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[mattlgroff]

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Follow the posting about #OPMOSH at here and at the

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(By our awesome member

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)

Vote in the poll here for "Security and Permissions" and even comment about the locked bootloaders if you want. Do not be unprofessional, this is meant for developers.

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Sign up for their online MOTODEV Office Hours on Febuary 15th, you can write in a question to ask, I'd suggest asking about the Razr "Developer Edition" and why we must purchase a second device unlock the bootloader when it can be done with a simple software upgrade instead. We were promised them in late 2011 and have heard nothing.

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You can also do the things list on the XDA-thread for #OPMOSH which I will copy into the first reply to this thread.

[mattlgroff]

OPERATION: Make Ourselves Heard (#OPMOSH) 2.0

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DISCLAIMER:
We here, in the movement of #OPMOSH do not consider this spam, we do not consider this slandering Moto, we simply use this as a method of having our concerns heard. Motorola Mobility Inc. has been a powerful company that has been around for a very long time, and one we hope to see long in the future as well, before and after the Google buyout (which, might I add, is not completed). That being said...

Prologue:
Motorola Mobility Inc.'s executives and PR team have become famous for lying, having generally poor consumer relations, and amongst all, having a tendency to flat out prove time and time again that it cares very little for its customers after they walk out of that store with their shiny Motorola-branded device. It's definitely not hard to find examples of this - their refusal to upgrade devices that are fully capable of running the latest Android OS, the XOOM 4G upgrade fiasco, re-releasing phones with the same hardware but the most current OS (Defy/Defy+, anyone?), and even locking their bootloaders in the first place. Galaxy Nexus users around the world are laughing in our faces, now. But why is that?

Well, since the early days of Android, post Droid 1, we have (mostly) remained quiet about our locked bootloaders, hoping that one day Motorola would take a second glance at us, and follow other companies leads. The Droid X, the Droid 2, Droid 2 Global, Droid X2, Droid Bionic, and dozens more devices slid by with locked bootloaders, to the dismay of those wanting a long-term device like the Droid 1 was... There came to be a boiling point, though - and many, MANY full-out wars were launched on their social media sites, just a year ago. Sound familiar? Yes, the same thing that worked with HTC's (and now with Asus') bootloader policies.

At the end of the most successful campaign, known as the #UnlockMoto movement (which I extend my deepest gratitude towards everyone involved in), we received a broad, carefully worded announcement, via AusDroid, that unlockable bootloaders were being looked into. Flash forward to late 2011, and we're given another announcement, still quite broad, about the unlockable bootloaders... a "second half of 2011" timing for software releases, via MOTODEV.

...Welcome to Q1 2012, Motorola fans. Not only have they missed their deadline, and rogue-edited their blog post's timeframe for the bootloader unlock software rollout from the "second half of 2011" to "later this year", but they have actually given an official announcement of their plans... to release a completely separate HARDWARE version of the RAZR with an unlockable bootloader. This is unacceptable for those of us who dished out 700 dollars, full retail, to get our brand new Droid RAZR/Droid RAZR MAXX in hopes that they would eventually set free, and even MORE unacceptable for Droid 3, Bionic, and other Motorola users that don't even get an eyelash batted at. DOWNRIGHT UNACCEPTABLE. Basically... Motorola has screwed us over. Again.

But we here at #OPMOSH aren't done. Raise your voices - let's Make OurSelves Heard yet again, to let Moto know that this "Developer Edition" RAZR had better be available either as a trade for our devices, old or new, paying the difference in price, or not at all, since we all bought our devices in hopes that they would keep their word in the first place.Everyone counts!

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So....What can I do?
Well, at this time, we don't know whether it is Verizon's or Motorola's decision that is causing all of these bootloader-related problems, so there's quite a few general things that you can do to help inch them along. The most important of them all would be to...

FIRST OFF, SIGN THE PETITION:

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This petition is specifically worded so that they unlock their EXISTING bootloaders rather than releasing ~Developer's Editions~ of all of their phones. So much for their plans to not saturate the market with 9,000 phones in 2012, right?


