Starting Saturday, Jan. 26, it will be illegal to unlock your cell phone to access different networks.
A new law bans the practice of unlocking phones based on copyright infringement. Advocacy groups question the validity of the law and may challenge it in court.
Unlocking a phone means removing the security feature that prevents the phone from being used on only one carrier’s network and using multiple networks. The feature is used frequently by people who do a lot of international traveling.
Consumers will still be able to buy unlocked phones that are exempt from the law, but they will not be allowed to change existing cell phones.
The new law is based on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, a federal anti-hacking law.
The Librarian of Congress decided In October of 2012, that personally unlocking phones would no longer be allowed.
Sadsack
how about we unlock the librian of congress…..to much time on thier hands……..it is only illegal if you are caught…….keep the faith and unlock the phones…
Jon Snow
Stupid, who will really follow this and how will any one know?
bob haaga
Its my phone I paid for it
bubbah
ha… all my phones are already unlocked & henceforth I will buy in the EU where it is illegal to sell LOCKED (subsidized) phones …sheesh !!
Kyle
Maybe that's what I'll do when my parents take us all to europe…
Paul
Look at our bright legislators….
kyle
I know, it is absurd what they are trying to do, it is forcing people out of their money, money that could go to helping the govt. out of debt.
michael
SIGN THIS ASAP ITS A PETITION FOR THE WHITE HOUSE I FOUND TO STOP THIS CRAP… THESE FOOLS HAVE TAKEN EVERYTHING FROM US AND WE BUY THESE SO WE SHOULD OWN IT AND DO AS WE PLEASE….. THEY HAVE TAKEN ENOUGH FROM US AND IT IS A MAN TELLING ANOTHER WHAT HE CAN OR CANNOT DO https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/make-un…
Peggy S
All of you people who voted for Obummer, we tried to tell you that he was all about CONTROL. but you wouldn't listen. everyone was so brainwashed about his stupid War on Women crap and hate the rich that you didn't see what he was REALLY doing with his other hand. Wait until you feel the CONTROL he will have over your body with ObummaCare – it's all about control! Vote the Dems out – they are aligned with the Communists.
Aaron
Both the Democrats and the Republicans both to blame on why this nation is going down hill. So STFU and keep on watching FOX News
kinniemiki
before I saw the draft that said $6306, I be certain …that…my neighbour was actualey taking home money parttime on their apple labtop.. there neighbor has done this 4 only 16 months and just paid the morgage on there place and got a great Lotus Elise. I went here,……. http://xurl.es/v09vc
kat
Yay government take over!!
Kyle
WE NEED A PETITION IN ORDER TO STOP THE GOVERNMENT FROM HELPING MAJOR PHONE CARRIERS (AT&T, SPRINT, T- MOBILE, VERIZON WIRELESS ETC.) MAKE MORE MONEY. They are our phones and we paid for them and we don't want to have to keep buying and buying. What if there was a phone you really like and you paid a lot of money for it on carrier A and you can't unlock it to get a better price on carrier B. "America: The land of plenty" YEAH plenty of crap from our government which helps major companies get tons of money and pretty soon all of the smaller ones will be out of business and what if a poor person has an expensive, reliable phone with an expensive plan, and they find better service costs for the same plan on a different carrier, they have nowhere to go because they can't unlock their phones, it is illegal. It kills me how our government wastes so much money paying our congress people to regulate this and it will kill some people financially, AS AMERICANS WE NEED TO STAND UP TO THE GOVERNMENT AND HELP OURSELVES SAVE MONEY, THE MONEY THAT COULD HELP PAY OUR TAXES AND HOPEFULLY GET THIS NATION OUT OF DEBT. BUT NO, THE GOVERNMENT IS FORCING PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR MONEY AND I SAY WE NEED TO PROTEST, START A PETITION, ANYTHING THAT COULD HELP LIFT THIS LAW. THANKS FOR READING, HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY AND HELP OUR ANTI UNLOCK BAN CAUSE.
LUCAS
Look…the only way that some thing likes this goes away is to from now on, buy your phones FROM the manafacturer so that way it will aready be unlocked AND don't sign up for any plans that involves a contract! Just go month to month and if a carrier isn't cutiing it for you then just jump to the next. That's how it's done every where else. You have to hit them where it hurts…in the wallet…where they have been bleeding US since day 1.
apps
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brumagnes
it's rediculus……what about the first amendment?
Denise Lee
If this illegal issue bothers you, and you want to have the option to be able to unlock a device you believe you paid for and own, then sign this official Petition and pass it along: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/make-un… .
There's still time! 10 days left to get 100,000 minimum signatures.. At present, there is 66,000 sigs.. Please pass this petition link around to help make a difference! And, btw you don't have to reside in the USA to sign, and if u need to create an account u don't have to put any identifying info in it
العاب فلاش
Thank you for publishing information.
cutersar
Nice article