Following the announcement of recently added amendments to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) in late October, Tech News Daily published a new report intended to remind readers that, as of this Saturday, the process of unlocking certain mobile phones will be considered “illegal”. For those who are unfamiliar with the term, unlocking enables customers to use their phones on alternate carriers that would otherwise require a different phone officially supported and sold by the carrier.
Devices purchased on or after Saturday, January 26th will technically be locked to their official carrier and any actions taken to unlock said devices, unless explicitly authorized by the original carrier, will be illegal in the eyes of the law of the United States.
Of course customers will still be able to purchase factory unlocked iPhones and other carrier unlocked smartphones at unsubsidized prices and some carriers, like AT&T, will even provide official IMEI unlocks to iPhone customers whose contracts have either run their course or who pay early termination fees. Stay tuned for complete coverage on news regarding the legality of unlocking.
