Carrier-locked phones are still a thing in the year of our lord 2024, and often, it’s an uphill battle to have a carrier unlock them. Because of this, the FCC is now stepping in.
In a landmark decision, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted unanimously to proceed with plans that will streamline the process of unlocking mobile phones. The agency aims to establish new rules mandating wireless carriers to unlock customers’ phones within 60 days of activation. Unlocking phones has oftentimes been an issue with both large carriers and smaller prepaid MVNO, and while recent years have seen some progress, with the possibility of unlocking devices after contracts end, the process remains inconsistent across carriers. Current guidelines are a patchwork of voluntary industry standards and stricter requirements linked to mergers or spectrum usage.
The proposed rules aim to create uniformity and may apply to consumers who are currently under contract. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel stated that “you bought your phone, you should be able to take it to any provider you want.”
The proposal specifically criticizes T-Mobile’s prepaid brand, Metro, for recently doubling the waiting period for unlocking phones to 365 days. But at large, the wireless industry has expressed minimal concerns about the proposed rules, suggesting they won’t significantly disrupt existing practices. The industry has gradually shifted away from locking down devices and restricting consumer choice of apps and services, largely due to previous efforts to dismantle the DMCA and impose conditions on mergers and spectrum purchases.
Of course, this new direction was just voted on now, and the FCC will now have to go ahead with, and approve, the actual changes. It’ll likely be some time before this actually results in policy changes by carriers, especially if the changes are implemented with a grace period, like other FCC measures.
