The Federal Communications Commission is letting Verizon lock phones to its network for longer periods, eliminating a requirement to unlock handsets 60 days after they are activated on its network.
The change will make it harder for people to switch from Verizon to other carriers.
Until today’s waiver order, Verizon faced strict unlocking requirements that didn’t apply to other carriers. But that was by choice, as Verizon gained significant benefits in exchange for agreeing to unlocking requirements in 2008 when it purchased licenses to use 700 MHz spectrum, and again in 2021 when it agreed to merger conditions to obtain approval for its purchase of TracFone.
Businesses getting handouts. Consumers get shafted.
Yay freedom!
Revolution of all consumers needs to start now.
“Fuck Verizon and fuck I.C.E.” -Robby Roadsteamer
And yet another company who bought favors from their government
We only have upon request unlocking in Canada too.Edit: my bad, I guess I was thinking of when the law passed you had to call in for old phones.
That’s not true at all. Phones have to be sold unlocked and have been since 2017. Any devices sold before then can be unlocked for free upon request, but that is almost 9 years ago which essentially means that all phones in active use in Canada are unlocked.
Here’s a more recent ruling by the CRTC blasting Bell for violating the rule as they were locking and then auto-unlocking after 60 days, which was also found to be a violation:
My bad, I guess I was thinking of when the law passed you had to call in for old phones.
Thank you for the info and links.
