It's about to get more difficult to switch between carriers smartphone and still keep your existing phone.
Smartphones can not be purchased after Saturday legally unlocked without the consent of the carrier, according to a recent ruling by the Library of Congress.
Congress passed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act in 1998, making it illegal access to copyrighted material the use of break and digital rights management technologies. The software is a smartphone to one carrier locks covered by that act, and the phone will that device release process so that it can be used with a different wireless carrier.
The Library of Congress has the ability to grant exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, it is not done in the past for smartphone users who want to unlock their phones. That changed with the latest group exemptions went into effect October 28, but the switch includes a 90-day grace period ends Saturday, as TechNewsDaily said.
The new policy but a new green phone purchased after Saturday, which means it will still be legal to unlock phones purchased before January 26 without permission.
One way to get around the need to buy a full price unlocked phone does not have a contract, but doing so adds hundreds of dollars to the phone's price tag. Carriers subsidize the cost of smartphones to draw new customers into contracts, usually for two years, and then make the money back from monthly voice and data bills.
In its latest ruling, the Library of Congress found the phone software is licensed only to the end user, which means they do not own it, so therefore are not covered by fair-use software rules.
Groups lobby to keep the exemption argued that anti-competitive and illegal unlock phones costlier and more electronic waste could be some consumers to buy a new device to switch carriers.
But the final ruling says that there are now more options for obtaining unlocked phone than in previous years. Many phones are available unlocked for full price, and have policies in place for carriers unlock phones. Currently the rules change from carrier to carrier.
For example, AT & T unlock iPhone for current or previous customers as long as all contracts are fulfilled. And the Verizon iPhone 5 is usable network of AT & T.
However, it is unclear whether the carriers to tighten the rules for unlocked phones in the future.
Smartphones can not be purchased after Saturday legally unlocked without the consent of the carrier, according to a recent ruling by the Library of Congress.
Congress passed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act in 1998, making it illegal access to copyrighted material the use of break and digital rights management technologies. The software is a smartphone to one carrier locks covered by that act, and the phone will that device release process so that it can be used with a different wireless carrier.
The Library of Congress has the ability to grant exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, it is not done in the past for smartphone users who want to unlock their phones. That changed with the latest group exemptions went into effect October 28, but the switch includes a 90-day grace period ends Saturday, as TechNewsDaily said.
The new policy but a new green phone purchased after Saturday, which means it will still be legal to unlock phones purchased before January 26 without permission.
One way to get around the need to buy a full price unlocked phone does not have a contract, but doing so adds hundreds of dollars to the phone's price tag. Carriers subsidize the cost of smartphones to draw new customers into contracts, usually for two years, and then make the money back from monthly voice and data bills.
In its latest ruling, the Library of Congress found the phone software is licensed only to the end user, which means they do not own it, so therefore are not covered by fair-use software rules.
Groups lobby to keep the exemption argued that anti-competitive and illegal unlock phones costlier and more electronic waste could be some consumers to buy a new device to switch carriers.
But the final ruling says that there are now more options for obtaining unlocked phone than in previous years. Many phones are available unlocked for full price, and have policies in place for carriers unlock phones. Currently the rules change from carrier to carrier.
For example, AT & T unlock iPhone for current or previous customers as long as all contracts are fulfilled. And the Verizon iPhone 5 is usable network of AT & T.
However, it is unclear whether the carriers to tighten the rules for unlocked phones in the future.
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