Commonly confused with jailbreaking, cell phone unlocking is allowing a device the ability to switch carriers and be compatible with multiple networks.
If you bought a phone outright, then you own it. Shouldn’t you be able to use it on the carrier of your choice? This is what many opponents of the cell phone unlocking ban believe.
At the start of 2013, the Obama administration issued its support to reverse the act banning cell phone unlocking only after countless months, thousands of petitions and a handful of bashing blogs. This cell phone unlocking ban, which became effective Jan. 26, was created in attempts to protect the investment of cell phone carriers in their subsidies.
Here are the current stipulations of the cell phone unlocking ban and what it means for you.
ISRI, known as the voice of the scrap recycling industry, has recently announced its full support for lifting the cell phone unlocking bill, firmly believing it will increase cell phone refurbishing and remarketing, while suppressing the hazardous e-waste steam.
“According to ISRI, the U.S. is the only country that prohibits recyclers from unlocking electronic devices and returning them to market for reuse.”
Why should the U.S. allow IT asset management organizations and cell phone recyclers the ability to unlock devices for refurbishing and remarketing?
By lifting the cell phone unlocking ban, IT asset management organizations and cell phone recyclers would be able to utilize the unlocked phones, send the devices through certified data erasure, and refurbish and remarket them in the U.S., as well as abroad.
Current limitations for IT asset management and cell phone recycling inhibit the life of mobile devices. If permitted to apply cell phone unlocking to day-to-day operations, these organizations can greatly encourage the refurbishment and remarketing of electronic devices, deflecting unnecessary, hazardous materials from entering landfills.
So far, there are a total of 114,322 signatures to “Make Unlocking Cell Phone Legal.”
Are you next?