Sign the Petition to Make Unlocking Cell Phones Legal

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Posted January 27, 2013 at 4:10am by iClarified

A petition has been started at WhiteHouse.gov to Make Unlocking Cell Phones Legal. If enough signatures are received it will be sent to the appropriate policy officials in the Obama administration and an official response will be posted to the petition page and sent to those who signed the petition.

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The Librarian of Congress decided in October 2012 that unlocking of cell phones would be removed from the exceptions to the DMCA. As of January 26, consumers will no longer be able unlock their phones for use on a different network without carrier permission, even after their contract has expired.

Consumers will be forced to pay exorbitant roaming fees to make calls while traveling abroad. It reduces consumer choice, and decreases the resale value of devices that consumers have paid for in full. The Librarian noted that carriers are offering more unlocked phones at present, but the great majority of phones sold are still locked.

We ask that the White House ask the Librarian of Congress to rescind this decision, and failing that, champion a bill that makes unlocking permanently legal.
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We strongly suggest that you sign the petition if you can. More details about the Library of Congress' decision to remove the exemption for unlocking phones can be found here.

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Sign the Petition to Make Unlocking Cell Phones Legal

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Dr Usha Rajagopal plastic surgeon - April 26, 2013 at 6:39am

Very nice and useful information. Why not write a book about this particular subject. For today’s economic variation and be short of of opportunities, it actually will be a very hot topic. Thanks a lot

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neil - February 6, 2013 at 11:55pm

I'm agree to sign this petition. i live in ireland and currently cant get an unlock for metier :(

Richard - February 5, 2013 at 7:07am

I'm agree to sign this petition. I am living in Africa and we getting ripped off by mobile service providers.

ray - January 31, 2013 at 10:00pm

and we call us free society.

phea - January 30, 2013 at 8:11pm

I'm agree to sign this petition. If phone is no longer be able to unlocked, It will have a lot of useless phone in this country. Is it our freedom? It is our own phone. Why do they care about your property?

Jburgos - January 28, 2013 at 4:28pm

I thruly belive that most be over 500,000 people that depend on unLock iphone, and when there is a petition asking for 100,000 sign and only 25,000 people had sign it to the moment, but yeah to come here and demand unLock from Dev-Team when they can't even sign a petition is really pathetic and sad at the same time... ps: i sign it. and i don't really need it.

theus - January 28, 2013 at 1:52pm

im agree to sign this petition because some of our costumer need to use their fone ,it becomes useless if the unlocked fone cant be used,,,and as a technician i really agree to this because it is a part of my work and fashion p0werph0ne tHeusMarikina

Iddy - January 28, 2013 at 9:43am

this is only if you're on a contract, where the company gives you the phone to sign up for a term on their connection. You can still buy unlocked phones. You will still be able to unlock after a certain period of time. I think it's fair - they put you on a plan, they give you a phone, they need to get there money some how. I think the internet is getting a little too fired up about this.. but im not American, so it doesn't really effect me..

alex - January 28, 2013 at 12:32pm

You're right. What's the issue, by an unlocked phone if you don't like it. If enough people do that then they'll get the message (and probably react by not letting unlocked phones on their service:-).

Faixan - January 28, 2013 at 6:42am

This is crazy, surely if you own the cellphone/mobile phone, it is now yours do as you please... just like computers, you can upgrade them, add components to them etc.. The same principle should apply? You should also have the choice to move from one network to another when and how you feel like without hindrance.

lol08 - January 28, 2013 at 4:28am

yeah let me put it in the who gives a flying f*ck for some apple owning nerdz, I ll to it asap, hold your breath

anonymous - January 28, 2013 at 2:47am

It won't be funny if it is legal.. .

freedom - January 28, 2013 at 1:39am

Dont let them take our freedom

lol08 - January 28, 2013 at 12:41am

They also offer cheaper prepaid that are off contract.

Anonymous - January 27, 2013 at 11:38pm

Jailbreaking and unlocking are part of our freedom rights. We deserve to be free from restriction of phone carriers who tried to lock and monopoly our phones.

Anonymous - January 27, 2013 at 11:12pm

Jailbreaking and unlocking are part of our freedom rights.

Anonymous - January 27, 2013 at 9:48pm

Jailbreaking and unlocking are part of our freedom rights. We deserve to be free from restriction of phone carriers who tried to lock and monopoly our phones. We bought it, we owned it, and we can do whatever with it. Whoever tried to restrict it shall be served. Jailbreaking/unlocking is parts of skills and arts, not part of DMCA. MPAA should do their job taking down DMCA websites, but not taking down jailbreaking/ unlocking. Screw them, we shall be united to be strong and to make things right! They must be served!

lol08 - January 28, 2013 at 12:39am

The hardware belongs to you but the software belongs to their respected owners. Copyrights are still copyrights and even though we have rights to do what we want with our devices, we do not have rights to do what we want to our devices. Once you have your own company, you would understand.

Anonymous - January 28, 2013 at 2:39am

What you said is non-sense. When you bought the hardware, it comes with software installed, otherwise how would you operate it? Can you buy iphone without ios installed? If so, please elaborate. We customers paid for both hardware and software. How do you think the software department get paid if it's not shared by total amount customer paid? Do you think by doing this will stop pirating like you said?

ali - January 27, 2013 at 8:56pm

It's is your right to chose if you want to unlock or not. You should be able to unlock and use it with any network you want. Please sign.

Apple offers unlocked iPhones to purchase. Other carrier companies offer unlocked phones. Why is everyone complaining if the option is available.

Anon - January 28, 2013 at 1:57am

because, I'd Rather buy an iPhone for $100, rather than 500-600..

kristina james - January 27, 2013 at 7:11pm

DO NOT SIGN TO NOT KEEP GETTING RIP OFF THINK BEFORE U SIGN

NoGoodNick - January 27, 2013 at 6:21pm

Actually, with the newer 4G iPhones, each iPhone is dedicated to a specific network (physically). The only way to "unlock" it is to switch to a 3G network, which most networks are allowing you to do on a voluntary basis. So there's not much point in legally allowing personal unlocking. Now, if you've got a petition to make Jailbreaking legal, then I'll sign THAT one!

NoGoodNick - January 27, 2013 at 6:26pm

Actually, the real question is why "The Library of Congress" has suddenly decided it's officially in the business of passing laws? Making judgments on what's legal in cellphones has NEVER been in it's pervue. It sounds like some minor bureaucrat decided to make a name for the LoC by making a blanket statement that he wasn't authorized to make.

lol08 - January 28, 2013 at 12:48am

The Congress is in charge of making laws. They are also in charge of our country's economy. Be thankful they doing things we're not able to do for an entire nation.

Jimmy Crack Corn - January 27, 2013 at 4:34pm

Oh, please! Yes, this particular issue is a problem in America. Other countries have different issues. Consider the EU, where they mandate that everyone must buy an extended warranty. [It is disguised as a consumer protection item, where they get it 'for free', but in reality, it just allows the manufacturers to build the cost into the base price and collect it from everyone, whether the individual consumer feels it worthwhile or not]. Businesses control ALL governments, whether or not we choose to believe it.

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