A developer reverse-engineered Lenovo's proprietary FCC unlock process for WWAN modems and replaced it with a transparent 100-line Bash script. The script performs the same handshake to activate LTE modems on ThinkPads without relying on closed-source binaries. This provides users with an auditable, open alternative for regulatory compliance unlocking.
Background
Many laptops with embedded WWAN modems ship with FCC locks that prevent modem activation until proper regulatory compliance verification is performed. Manufacturers typically use proprietary software to handle this unlock process.
- Source
- Lobsters
- Published
- Apr 11, 2026 at 11:40 PM
- Score
- 6.0 / 10