Because of a Library of Congress decision last year, consumers are not allowed to ‘unlock’ their cell phone in order to switch carriers; Legislation would allow consumers to keep their same device when switching carriers  

After Klobuchar pushed the FCC to take action on cell phone unlocking, all major carriers committed to allowing their customers to unlock their phones

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today announced that the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously passed legislation she cosponsored to legalize cell-phone unlocking. Because of a Library of Congress decision last year, consumers are not allowed to ‘unlock’ their cell phones in order to switch carriers. The Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act would repeal the Library’s decision and allow consumers to keep their same device when switching carriers. Last year after Klobuchar pushed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take action on cell phone unlocking, all major carriers committed to allowing their customers to unlock their phones.  Letting consumers unlock their cell phones gives them greater ability to switch carriers and promotes greater competition in the wireless market. 

“Consumers deserve to keep and use cell phones they have already bought, regardless of which cell phone company they use - it’s just common sense,” said Klobuchar. “While we have made progress on this issue, today’s action brings us another step closer to getting the law in line with that progress and ensuring consumers have the freedom to bring their phones to a new network.”

Klobuchar introduced legislation last year that directed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take action to ensure consumers can unlock and keep their phones when they switch carriers. Following Klobuchar’s push, the FCC reached an agreement with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon Wireless in which the carriers voluntarily committed to allow their customers to unlock their phones.  

Klobuchar has been a leader in the Senate to protect and advance the rights of cell phone consumers and to promote competition in the wireless market. With cell phone thefts surging across the country, Klobuchar earlier this year introduced legislation requiring carriers to provide kill switch technology that allows consumers to wipe personally identifiable information from their device and make it inoperable to thieves. After Klobuchar began advocating for kill switches, wireless companies – including Apple, Google, AT&T, and Verizon – announced a new commitment to make kill switch technology available on smartphones. In February, as Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, she held a hearing on competition in the wireless industry. 

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