workgoodwhy dont android phones have a bios like computers and be able to load a generic arm linux iso or windows one,or be easily rooted?
Phones evolved into pocket PCs but they were and still are primarily radios. Radios that YOU personally aren’t licensed to operate, the phone manufacturer/carrier is. Open source OSs would allow users to operate those radios, which means they could develop communications using cell carrier bands without a license. Imagine meshtastic at 50x the bitrate and everybody and their grandma already has the hardware. Why would people keep paying $60/mo to have every communication recorded and given to the government?
The current telecommunications system is the most powerful mass surveillance tool to ever exist. That’s not something that will be dismantled easily.
I can spend $20 right now and buy a ham radio that I have full control over and no license to operate. This ain’t it.
Ham radio requires a license. You may be thinking of other services like gmrs . We get the point though.
Don’t need a license to have the radio or even to use it to listen. Only need a license to transmit.
That also depends on where you are located. Some countries are twitchier about citizens having radio equipment than others.