should also remember the DMCA ruling last year saying it is not copyright infringement to hack your smart phone (source: iPhone jailbreak and Android root now legal, exempt from DMCA) so them trying to stop you from rooting because you rooted is likely not legal, now if you choose to tether they would be will within their rights to end your service with them.

 

[takeshi]

That's some broad and very general language that could be interpreted even to mean that your data on their devices belongs to them. I wouldn't worry about it but each person needs to make this sort of call for his/her self.

I want to root my Motorola Triumph on Virgin Mobile and I know that rooting goes against their services. So is there any way that they would know if I rooted it and then cancel my service?

Nope. Not without checking your device. Unless they have some sort of app monitoring and reporting root status.

 

[zuben el genub]

Now if you root to get rid of the carrier's crapware, can they ban that since you have disrupted anything they could make a profit on?
You don't use Facebook or any heavy data app. Root your phone and delete said apps.
Now you can go with the cheaper data plan which does make the company lose out.

I think TMO knows I'm rooted and unlocked, but most of my usage is well under the cheapest plan anyway.

However, Verizon is starting to sell new movies over the renamed VCast, and you can't get to those movies on wifi. You need to use the network:
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20...aps-new-high-bandwidth-services-profits.shtml

So there could be a move afoot to ban you from taking away from their services.

 

[jerofld]

From: U.S. Declares iPhone Jailbreaking Legal, Over Apple?s Objections | Threat Level | Wired.com

Jailbreaking, the EFF maintained, constitutes fair use of the firmware tied to the operating system.

The courts ruled that jailbreaking/rooting is legal to do. Virgin Mobile would be in violation of the ruling if they cancelled your service due to you rooting. They can void your warranty on the phone and refuse to fix it if it breaks, but they cannot deny you wireless service.

 

[indybail]

Has anyone been called out by Virgin (or I guess Sprint too)? If not I think that's your answer.