FollowYup. Starting January 26, it will be illegal to unlock a smartphone for use on a separate network than the one it was originally on, or for any other reason. This is due to edits to DMCA exemptions that occurred in October of last year.
The new law states that it is illegal to unlock any phone without permission from the carrier, meaning the service provider that sold the phone originally. This law was passed by the Library of Congress 90 days ago, but a grace period was given allowing customers who recently bought a smartphone time to unlock it. The grace period was granted because the court wanted to allow those that had purchased a smartphone with the fore knowledge that they could unlock it for a different provider the chance to do so before it became illegal. The grace period was ninety days, running out at midnight tonight.
This new law restricting smartphone security will not restrict you from unlocking your phone, as long as you go through the proper channels. It will, however, let service providers make it much more difficult for their customers to switch providers while keeping the same phone. It will likely become common practice for a customer to have to purchase a new phone if they want to change networks, as it will be illegal to unlock their phone for service with a new company without permission.
If you do want to unlock your smartphone, you better to it quick! If a network provider catches you as having unlocked a smartphone after the 26th of January, they can turn you in to the authorities and you will have to pay fines and possibly serve time. While this law has been made, the cellular community has yet to see how it will be enforced, and the answer to that question may be a sign of how security will work in the coming digital age.
