Hi,
Having extensive experience in the field of HTC unlocking, I can clear up some confusion. Firstly, it should be known that these codes are in fact random, and are not calculated in any hack-able way (unless their randomisation algorithm somehow gets cracked).*
HTC unlock codes come from the manufacturer, as opposed to some service provider-based unlocking services. That means that the only way to have access to them is by direct access to HTC's database, or through someone who, hopefully legally, is able to resell you unlock codes, which they retrieve from HTC's database.
In most countries worldwide, being able to purchase and unlock your device is a legal right. This is the case in at least USA, UK, Canada, and Australia (and many more). More info can be found here:
SIM lock - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Another point raised is if selling them vs. providing codes for free is different. The answer is, as the OP hinted at, is that it is no different to any other product, and does not change legalities based on price, unless some sort of SLA is made between the code supplier and a reseller regarding the minimum/suggested resale price.
These codes *do* cost everyone along the line money. This is not avoidable.
The closest you can come to a free remote HTC unlock code (there are some free software solutions, which may work, but they will void your warranty), is through our site, which I will describe in a minute.
In summary, remote phone unlocking is legal, safe, permanent, and does not void any warranty. It consists of simply typing in a code into the phone, and does not involve any software. I highly recommend going through an online seller instead of your provider, as they often charge excessive fees and take a limitless amount of time, as providers
do not want their customers unlocking their phones... That's not to say it's not legal (it is), they will just make it as hard as possible to unlock their phones. So do yourselves a favour, and unless the provider offers a good unlocking deal, don't give in, as you will receive much better service elsewhere.
Now, not to put in a shameless plug, but I wanted to explain the only way that an HTC unlock code can be free. Our site, which has been running for 2 years now and has unlocked almost 4,000 phones to date (now doing 1,000 a month, and clearly growing in popularity),
FreeUnlocks.com works through a sponsored solution. That is, customers have the option of completing a free advertising offer (such as a Netflix free 14 day trial, which can be cancelled at any time, with no charge, for example) in exchange for their code. In this way, the customer gets their code for free (guaranteed to work, with awesome support which service providers may/may not provide), the sponsor (Netflix in our example) gets the temporary, if not permanent lead, and our site is paid a small sum to cover costs and make a slight profit, by the Sponsor. We believe this options helps a lot of customers, who should not have to pay for a code again, if they are willing to utilize their resources. Obviously, this is not for everyone, so our site still has a safe payment option for a low price, but I definitely recommend that you look around for price comparisons as there are many sites online (most of which will provide you an accurate code, and some level of support) that are worth looking at, should you be willing to pay. In the end, most unlock code services are the same, with the exception of our site which has the added "Get it free" layer.
Moderators, definitely feel free to remove this post. I did read the rules of your forum in full, and only provided our link as I think we have something completely different to offer forum members than other sites that choose to spam the forum with no other reason for posting. I have made sure to be transparent with my affiliation with the site above, so my post may be somewhat biased, by nature, however I feel that I have explained the facts to the best of my ability.
Happy unlocking, and hope I could answer the OP's question. Please "Thanks" my post if I helped
Regards,
Adam
CEO -
Free Cell Phone and Mobile Phone Unlock Codes.