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Carriers Agree to Make Unlocking Phones Easier, Eventually

Dec 12, 2013, 3:44 PM by Eric M. Zeman
originally published Dec 12, 2013
updated Dec 12, 2013, 3:33 PM

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler today announced that the agency has reached an accord with wireless network operators that will make it easier for consumers to unlock their phones. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon Wireless have all agreed to the unlocking policies. First, carriers will post to their web site clear details that define what phones can and cannot be unlocked. Second, carriers will unlock all phones upon request as long as customers have fulfilled their contractual obligations. Third, prepaid devices will be unlocked no later than one year after their initial activation date. Fourth, carriers will unlock devices within two days after customers request that their phones be unlocked, or initiate a request with the OEM to unlock the device, or explain to consumers why their device cannot be unlocked. Fifth, carriers agree that they will notify customers proactively once their devices are eligible to be unlocked. Sixth, carriers will unlock the devices of all deployed military personnel who are in good standing. Each of the carriers above must adopt at least three of these above policies within three months and all of them within 12 months.

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Comments

This forum is closed.

This forum is closed.

T Bone

Dec 12, 2013, 2:03 PM

A Solution in Search of a Problem

Seriously, if people are worried about phone locks, they can buy unlocked phones, and even then it is not difficult to get the carrier to agree to unlock it for you, and you don't even need to have a particularly good reason for it....in my time working for at&t, the only time I ever flat out refused to provide the unlock code for a customer who requested it was if the customer had a past due balance or if the phone they wanted to unlocked had been reported stolen. Otherwise, provided they were an account in good standing who had had an at&t account for at least 6 months and who wanted to unlock a phone that had not been reported stolen, and we provided the code for basically any reason, even if the only reason the customer gave was 'I jus...
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Zpike

Maybe because they never should have been locked in the first place.

worldwatcher

T Bone said:
it is not difficult to get the carrier to agree to unlock it for you, ....in my time working for at&t, the only time I ever flat out refused to provide the unlock code for a customer who requested it was if the custom

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tzsm98

AT&T is refusing to unlock a paid full price for device. I've used my longstanding and always active GoPhone account and I've used my fully up to date and long standing business account. This device is not available unocked.

To pretend this is a so...
(continues)

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Jellz

Dec 12, 2013, 1:13 PM

THE SUSPENSE

IT'S KIIILLIIINNG ME

Jayshmay

20yrs later!!!!!!!! I mean really, what more is there to it? Contract is fulfilled, and/or remaining subsidy is paid off, unlock the damn phone! Not complicated!

...

brad162

Dec 12, 2013, 1:23 PM

Sprint?

I wonder if this means Sprint will fully unlock phones now and stop locking out the domestic GSM bands?

Gb239

Hopefully 😳 , but I doubt it .

Tofuchong

Aaahahahah, hahaha....
that'll never happen. I don't know why, I just don't see that happening.

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