Verizon no longer has to automatically unlock your phone after 60 days and their new unlock policy could be anything, thanks to a new waiver by the FCC.
During the height of its struggles to keep postpaid customers around in May of 2025, Verizon asked the FCC to get rid of a requirement that forced them to unlock phones after being on their network for 60 days. This 60-day unlock, which was the shortest in the industry, had become some sort of a burden on Verizon because, well, mostly because they just didn’t think it was fair that no one else had this same requirement.
Last year, they sent a filing to the current FCC, which is as anti-consumer and anti-free speech as it gets, complaining that they couldn’t compete with proper subsidies on phones, that eliminating this rule was the perfect example of a rule that should be eliminated by all of the deregulation and government cutting going on, and that this rule was “propping up international criminal organizations that profit from fraud, including device trafficking of subsidized devices from the United States.”
The rule they are talking about is the one that Verizon had to commit to back in 2008 after buying a bunch of spectrum. The rule was later extended in 2021 after they bought Tracfone. The rule from the FCC forced Verizon to automatically unlock devices after 60 days, whether or not a customer had paid off their phone or fulfilled contract requirements.
This week, the FCC ruled on their filing (here) and has given a waiver to Verizon, releasing them from the 60-day unlock policy they were previously enforcing.
In the note from the FCC, they essentially admitted that they were waiving Verizon from this requirement because they want Verizon to have the same unlocking freedom as the other carriers in the US. They then attempted to add to the story with talk typically reserved for online conspiracy theorists and extremists who don’t believe in reality. Just read this quote from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and tell me if any of this sounds believable:
“Sophisticated criminal networks have exploited the FCC’s handset unlocking policies to carry out criminal acts—including transnational handset trafficking schemes and facilitating broader criminal enterprises like drug running and human smuggling. By waiving a regulation that incentivized bad actors to target one particular carrier’s handsets for theft, we now have a uniform industry standard that can help stem the flow of handsets into the black market.”
Bro, get off Twitter.
Anyways, the thing you need to know is that the FCC is cool with Verizon now being under the CTIA Consumer Code for Wireless Service and deciding on an unlock policy from that. Unfortunately for you, the consumer, the CTIA’s unlocking policy sucks. Specifically, their postpaid unlocking policy just gives the power to the carrier to decide whatever the hell they want.
Here’s what it states on postpaid (which is the type of plan you’d pay for at Verizon and receive a device payment plan or discount on a phone):
Postpaid Unlocking Policy. Carriers upon request will unlock mobile wireless devices or provide the necessary information to unlock devices for their customers and former customers in good standing and individual owners of eligible devices after the fulfillment of the applicable postpaid service contract, device financing plan, or payment of an applicable early termination fee.
In short, that policy simply states that carriers will unlock as long as you are “in good standing” and that your contract is fulfilled. In other words, Verizon could easily go from a 60-day unlock policy to a 3-year policy, since they now lock customers in on 3-year device payment plan contracts.
Oh, the FCC also said this is all to “benefit consumers.” Someone tell me how it does because they didn’t.
Agree with the sentiment on just buying a device outright, but if you are financing it I can understand the pushback on unlocking it when it still has a balance.
That's why I have done pre paid for over 14 years and buy an unlocked phone. It's not only so much more cheaper but I once jumped from 3 different carriers in a year because of different deals for cheaper lines and more data. I'll never do post paid again. I get 50 GB data for $28 so why would I want to pay over $100 each month.
None of them are Better than U
S MOBILE !!!
MAGA ain’t complaining, they enthusiastically voted for this. So at least half of the country are loving it.
What are T-Mo's and ATT's policies on this?
It should have been the other way. FCC should have made all carriers unlock the devices after 60 days. For me this is very important, so that I can use the local sim card while overseas.
I am buying the phone based on my credit. If someone is not keeping the line active, and not paying for the device, then the carrier should get a collection agency involved.
Going all the way back to 2011, buying a phone from a provider was always a worse deal. Locked bootloaders are the bane of my existence. Not being able to use your phone immediately on another provider's Network is anti-competitive.
The last phone I purchased from Verizon was a Droid turbo. Verizon only provides cellular service to me. Any discount they offer costs more in the long run. Buy your phones on ebay or from the manufacturer.
I don't buy phones from carriers and you shouldn't either. There are plenty of ways to get them financed without becoming a prisoner.
SO true.
As stated by others, stop buying from carriers!
I wonder if Verizon contributing $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund last year had any sway in their decision to give Verizon favorable treatment for their request. Trump administration is widely known as a pay to play White House now.
Personally, I don't think any phone network provider should be selling or giving away phones. People should have to buy them directly from the manufacturer or a retailer like Best Buy, etc. which would make all phones unlocked. Too much slight of hand going on at the network companies. Phone and internet should be a regulated utility just like electricity, water, etc.
Verizon's contribution of $1 million to Trump definitely played a role in this decision. Billionaire companies and elites are corrupt and don't give a dam about their consumers.
They also gave to Joe Biden during his inauguration in 2020
Well Biden's not a corrupt pos who can be bought
He must be his son had a laptop full of pics and emails to give the big guy his share.
LOL … get a clue every politician is a corrupt bought & paid for pos
Good one, lol
People really need to stop buying phones from carriers. There's zero benefit. Save your money and buy phones fully unlocked.
Truer words have never been spoken!
I now understand that this is the way but does it impact updates?
Not really. Before getting a carrier branded S24 Ultra, when my daily was an S22 Ultra direct from Samsung the update gap between carrier devices vs unlocked was off by no more than 2 days.
The only downside is needing to hang up a phone call and start a Google Meet to video chat someone you are talking to on the phone. The Verizon software has video chat built in to the dialer, and if someone is on another network, or on Verizon using an unlocked phone, you have to hang up first.
Not understanding the problem if you were on a device payment plan with Verizon. After the 60 days they would unlock it but if you had not paid it off you could not take it to another carrier. So what has changed?
Verizon can now change the rule to whatever they want without consequence from regulators. Maybe Verizon will decide to unlock after 30 days now. Or maybe they will decide to not unlock until you pay a $50 unlock fee and it has been one year. Who knows.
But if your phone is not paid off you can't use it on another carrier. If you pay it off and cancel your service they will unlock it. There has never been an option to use a device that is unpaid and unlocked after the 60 days on another carrier.
You can absolutely port out a phone that isn't fully paid off. The full balance becomes due with the original carrier, but you can do it. That's why the carriers can run promos to pay off your phone if you switch.
Is this the same Verizon that said they were going to be better because they were losing customers? Lol
Looks like I will continue to buy unlocked or switch to TMo
I buy unlocked and switched to TMO years ago!