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Hissyspit

(45,788 posts) Tue Sep 17, 2013, 06:09 PM Sep 2013

Obama Administration Urges FCC to Require Carriers to Unlock Mobile Devices

Source: Washington Post

Obama administration urges FCC to require carriers to unlock mobile devices

By Hayley Tsukayama,
Published: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 5:38 PM ET

Several months after calling for legislation to unlock cellphones, the White House filed a petition with the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday asking that all wireless carriers be required to unlock all mobile devices so that users can easily switch between carriers.

The proposal from the administration’s tech policy arm follows up on President Obama’s response last spring to furious complaints from online activists after the Library of Congress made the practice illegal in January when an exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act expired. The activists posted their complaint on the White House’s protest forum and collected over 114,000 signatures on their petition to overturn the Library of Congress decision.

In March, the Obama administration said that consumers should be allowed to own “unlocked” phones, which spurred new bill proposals and committee discussions about the issue. The FCC also said it supported cellphone unlocking.

But, while there have been small steps toward making cellphone unlocking standard, the idea had lost some momentum, and the administration appears to be trying to bring it back into the legislative arena.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/obama-administration-urges-fcc-to-require-carriers-to-unlock-mobile-devices/2013/09/17/17b4917e-1fd4-11e3-b7d1-7153ad47b549_story.html

5 replies

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Highlight:

Obama Administration Urges FCC to Require Carriers to Unlock Mobile Devices (Original Post) Hissyspit Sep 2013 OP

They need to make it so a phone isn't bound to a particular provider.... Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2013 #1

Once upon a time in this country seabeckind Sep 2013 #2

Isn't he a bit behind times...folks already have ways to "Jailbreak" their Phones.... KoKo Sep 2013 #3

The ability, sure, but the telcos have always fought it tooth and nail Posteritatis Sep 2013 #4

I guess that gave the "Advantage" to the Finacial Writers...who gave the ways KoKo Sep 2013 #5

Spitfire of ATJ

(32,723 posts)

1. They need to make it so a phone isn't bound to a particular provider....

Reply to Hissyspit (Original post)

Tue Sep 17, 2013, 06:17 PM

Sep 2013

It's like buying a car that can only run on a particular brand of gas.

seabeckind

(1,957 posts)

2. Once upon a time in this country

Reply to Hissyspit (Original post)

Tue Sep 17, 2013, 06:23 PM

Sep 2013

we had standards. The FCC, in conjunction with IEEE and other quasi-public agencies would determine the proper protocols and rules for operation.

At that point the gov't, largest single consumer of products would insist on conformance to these protocols and rules when equipment was purchased. It worked out pretty well. Using due diligence there were provisions made for expansions and enhancements. That thing you're using for communications right now is an example of doing it right.

Then somewhere along the line some moron in an administration, not mentioning any names but his boss's initials were Reagan, decided that this was one of those restrictive gov't regulations that was hurting bidness...

The result is what we have today. Totally ignores the basic rule that standards at the infrastructure level guarantee competition at the consumer level.

Common carrier protocols? That'd be nice. I remember driving thru South Dakota looking at a cell tower and go figure...not one toothpick on my phone.

Next we might look at app languages.

Laissez faire.

KoKo

(84,711 posts)

3. Isn't he a bit behind times...folks already have ways to "Jailbreak" their Phones....

Reply to Hissyspit (Original post)

Tue Sep 17, 2013, 06:30 PM

Sep 2013

Hey...don't get me wrong but it sounds a little to late because the new I-Phone allows you to do a deal with a service provider that you aren't locked into when to buy the Apple "Color" phone.

I may have my info wrong and please correct me if I do. But, I watch the Financial news from many sites...and ...read the blogs and "Jailbreak" has been going on and companies have started to respond for the Locked in Cell Provided by offering better alternatives.

Posteritatis

(18,807 posts)

4. The ability, sure, but the telcos have always fought it tooth and nail

Reply to KoKo (Reply #3)

Tue Sep 17, 2013, 06:51 PM

Sep 2013

Up to and including things like relocking them with patches and so on. That's before going into the fact that the term "jailbreaking" showed up for a reason - unlocking phones without the provider's permission actually was illegal until 2010 or so, and there've been regular attempts to recriminalize it ever since.

There's a big difference between having the ability to unlock phones and an actual legal requirement that the telcos respect users' wishes when they choose to do so.

KoKo

(84,711 posts)

5. I guess that gave the "Advantage" to the Finacial Writers...who gave the ways

Reply to Posteritatis (Reply #4)

Tue Sep 17, 2013, 06:56 PM

Sep 2013

to Jailbreak Phones, though. The advantage went to those who were "wired in"...and NOT to "Mom & Pop" Newbies and those who have no time to deal...but, are required by their Jobs to have a Cell Phone and pay for the F...'n Thing out of their pockets that THEY are the CLUELESS...and the 1% who read Financial Blogs (who have the time working for below sustainable wages but are curious have the ADVANTAGE?

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