On August 1, 2014, President Obama signed the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act (PL 113-144, 128 Stat 1751 (Aug. 1, 2014)). The Senate unanimously passed the Act and the House of Representatives cleared the Act by voice vote on July 25, 2014.

The Act re-authorizes the use of computer programs, firmware or software, that enable a wireless telephone handset originally acquired from the operator of a wireless telecommunications network or retailer to connect to a different wireless network. The Act repeals a 2012 Library of Congress decision that made the use of computer programs to unlock wireless phones a violation of the anti-circumvention provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

The Act also directs the Librarian of Congress to consider whether to extend the DMCA exemption to other wireless devices, such as tablet computers.

Update: On August 25, 2014, the US Copyright Office issued a final rule amending 37 CFR § 201.40 to create an exemption from the DMCA prohibition against unlocking wireless phones (79 Fed. Reg. 50552-02, Aug. 25, 2014). The new rule took effect immediately.