Unlocking Cellphones Becomes Illegal Saturday in the U.S.

[GObamaGO]

In October 2012, the Librarian of Congress, who determines exemptions to a strict anti-hacking law called the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), decided that unlocking cellphones would no longer be allowed. But the librarian provided a 90-day window during which people could still buy a phone and unlock it. That window closes on Jan. 26.

Unlocking a phone frees it from restrictions that keep the device from working on more than one carrier's network, allowing it run on other networks that use the same wireless standard. This can be useful to international travelers who need their phones to work on different networks. Other people just like the freedom of being able to switch carriers as they please.

More at: http://mashable.com/2013/01/23/unlocking-cellphones-illegal/

Nothing like making more laws that are advantageous to big business to screw the consumers.

[NYC_SKP]

1. I have an iPhone 4 I no longer use, I should propably jailbreak it!

Now how do I do that?

[RetroGamer1971]

5. It is not that hard. Here is a starter for you! ;}

JailbreakMe 2.0, a mobile Safari-based jailbreak app for iPhones and iPads, has just gone live and pretty much opens up any iOS device you have handy, all the way back to the iPhone 3G.

As a browser-based app, all you need to do is direct your device to the Jailbreak Me website at http://jailbreakme.com (currently very busy) and successfully load the page.

If you're antsy about such a maneuver, wait a while and various sites, including the technical tipsters at Redmond Pie, will have some how-to guides handy for your enjoyment. [Redmond Pie]

http://gizmodo.com/5601874/jailbreakme-20-jailbreaks-all-apple-ios-40-401-and-321-devices

[limpyhobbler]

2. this is bullshit. I hate this. nt

[still_one]

3. Since one can legally buy unlocked phones this is ridiculous

[Honeycombe8]

4. This is so wrong. I'll have to research how to unlock phones. nt

[Selatius]

6. This move will only help to make it easier for major carriers to defeat up-start competitors.

The ease at which a customer can switch to another carrier from an existing carrier may have an impact on new competitors trying to enter the market. In my opinion, this move would simply place another obstacle in the path of a consumer trying to find another network.

Instead of using an existing phone when switching to a new network, the customer would bear the burden of having to purchase another phone entirely that is compatible with the new network, on top of already absorbing costs for signing a new contract and possibly fees for early termination of the old contract.