FCC wants telecom carriers to unlock all devices after 60 days • Register

Long-term carrier locking may soon become a thing of the past in America after the FCC proposed requiring telecom carriers to unlock all cell phones on their network 60 days after activation.

FCC chief Jessica Rosenworcel unveiled the proposal on Thursday, saying it would encourage competition among carriers. If subscribers could simply take their devices to another telco after two months of use, networks would have to compete much more, the FCC says.

“When you buy a phone, you should have the freedom to decide when to switch to your carrier of choice to avoid your device being locked down with practices that prevent you from making that choice,” Rosenworcel said.

Carrier-locked devices contain software mechanisms that prevent them from being used on other carriers’ networks, a practice that has long been criticized for being anti-consumer.

Locked devices cannot be used with another operator without authorization, which is usually included in the contract. Unlocking a device is also not designed to be an easy process, with most carriers probably hoping the customer will simply sign a new contract rather than leave for someone else.

The U.S. should have laws to make it easier to unlock devices, but the nonprofit group Public Knowledge says they are ineffective. In 2022, the group asked regulators to investigate carrier unlocking programs to make sure they are fair.

It’s conceivable that carriers will push back against the 60-day requirement, and the FCC is allowing a public comment period after voting on the matter at an open meeting on July 18. The regulator said it not only wants people’s comments on its two-month unlock plan, but also wants feedback on the different ways the change could affect carriers.

The Commission will seek industry feedback on whether the 60-day unlock requirement should be applied retroactively to existing contracts, as well as how the unlock requirement could impact “the incentive for service providers to offer phones at discounted prices as part of their plans.” subscription and prepaid. The FCC also wants to know how an unlock requirement could benefit smaller providers, new operators and resellers by expanding the secondary market.

Contrary to expectations, not every carrier is completely against the FCC’s idea of ​​​​unlocking the phone.

“Verizon agrees that the FCC should consider the benefits and trade-offs of cell phone unlocking requirements,” said Verizon spokesman Rich Young Registeralthough this support is conditional.

“The goal should be to find an industry-wide solution to this problem, rather than continuing to pursue an increasingly fragmented and unbalanced approach to regulation,” Young added.

We have also reached out to the FCC, AT&T and T-Mobile US for further comment. ®