iPhone unlocking is a gray area and US congress declared it as “illegal” last year. Here’s how to show your support so that this can be reversed.
The Librarian of Congress determined in October last year that unlocking mobile phones were illegal under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Any iPhone or smartphone that’s purchased or made after January 26th of 2013 cannot be legally unlocked unless permitted by carriers.
However, this act is deemed to be very vague and falls in a huge gray area. No one really understands what it means, at least for the general public.
Now, a bill called the “The Unlocking Technology Act” has been introduced by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and co-sponsored by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) – that would completely fix Section 1201 of the DMCA, making unlocking and jailbreaking cell phones, tablets, and game consoles completely legal.
In order for to this happen, if you’re based in the US, you must sign this petition and show your support so that the bill can be passed.
This is important for anyone living in the US because unlocking your mobile phone, jailbreaking your iPad, or modding a game console can land you in court because of the DMCA’s poorly-written “anti-circumvention provision.”
The proposed bill would permanently legalize all such modifications, as long as the purpose of the modifications isn’t piracy or copyright infringement. The bill mentioned on fixthedmca.org has three main parts:
- It amends Section 1201 to make it clear that it is completely legal to “circumvent” if there is no copyright infringement.
- It legalizes tools and services that enable circumvention as long as they are intended for non-infringing uses.
- It changes Copyright Law to specify that unlocking cell phones is not copyright infringement.
“Lock-out codes” are increasingly being implemented by vehicle manufacturers. These codes are used to prevent maintenance by independent repair shops. Again, no copyright infringement is involved in repairing a broken car, truck, or other device, but the DMCA’s vague language can make it a crime,” stated on their website.
You have the rights to do anything with your property so don’t let the DMCA take control of your life!
Since our business is located outside of USA, we are not bound by the law above and can legally unlock any AT&T iPhone or any US mobile phones. Beware of unlocking your iPhone with US-based vendors such as this one as there is a risk that you may be prosecuted!
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