Political Quotes

“Last winter, due to an expired exemption to existing law, consumers lost the legal right to unlock their cell phones so that they could use them on a different wireless carrier. Outraged consumers flooded Congress and the White House with complaints over this change in policy that resulted in reduced marketplace competition. In response to this impact on consumers, a bipartisan group of House Judiciary Committee members introduced H.R. 1123, the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act. The legislation reinstates the prior exemption to civil and criminal law for unlocking cell phones for personal use. It also creates an expedited process to determine whether this exemption should be extended to other wireless devices such as tablets. When this legislation is enacted, consumers will be able to go to a kiosk in the mall, get help from a neighbor, or see a wireless carrier to help unlock their cell phone without any risk of legal penalties. This is not the case today, which is why this legislation is necessary. H.R. 1123 is supported by such diverse groups in the cellular industry, from the large carriers of CTIA to the small carriers of the Competitive Carriers Association.…”