Obama signs a bill into law that makes unlocking a cell phone legal again, making it easier for some consumers to take their phones with them when they change wireless operators.

Unlocking a cell phone is officially legal again.

On Friday, President Obama signed the "Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act" (S.517) into law.

The new law repeals a 2012 decision by the Library of Congress that made cell phone unlocking a violation of the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The DMCA, which prohibits Americans from "circumventing" technologies that protect copyrighted works, gives the Library of Congress the authority to grant exemptions. Last year, the Library of Congress opted not to renew the DMCA exemption for cell phone unlocking, which it had granted in 2006 and 2010.

Unlocking a cell phone is important for consumers who travel abroad and for those who want to take their devices to other carriers. The reason why is that most devices sold in the US through wireless operators have a software lock on them which prohibits them from being used on another operator's network. The ban on unlocking put a roadblock in the way for consumers who wanted to use their devices on other networks.

Many politicians and consumer groups have said the new law will help promote consumer choice in the wireless market, since it allows consumers to take their cell phones to other carriers. But the reality is that the benefits may be slightly overstated as there are still significant technical barriers to taking any cell phone to any wireless carrier in the US.

CTIA, the wireless industry's lobbying group, applauded the new law but also pointed out this distinction.

"Even though the vast majority of Americans enjoy upgrading to new devices once their contract terms are fulfilled, we recognize that some consumers may want to unlock their devices to move to another carrier," Jot Carpenter, vice president of government affairs at CTIA, said in a statement. "Like the voluntary commitment CTIA's carriers entered into last December, this bill enables that process. Users should keep in mind unlocked does not necessarily mean interoperable, as carrier platforms and spectrum holdings vary."

Still, many agree that decriminalizing cell phone unlocking is a step in the right direction. Earlier this year, the Federal Communications Commission brokered a deal with major wireless carriers to allow people to unlock their cell phones.

"This new law is a positive development that addresses the issues that triggered unlocking concerns in the first place," FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said in a statement. "When the wireless industry worked with the FCC on a voluntary agreement to unlock devices when consumers' contracts have been fulfilled, they took an important step forward. The president's signature today makes greater consumer choice the law of the land."

http://www.cnet.com/news/president-signs-cell-phone-unlocking-bill-into-law/

Good development
Kudos to Obama led Government.

Mctewww!!....people were going to unlock their cells, even if the law was never reversed...Waste of paper and ink.

BedLam: I wonder wetin concern you with phone wey dem they sell and buy for US. Abi u still de buy London use?

Wats ur point n how is it related to d topic?


Ds shld b in front page

bobo65:

Wats ur point n how is it related to d topic?


Ds shld b in front page

FRONT PAGE KEE??

Are you just being mischevious or what; this is Nigeria for your foolery sake. What's the stress in adding the 'American' to your heading when you know you ain't in America but in another soverign nation or is Obama now the president of planet Earth?

President koh Resident ni mtcheeew

blizard44: Are you just being mischevious or what; this is Nigeria for your foolery sake. What's the stress in adding the 'American' to your heading when you know you ain't in America but in another soverign nation or is Obama now the president of planet Earth?

I wonder oooo

.

Why cant you just read and go?

blizard44: Are you just being mischevious or what; this is Nigeria for your foolery sake. What's the stress in adding the 'American' to your heading when you know you ain't in America but in another soverign nation or is Obama now the president of planet Earth?

Am sure all the phones u have ever used in your entire life are all UK/US used phones,why pretend?

BedLam: I wonder wetin concern you with phone wey dem they sell and buy for US. Abi u still de buy London use?

Olekumaster: FRONT PAGE KEE??

Lol

blizard44: Are you just being mischevious or what; this is Nigeria for your foolery sake. What's the stress in adding the 'American' to your heading when you know you ain't in America but in another soverign nation or is Obama now the president of planet Earth?

U guys keep insulting without finkin n understanding, do u know at&t is an american company, n to use an at&t branded iphone in nigeria, u will have to unlock it, d prices vary from 7k to 23, now it reaches 23k because a ban was placed, now its now legal to unlock, d price might even fall to 3k
So this is good news

Try to decipher posts b4 pouring insults on d op

bobo65:

U guys keep insulting without finkin n understanding, do u know at&t is an american company, n to use an at&t branded iphone in nigeria, u will have to unlock it, d prices vary from 7k to 23, now it reaches 23k because a ban was placed, now its now legal to unlock, d price might even fall to 3k
So this is good news

Try to decipher posts b4 pouring insults on d op

bobo, the president of the US of A is a distinct and different person from the head of the Nigerian federation. Owing to that and with the knowledge that we are presently in Nigeria, it will be grammatically wrong and idiotic to use the word president without mentioning the state of which he is head when you're not reffering to Goodluck Joni whose picture is inherent and usually invoked inevitably as the president here.
His post's heading can pass in America and not here,

As to your at and t story, kindly show me where I condemned it.

Don't anger me this early abeg.

How can I unlock my phone?

[size=16pt]sure is a welcome development[/size]

Olivia111: [size=16pt]sure is a welcome development[/size]

Honestly... You're fine.

In other news..







































I Actually don't have any other thing to say