Changes to copyright laws in Australia have opened the door for a fresh legal challenge to mod chips, according to Sony Computer Entertainment Australia, which has instructed its lawyers to prepare a new case against the devices.

Australian IT reports that the company is planning to base its new case on changes to local copyright laws which have come about as a result of Australia's new Free Trade Agreement with the USA, which came into effect in January.

The legal tussle over mod chips in Australia has been watched with interest around the world ever since the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission intervened in a case taken by Sony against mod chip supplier Eddy Stevens in 2002.