House Moves To Legalize Unlocking Smartphones

The Library of Congress blocked switching carriers, last time

Consumers are one step closer to being able to legally unlock their smartphone—again.

The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved a bill introduced by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., that would allow consumers to unlock their phones without permission from their wireless carrier.

The bill, H.R. 1123, would restore an exemption in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that was rejected by the Library of Congress in October 2012. The exemption would make it legal to break the software locks carriers put on devices to prevent them from being used on other carrier networks.