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Omaha Steve

(99,079 posts)
Fri Jul 25, 2014, 06:02 PM Jul 2014

Cellphone unlocking set to become legal again

Source: AP-Excite

By PETER SVENSSON

NEW YORK (AP) — Congress has passed a bill that makes it legal to "unlock" cellphones so the devices can —at least in some instances— be used on other carriers.

The law, which President Obama says he looks forward to signing, undoes a move by the Librarian of Congress in 2012. That made it a copyright violation to unlock a phone without the carrier's permission.

The law passed Friday by the House of Representatives makes it legal to unlock phones for personal use at least until the Librarian's next round of rulemaking, next year. The measure was passed earlier by the Senate.

Unlocking typically involves entering codes on the phone. In more difficult cases, the phone needs to be hooked up to a computer to have new software installed.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140725/us-tec-cellphone-unlocking-645f83a1e2.html

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Cellphone unlocking set to become legal again (Original Post) Omaha Steve Jul 2014 OP
A bit of info on the Librarian of Congress antiquie Jul 2014 #1
Good, as it should be. uppityperson Jul 2014 #2
I didn't realize it was "illegal" to unlock phones. I had two AT&T phones that I wanted to unlock.. George II Jul 2014 #3
Was that before or after an expired contract? BadgerKid Jul 2014 #8
It was after, and we'd switched to Verizon. George II Jul 2014 #11
That was done with the carrier's permission ButterflyBlood Jul 2014 #9
NSA/DEA/FBI billhicks76 Jul 2014 #4
Do you understand what "unlocking phones" really is? George II Jul 2014 #5
Really ? billhicks76 Jul 2014 #7
does this mean i can switch my iphone? mopinko Jul 2014 #6
not officially law just yet but soon, PBO has to sign the bill steve2470 Jul 2014 #10
I don't need no stinking badges. nt. candelista Jul 2014 #12
 

antiquie

(4,299 posts)
1. A bit of info on the Librarian of Congress
Fri Jul 25, 2014, 06:12 PM
Jul 2014
A quick recap for those who haven’t been paying attention. For years, it was completely legal for a consumer to unlock her phone, provided that she owned the device outright. Then in 2012, the Librarian of Congress, who has the sole authority to interpret (and reinterpret) the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, ignored precedent and common sense, choosing instead to listen to the wireless industry, which argued that consumers never really own their phones because the software that operates them is not purchased by the user but licensed.

And so, in Jan. 2013, it became illegal for a consumer to unlock his phone without permission from his current wireless carrier. This led to an immediate backlash from consumers, consumer advocates, the FCC, members of Congress and the White House, which subsequently nudged the Commerce Dept. to nudge the FCC to get the wireless industry to voluntarily enact its own unlocking standards.

Shortly before the end of 2013, the wireless folks did just that, announcing a set of standards that would — hopefully — make it easier for consumers to unlock their devices without having to jump through too many hoops.

http://consumerist.com/2014/06/24/senate-to-finally-consider-bill-to-make-cellphone-unlocking-legal-again/

George II

(67,782 posts)
3. I didn't realize it was "illegal" to unlock phones. I had two AT&T phones that I wanted to unlock..
Fri Jul 25, 2014, 06:14 PM
Jul 2014

...I called AT&T and they gave me the codes to unlock both of them.

Maybe other phone companies aren't as open to that.

BadgerKid

(4,541 posts)
8. Was that before or after an expired contract?
Sat Jul 26, 2014, 07:17 AM
Jul 2014

I've read of such things happening AFTER the contract would run out.

ButterflyBlood

(12,644 posts)
9. That was done with the carrier's permission
Sat Jul 26, 2014, 07:49 AM
Jul 2014

And no doubt out of contract. This refers to people unlocking phones on their own.

 

billhicks76

(5,082 posts)
4. NSA/DEA/FBI
Fri Jul 25, 2014, 06:26 PM
Jul 2014

Last edited Fri Jul 25, 2014, 08:22 PM - Edit history (1)

How about at least locking out the snoops who illegally spy on us everyday. Politicians must want to support this given that any embarrassing private conversation can be used against them as leverage to change a vote or other behavior. Where are the new phones that cannot be tapped?

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