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What You Need To Know About Phone Unlocking

Posted by timothy on from the land-of-liberty dept.

Now that unlocking a new phone is under many circumstances illegal in the U.S. (!), Digital Trends has collected a useful set of answers outlining just what that means. As they put it, a "quick guide to answer all your why, how, and WTF questions." Among them, some explanation of the rule-making process, the reasoning that led to the end to the unlocking exception to the DMCA (including the Ninth Circuit's 2010 Vernor v. Autodesk decision), and illustrations of situations in which it is not illegal to unlock your phone.

4 of 321 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I was unlocking phones before they "allowed it" by Whiteox · · Score: 2, Funny

    but Corporations are people too!

    --
    Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!
  2. Re:Isn't banning unlocking anti-competitive ? by oodaloop · · Score: 5, Funny

    I propose an alternative. See sig.

    --
    Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
  3. Re:Abroad? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I don't think your gender during the unlock process matters.

  4. Re:Isn't banning unlocking anti-competitive ? by houstonbofh · · Score: 3, Funny

    Why would they? USA needs to remove "land of the free" from their national anthem as they are plunging down the international listings of freedom.

    We just added to it. It is now "Land of the FREE LIMITED TIME OFFER!"