Good news for global SIM card users in the United States as the White House has just issued a formal response to a recent “We the People” petition that garnered more than 100,000 signatures and forced a White House response, a letter which was written by R. David Edelman, Senior Advisor for Internet, Innovation and Privacy.
“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.”
Edelman even went so far as to extend the right beyond smartphones to tablets as well:
“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. 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.”
Of course, there’s still no word on if the law will be completely reversed or if it will be simply altered, a decision that is still left up to the Library of Congress. Still, coupled with the FCC investigation, this is an incredible amount of pressure against the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) law, which went into effect in January. Here’s hoping Americans will be able to experience the freedom of unlocking their devices again.