A New FCC Rule Could Force Carriers to Unlock Phones After 60 Days
The Federal Communications Commission is considering a new rule that could make unlocking your phone a breeze. In a new proposal, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is making a push that mobile providers will need to unlock phones “within 60 days of activation.”
“New unlocking rules would allow consumers the freedom to take their existing phones and switch from one mobile wireless service provider to another more easily, as long as the consumer’s phone is compatible with the new provider’s wireless network,” said the FCC in a statement announcing the proposal.
The issue will be discussed at the agency’s “Open Meeting” on July 18, where the commission will take a vote on the new set of unlocking rules, as well as seek comments on whether the new unlocking rules should apply to existing contracts and if the changes might impact the deals carriers give on new devices to lock them into service.
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“Real competition benefits from transparency and consistency,” Rosenworcel said in the statement. “That is why we are proposing clear, nationwide mobile phone unlocking rules. When you buy a phone, you should have the freedom to decide when to change service to the carrier you want and not have the device you own stuck by practices that prevent you from making that choice.”
Among the big three US wireless carriers, unlocking policies vary. Verizon has long been required to unlock devices automatically, part of its agreement to purchase the 700MHz spectrum back in 2008. In 2019, the FCC agreed to put a 60-day window on unlocking at the carrier to help Verizon fight fraud.
When T-Mobile closed its deal to purchase prepaid carrier Mint Mobile earlier this year, the FCC similarly required that T-Mobile automatically unlock devices purchased through Mint Mobile (and its sister company Ultra Mobile) after 60 days.
But the new rules, if passed, would force AT&T and T-Mobile to join the automatic unlocking game after 60 days. Today, T-Mobile will automatically unlock devices after their installment plans are paid off, while AT&T requires users to pay off their devices and then submit a request to the carrier to unlock the phones.
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The carriers have traditionally viewed locking a phone to their network as a way to keep customers attached to their service, particularly when combined with discounts on new devices.
Unlocking phones, particularly modern devices that can take advantage of virtual eSIMs, will make it easier to use phones abroad and avoid roaming charges (or having to move to pricier plans that include international data) while also allowing for greater flexibility to switch carriers domestically.
Because Verizon already has to unlock devices after 60 days, T-Mobile has made plays to try to get its users to switch, including offering a “Network Pass” program that lets you sample its network for three months alongside your existing service on the phone you are already using. The trial requires an unlocked phone, which is easier to find at Verizon than AT&T. And since it uses eSIM, users can get started by simply downloading the T-Mobile app.
Verizon, AT&T (through its prepaid brand Cricket) and even smaller providers have rolled out similar programs aimed at getting users with unlocked devices to consider switching carriers.
You can buy an unlocked phone directly from a number of manufacturers, including Apple, Samsung and Google, as well as from major retailers. But buying unlocked often means forgoing the heavy discounts carriers offer for their installment plans.
T-Mobile declined to comment when contacted by CNET. AT&T and Verizon did not immediately respond to a CNET request for comment on the new FCC proposal.