Then....
TRY CALLING VERIZON'S EXECUTIVES.
Make sure before calling that you are very informed about the issue and confident in your position, yet can be quite calm. Do not show any disrespect towards Marie H or the person you call. They are merely the (wo)man-in-the-middle, and you simply need to explain to them your position and back it up with facts. Also, do note that all times are EST.
Call Marie H. at (412) 266-7756 on Monday - Fridays, 8 am to 5 pm. OR Michelle at (803) 231-1787 on Monday - Fridays, 7 am to 4 pm. OR Call Verizon customer service at *611 or (800) 922-0204 and get to a rep by mashing 0.

This is something you cannot copy-paste, unfortunately. Here are some guidelines that should help you be successful in your endeavor:
- First off, if you get the voicemail, leave your name, number, and a time you can be contacted in case they wish to follow-up call.
- Mention that many are filing FCC complaints because locking smartphone bootloaders prevents users from installing the software that they want (the OS), and thus violates Block C guidelines. (Do research in case this is brought into question)
- Mention that HTC, Motorola, and Samsung have bootloader-unlockable devices on the network right now, so there's no legitimate reason to be selling a totally new device... (HTC has their 2011 devices, Moto has the Xoom, and Samsung the Galaxy Nexus)
- Mention that the bootloader being unlocked does not allow the device to do anything that a laptop that is using a 4G hotspot cannot do even faster/more efficiently, including hogging network resources.
- Mention that the bootloaders being FORCE locked (as in, not unlockable) does not offer protection from any present viruses or attacks of Android devices.
- Mention also that unlocking the bootloaders could very well use a system like HTC uses - which stores the IMEI of the device and voids its software warranty indefinitely, making Verizon's warranty services not liable for what a user installs on their device.
- Close your talk/voicemail by stating the number of signatures on the petition, currently well over 5,000, and saying that this is a widespread concern of many users, that wish Android to be truly open.
- Say thank you before you hang up, it'll really give off a good impression.

Also, you could...
TRY AN FCC COMPLAINT:

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Select Wireless Telephone > Billing, Service, Privacy, Number Portability and other issues > Online Form. Fill out your information, scroll down, fill out 1 and 2, skip 3 and 4. Then in 5:

- Tell the FCC that your phone’s bootloader was sold to you locked, preventing the regulatory requirement of BLOCK C Devices (MAKE SURE TO MENTION BLOCK C!!!) that "Consumers should be able to download and utilize any software applications, content, or services they desire" - make sure to cite that.

- Also helpful would be dispelling the "Reasonable network management" exclusion. Tell the FCC that Verizon allows tethering of unauthorized devices to 4G LTE services through their mobile hotspots and their paid phone tethering functionality as-is, ones that are more bandwidth-hungry and also permit installing custom operating systems, and have a potential of doing significantly more damage, such as laptops.

If you don't want to write yours up manually, we will have a pre-made step 5 that you can just copy paste soon, hopefully.

Don't forget to...
TRY EMAILING:
TO:

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To Whom It May Concern,

Motorola, please, we beg of you to hear us out. We bought your devices faithfully, some of us standing in line, some of us saving our hard-earned money for weeks, for months, because we were so excited to get our hands on this shiny new piece of technology, be it the Droid 3, the RAZR, the Droid RAZR, the Bionic, the Atrix 4G... Even the Droid X, Droid 2, Milestone, and other users. We were aching to do the impossible with it - to break records with unparalleled speed, to optimize, to customize. To shun those who didn't believe in you delivering on your promise to unlock the full potential for your well-constructed devices, Motorola. We've been faithfully waiting.

And waiting, and waiting. Until today, when you delivered the announcement of the Motorola RAZR Developer's Edition. And unfortunately, this is not like the XOOM's 4G upgrade, where users could send in their already purchased devices - no. This is a completely new device. There is zero compensation or consideration for those of us who already have Motorola-branded phones in our hands.
Motorola.... We Droid RAZR users... We Atrix 4G users... We Droid Bionic users... Even we Droid RAZR MAXX users that got our phones less than a week ago... What about us, Motorola? You gave us your word. It was a tipping decision for a lot of your buyers that purchased the Droid RAZR, to know that we would be a part of history, having the very first Motorola device with an unlockable bootloader. Why did you alienate us? You saw all of our petitions, and this announcement seems a lot like a one-trick pony, something that will start here, not sell well (because we've already purchased the exact same phone and aren't financially able to purchase another), and never happen again. Will there ever be a consumer device that also doubles as a treat for the enthusiasts, like the Transformer Prime? Or any of HTC's devices? As faithful customers, we've been faithfully waiting.

