The White House announced its support to overturn a ban on unlocking cell phones on Monday, agreeing with angry consumers that they should be able to use their cell phones however they want.
“The White House agrees with the 114,000+ of you who believe that consumers should be able to unlock their cell phones without risking criminal or other penalties, ” wrote R. David Edelman, Senior Advisor for Internet, Innovation, & Privacy.
The Obama administration’s declaration was in response to a White House petition asking the White House to put its support behind the movement to make unlocking cell phones legal again. The petition breached the obligatory 100,000 signature threshold, requiring the White House to issue an official response.
According to Edelman, the Obama Administration will encourage Congress to ensure “neither criminal law nor technological locks should prevent consumers from switching carriers when they are no longer bound by a service agreement or other obligation.”
The letter also confirmed that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will be investigating the ban.
“From a communications policy perspective, this raises serious competition and innovation concerns, and for wireless consumers, it doesn’t pass the common sense test,” said FCC chairman Julius Genachowski in a public statement issued Monday.
Edelman also wrote in the petition response that he thought Americans should have the right to unlock tablets as well as cell phones.
“And if you have paid for your mobile device, and aren’t bound by a service agreement or other obligation, you should be able to use it on another network,” he wrote. “It’s common sense, crucial for protecting consumer choice, and important for ensuring we continue to have the vibrant, competitive wireless market that delivers innovative products and solid service to meet consumers’ needs.”
Derek Khanna, the young conservative who brought the cell phone unlocking ban to national prominence through an intense media effort, said the White House’s decision to support the decriminalization of cell phone unlocking”is terrific news.”
“It shows the power of the people to affirmatively act to fix policy rather than just stop bad policy. We the people have this power when we come together to fight for positive, common-sense solutions,” Khanna said in an email. “This is a win for innovation, small businesses, the free market and the consumer.”
Khanna cautioned that “the work of this movement is not done,” however. “Now Congress must follow through – and it will require continued activism and engagement from average people who made this possible.”
