FCC to investigate cellphone unlocking ban

The Federal Communications Commission plans to investigate the recent ban on cellphone unlocking. The ban means that customers of one carrier can't switch to a different network, even after their contracts have expired. Doing so risks five years in jail and a half-million dollar fine. It's been criticized not only by consumer associations but by many carriers themselves, on the groupnds that it's bad for comeptition.

Until earlier this year, consumers were free to "unlock" their smartphones, which permitted them to switch carriers. A petition calling for the ban to be scrapped recently hit 100,000 signatures, meaning the government will be forced to reconsider it.

With Julius Genachowski, head of the FCC, saying they will be looking into this matter and if they have any authority over the situation, it is likely they will reverse this new law and make sure competition is fair.

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