This is like a slap in the face to every buyer of your high-end phones. We very much do appreciate that you're trying, but this is not the solution you need, or that we need. At least not in its current form. Please put your foot down firmly. If Verizon is causing this, you do have the ability to change it. Nexus devices changed it. HTC changed it.

Honor your core demographic, the Android enthusiasts, and unlock your devices. If not the ones you've already released, then all in the future. 2012 is an important year for all of us. Please.

Sincerely,
One of the over 15,000 people represented by the internet petitions listed below.

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Or...
TRY TWEETING:
Really, @Motorola? I don't see any mention of a "Developer's Edition".

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#OPMOSH2

Or even...
TRY POSTING ON THEIR FACEBOOK WALL:
I'm fairly sure a "Developer's Edition" of the same phone isn't a "software release", Motorola. Give us a break.

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But above all...
MAKE SURE TO SIGN THE PETITION!!

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We NEED to be heard to get anywhere. Spread the word to your Facebook friends, your Twitter friends, your Google Talk friends, your Google+ friends, your favorite Android news site, local newspaper, lawyers... Spread the word! Bring freedom to the Android ecosystem, like Andy Rubin and Rich Miner intended.
Thank you SO much for your support. This community is amazing and I know our endeavors will come to fruition soon. See you on Moto's Facebook!

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[larrygeary]

If you read some of the Moto material linked in these forums, it seems they are interested in selling their phones into the large corporate market. Big corporations like Bank of America or Verizon like to lock down everything and don't want any unauthorized software running anywhere in their systems. Moto actually highlights the hardware-locked bootloader as a security feature for such companies. Releasing unlocking software for our RAZRs would allow locked-down corporate fleet RAZRs to be unlocked, too, making them a security risk. (How? Beats me, but that's how management in big corps think, in my experience.) If I'm right in my thinking, Moto will not unlock our bootloaders unless and until they give up on the corporate market, which seems unlikely. The number of RAZRs they could sell to just one account like Bank of America would far exceed the total number of developers and enthusiasts out here.

Don't hit me. I'm not saying I like it, but I think I understand Moto's reasoning, and it isn't because of any maliciousness toward us as devs and enthusiasts. It's simply that they can make far more money satisfying the needs of large corporate customers than they can by meeting ours, and those two sets of needs are directly opposed. Moto exists to make money, so when they weigh the two choices, we lose.

[garywojdan81]

If you read some of the Moto material linked in these forums, it seems they are interested in selling their phones into the large corporate market. Big corporations like Bank of America or Verizon like to lock down everything and don't want any unauthorized software running anywhere in their systems. Moto actually highlights the hardware-locked bootloader as a security feature for such companies. Releasing unlocking software for our RAZRs would allow locked-down corporate fleet RAZRs to be unlocked, too, making them a security risk. (How? Beats me, but that's how management in big corps think, in my experience.) If I'm right in my thinking, Moto will not unlock our bootloaders unless and until they give up on the corporate market, which seems unlikely. The number of RAZRs they could sell to just one account like Bank of America would far exceed the total number of developers and enthusiasts out here.

Don't hit me. I'm not saying I like it, but I think I understand Moto's reasoning, and it isn't because of any maliciousness toward us as devs and enthusiasts. It's simply that they can make far more money satisfying the needs of large corporate customers than they can by meeting ours, and those two sets of needs are directly opposed. Moto exists to make money, so when they weigh the two choices, we lose.

Right on!

[_base2]

Yes... you're right about the corporate market. My email wouldn't even open if I had root access, irrespective of the BL situation. Thankfully I'm not with that company anymore so I don't have to deal with that. It was dumb for this company bc the phones weren't supplied for by the company, since it was our responsibility to procure and pay for each month. Yet the still exhibit an extreme level of control over our devices.

What this means though is that companies can prevent and prohibit software tampering on the software level for those companies where security is of the utmost concern. That is ABSOLUTELY the responsibility of the IT dept, not the manufacturer (Moto).

Its not an excuse to keep them locked without option when the IT depts have the ability to keep them locked with backend software.

[ sent from _base2 ]