As a former Cybertrader I can confirm that IB's margin policy is much more relaxed than Cybers.
At Cyber, if you get a margin call in a Pattern Daytrader account, you need to meet the call within 3 days. During these 3 days the account is restricted to cash trades only (no shorts). If after 3 days the 25 k are not restored, the account is limited to closing open positions only until the 25k are restored, or until the account status is changed to a non-daytrading account, something you can demand only once every 90 days.
Of couse if you did 10 daytrades at IB and then the account falls under 25k, you'r out of the stockgame for the next 5 days. You might still trade futures and options.
croc
At Cyber, if you get a margin call in a Pattern Daytrader account, you need to meet the call within 3 days. During these 3 days the account is restricted to cash trades only (no shorts). If after 3 days the 25 k are not restored, the account is limited to closing open positions only until the 25k are restored, or until the account status is changed to a non-daytrading account, something you can demand only once every 90 days.
Of couse if you did 10 daytrades at IB and then the account falls under 25k, you'r out of the stockgame for the next 5 days. You might still trade futures and options.
croc