A PYMNTS Company

US: Phone unlocking signed into law

By  |  August 3, 2014

President Barack Obama signed a bill into law on Friday that legalizes the practice of unlocking one’s smartphone to function on any wireless carrier, even without permission from a carrier, say reports.

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    The bill, first proposed and co-sponsored by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), is aimed at increasing competition in the wireless industry. “Our laws should not prohibit consumers from carrying their cellphones to a new network, and we should promote and protect competition in the wireless marketplace,” Leahy said.

    With the new law, smartphone users can unlock their phone and switch it to a provider as long as their current service contract has expired. The law undoes an earlier copyright law that banned the practice of circumventing digital locks on technological devices, say reports.

    While the law does not apply to other devices like tablets, the Library of Congress is directed to consider allowing such practices.

    Full content: NBC News

    Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.