Verizon wants to lock your phones for 6 months or longer, instead of 60 days

Android Authority

22-05-2025

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
TL;DR Verizon has petitioned the FCC to waive its 60-day phone unlocking requirements.
The company has proposed waiving the unlocking rule because it encourages bad actors to exploit unlocked devices and harms its business.
Verizon pointed out that the industry standard for providers not subject to the 60-day rule is a minimum of six months or longer.
Verizon is asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to waive rules that require it to unlock mobile phones after 60 days. The carrier has argued that the current policy results in device fraud and international trafficking and puts it at a disadvantage compared to its rivals.
In a formal petition dated May 19, 2025, Verizon urged the FCC to waive the unlocking obligation 'until such time as the Commission decides on an appropriate industry-wide approach for the unlocking of wireless devices.' The company claims the current rule encourages bad actors to exploit unlocked devices for profit, often by shipping subsidized phones to foreign markets.
Should Verizon be allowed to keep phones locked for more than 60 days?
0 votes
🔓 No: 60 days is fair. I should be able to switch when I want.
NaN %
⏳ Maybe: 60 days feels short, but 6 months is too long.
NaN %
🔒 Yes: Longer locks help stop fraud and protect the system.
NaN %
🤷 Not sure: I need more info on how this affects me.
NaN %
'The Unlocking Rule applies only to particular providers, mainly Verizon, and distorts the marketplace in a critical US industry,' the petition states. 'The rule has resulted in unintended consequences that harm consumers, competition, and Verizon, while propping up international criminal organizations that profit from fraud,' it adds.
Verizon is subject to stricter unlocking requirements than other carriers due to the previous agreements it made in exchange for regulatory benefits. In 2008, the carrier committed to unlocking phones using its 700MHz spectrum, and in 2021, it agreed to apply a 60-day unlock window as a condition of its acquisition of prepaid carrier TracFone.
What is Verizon proposing?
Verizon is now calling the unlocking rules outdated and claiming that a 60-day lock is no longer sufficient.
'Even a lock of 60 days does not deter device fraud—a huge and growing problem in the United States,' Verizon writes, adding that 'the industry standard for providers not subject to the Unlocking Rule is a minimum of six months or longer.'
Verizon's request to the FCC coincides with Commissioner Brendan Carr's ongoing 'Delete, Delete, Delete' initiative, which aims to eliminate outdated telecom rules.
Extended lock-in periods could trap consumers with carriers they no longer want.
While Verizon's petition focuses on fighting fraud and making unlocking practices standard across carriers, extended lock-in periods could trap consumers with carriers they no longer want. In fact, longer lock-ins could limit competition in the industry, never mind consumer choice. Under a six-month lock, a customer experiencing poor service would be unable to switch providers without buying a new device or waiting months or even years to unlock their phone.
The current 60-day unlocking rule emerged as a consumer protection initiative under former FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. In 2024, she proposed expanding the rule to all major carriers, saying, 'You bought your phone, you should be able to take it to any provider you want.'
However, the Commission's focus has shifted with shifting political winds, and the proposed rule hasn't moved forward. The FCC has not yet responded to Verizon's waiver request.