Wireless industry to back cellphone unlocking bill

Mike Altschul, general counsel of wireless industry group CTIA, will testify that a House unlocking bill is a "reasonable balance that protects consumers and carriers alike."

"Because we were not seeking to limit individuals’ non-commercial ability to unlock their devices, and because the bill preserves the important limitations against bulk unlocking included in the Librarian’s 2010 decision, CTIA can support H.R. 1123," Altschul will say at the hearing of the House Judiciary Committee's intellectual property subcommittee, according to a copy of his prepared remarks. CTIA represents all of the major cellular carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile.