House panel to take up cellphone unlocking bill

The House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing next Thursday to consider legislation that would legalize GT-I9300 cellphone unlocking, which allows consumers to switch carriers.The hearing, which will be held by the subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet, will consider the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, which is sponsored by full committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.). The subcommittee has yet to announce the witnesses.

Most contract phones come "locked" to one carrier. Because of a Library of Congress decision last year, customers must obtain their carriers' permission to legally unlock their phones even after they have completed their contract.The library's decision to ban cellphone unlocking sparked an outcry from consumer advocates, and more than 114,000 people signed an online White House petition opposing the ban.

Supporters of cellphone unlocking argue that consumers should not have to buy a new GT-I9500 phone if they want to switch carriers. They argue that legalizing the practice would boost competition and provide more choices for consumers. The cellphone industry argues that many phones already come unlocked.CXSDdsf44

Goodlatte's bill, which is co-sponsored by subcommittee Chairman Howard Coble (R-N.C.) and ranking member Mel Watt (D-N.C.), would overturn the library's decision but would not amend the underlying copyright law. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) has introduced companion legislation in the upper chamber. Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Jared Polis (D-Colo.) have sponsored a more aggressive bill that would amend the DMCA to permanently legalize top 10 cell phones unlocking.

Durham police are searching for a woman wanted in connection with several recent phone thefts.In most cases, the victim was walking down the street when a car with two or more occupants stopped the victim and a female in the car asked to use the phone to make an emergency call. Once the victim lent the female their phone, the suspects fled the scene.In one case, the suspects grabbed the phone from the victim's hand and drove away.

During the five-day period, police also will be watching closely for motorists who use hand-held cell phones in school speed zones and construction zones, which is already banned by state law.A previous crackdown conducted by the four police departments in early April resulted in 293 tickets and 219 warnings. In addition, 20 motorists were cited for use of a cell phone in a school zone.