Quick Reminder for Windows Phone 7.x Developers

Just passing along this reminder!

This is a reminder that effective January 1, 2015, it will no longer be possible to unlock Windows Phone 7.x devices for app testing. We recommend that you unlock your Windows Phone 7.x devices prior to January 1, 2015 in order to continue testing your apps with those devices. Please note this unlock will be good for 24 months.

On January 1, 2015, if you have not unlocked your Windows Phone 7.x device, deploying and testing of apps from Visual Studio on that device will no longer be possible. However, app testing can still be done on other unlocked phones, via the Windows Phone Emulator, or by submitting beta apps through the Windows Dev Center.
Please note that this change will not impact apps available in the Windows Phone Store, nor will it impact customers with Windows Phone 7.x devices. Additionally, if you have apps that only have a Windows Phone 7.x package, now is a good time to update these apps to Windows Phone 8 or 8.1.

In preparation for this change, on Wednesday December 10 between 9am and 11am Pacific time, the Windows Phone 7.x device unlock service will be unavailable due to maintenance.