FCC wants to force carriers to unlock consumers’ phones

Unhappy with your phone carrier because of poor reception or other reasons, but your device is tied to that carrier? The FCC is looking to make it easier for consumers to switch carriers.

According to a new propose Under the FCC rule, phone carriers could be forced to unlock users’ phones and allow consumers to move the device to the carrier of their choice.

“When you buy a phone, you should have the freedom to decide when to switch service with the carrier of your choice and not let the device you own be stuck with practices that prevent you from making that choice,” he said. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement. as well as the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM).

“Transparency and consistency are essential elements for real competition,” she continued. “That is why we are proposing clear, national rules on unlocking mobile phones.”

For many years, cell phone and smartphone users were forced to stick with a telecommunications carrier that their device was locked to. In 2014, new laws gave consumers more rights to unlock their device, a practice that was previously illegal.

Under the new proposal, the rules for unlocked phones would be much simpler. Carriers would be required to unlock a user’s phone 60 days after activation.

As TechCrunch He points out that there are likely some issues that will need to be addressed with this proposal. For example, many consumers buy their phones through installment plans or through multi-year contracts that tie them to a carrier.

At the same time, however, carriers like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile often use questionable methods to lock consumers into service plans long after a device is purchased and paid for. The FCC is looking to make phone purchases much more transparent.

We’ll find out more about the law next month when the FCC shares the full proposal document and opens public comment on the matter.