Jail Breaking (Phones) Now Illegal
By: Katy Garcia
Updated: March 20, 2013
It's now illegal to unlock your cell phone without your carrier's permission.
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Even if you own your cell phone outright, you can't alter the device to activate service on another carrier or you may risk a fine.
Previously customers could unlock their cell phones under the digital millennium copyright.
That meant subscribers could then sell the phone at a higher price or use another carrier's sim card to start new service in another wireless network.
Officials say carriers rarely went after customers that unlocked their phones but instead targeted businesses that bought throw away phones, unlocked them and shipped them overseas.
The change in the law does offer a grandfather clause for anyone who unlocked their phone prior to January 26th.
