The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a new rule, under which carriers will have to unlock your iPhone or Android smartphone within 60 days of activation.
The proposal is intended to increase competition by making it easier for consumers to switch carriers …
Making it quicker to unlock your iPhone
If you buy your iPhone from a carrier, or elsewhere on a subsidised contract, then it may be ‘locked’ to that carrier – meaning it won’t work if you try to switch to a physical or e-SIM from another network.
To switch carriers, you’ll first need to ask your existing one to unlock your phone. There are currently no rules on how long they can take to do this, and that’s something the FCC wants to fix.
“Real competition benefits from transparency and consistency,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “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” […]
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would seek comment on requiring all mobile wireless service providers to unlock mobile phones 60 days after the device is activated with the provider.
Carriers and other interested parties are being invited to comment on the proposal. Assuming no objections are accepted by the FCC, then the requirement will take effect.
Note that the new rule won’t release you from any obligation you may have regarding a subsidised purchase. If you bought your phone at a discount in return for agreeing to a minimum length plan with a carrier, then you would need to pay any early redemption fee relating to that in order for the 60-day rule to apply.
The rule is only intended to prevent carriers from delaying a decision to switch service providers once any consumer obligations have been met.
Photo by Quinn Battick on Unsplash
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