While we don’t expect police will start arresting 9-year-old girls for unlocking their Winnie the Pooh smartphones anytime soon, we can’t say that the newly enacted American law that outlaws unlocking your smartphone sets a good precedent. Contrast this with what our neighbors to the north are pondering: According to CBCNews, Canada’s top telecom regulator wants to not only limit the early termination fees that wireless carriers can charge but also mandate that carriers unlock their smartphones under “reasonable terms.” Even more amazingly, CBC says that the country’s wireless carriers have actually praised the proposed new rules, as a Telus spokesman said they were “a good start to work from.” A public hearing on the proposed rules is scheduled to occur next month.
As U.S. makes smartphone unlocking illegal, Canada ponders mandating carriers unlock smartphones
Published Jan 29th, 2013 2:28PM EST
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Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.
