Microsoft and ChevronWP7 unlock team announced in June that they would be partnering up to produce a low cost unlock tool for Windows Phone devices. Usually to become a full developer for Windows Phone you have to pay Microsoft 99$ per year which is a lot for most developers finding their feet. However ChevronWP7 team will offer a solution that will unlock your device, and will only cost 9$. By unlocking your phone developers will be able to experiment with applications on their phone before they deploy them onto the marketplace. This will also allow sideloading of applications to the phone. The unlock tool will be available in a few weeks. To use the application here's what you will have to do.

A working Windows Live IDPurchase the unlock token for 9$ via Pay Pal or credit card for unlimited amount of unlocks on a single deviceDownload and install the unlock toolThe device will be placed in an unlock queue over at Chevron labsYou phone will be unlocked when it's your turn in the queue

This is certainly a great step Chevron has taken for the developer community. For those who can't afford the 99$ fee this is the way to go. It will encourage more development and will spice up the homebrew community. Here's hoping it doesn't encourage piracy otherwise Microsoft will be pretty quick to ban the whole thing.