Phones Canada celebrates the recent passing of Oregon’s electronics Right to Repair law, which has been hailed as the strongest yet by iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens. This legislation is a significant win for consumers, as it protects their right to repair their devices wherever they choose and limits anti-repair practices such as parts pairing.

Here are some key highlights of Oregon’s Right to Repair bill:

– The law applies to most products made after 2015, allowing for repair of a wide range of electronic devices.
– Manufacturers are required to make parts, tools, documentation, and software available for products produced as far back as 2015 (except smartphones which date back to July 1, 2021).
– The legislation covers a variety of devices with chips, including laptops, tablets, smartwatches, refrigerators, smart toasters, and vacuum cleaners.
– Exemptions include medical devices, farm equipment, devices running on internal combustion engines, and video game consoles.

One notable aspect of the law is the requirement for independent repair shops to have valid certifications like WISE, CompTIA A+, or NAST in order to access repair materials. This provision aims to level the playing field for independent shops that have faced challenges imposed by manufacturers like Apple through practices such as parts pairing.

The legislation also prohibits parts pairing that restricts or limits the use of functional parts and reduces device performance. This move addresses concerns raised by manufacturers like Apple regarding safety and security issues related to independent repairs.

Phones Canada supports this initiative that empowers consumers and promotes a more sustainable approach to electronics repair. We believe that everyone should have the right to fix their devices easily and affordably. Let’s continue advocating for consumer rights in the telecommunications industry!