The White House agrees -- you should be able to unlock your phone

You asked and, this time at least, the government listened. Back in January, the legality of unlocking one's cell phone was rolled back after the Library of Congress failed to renew a 2006 ruling, letting it to expire. The outcry could be heard round the world, as the saying goes.

These days, though, Americans have an outlet for their distaste -- the government's own "We the People site". And citizens visited that site in droves -- 114,322 of you demanded that the White House re-evaluate this ridiculous (my word, not the carriers') law. The petition laid out the gripe in plain words -- "Consumers will be forced to pay exorbitant roaming fees to make calls while traveling abroad. It reduces consumer choice, and decreases the resale value of devices that consumers have paid for in full".

Today those voices were heard. White House spokesman R. David Edelman announces that "If you have paid for your mobile device, and aren't bound by a service agreement or other obligation, you should be able to use it on another network". Edelman even went so far to describe it as "common sense, crucial for protecting consumer choice, and important for ensuring we continue to have the vibrant, competitive wireless market that delivers innovative products and solid service to meet consumers' needs".

This does not entirely fix the problem, though the White House obviously carries a lot weight. There is still the matter of the Librarian of Congress and that little DMCA problem that the country has. However, the Edelman statement is fairly clear, while attempting to be gentle to the LOC.

So, what do all of you think? Is this a basic right that should be protected? Could any of you possibly be against this and, if so, why?

Photo Credits: Slavoljub Pantelic/Shutterstock