Verizon seeks FCC approval to lock phones for 6 months: Here's what you need to know
Verizon may soon make it harder for customers to switch carriers or unlock their phones early. The company is reportedly seeking approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Trump administration to extend its device lock period from the current 60 days to six months. If approved, the change would align Verizon with AT&T's policy and further tighten restrictions compared to competitors like T-Mobile, which already enforces a 12-month lock on prepaid devices.
Also Read: What time is Jones Beach Air Show? A look at performance lineup and how and where to watch grand event
Verizon argues that extending the lock period is necessary to deter phone theft and fraud, which ultimately harms teh customers. The company's petition stated, 'The Unlocking Rule applies only to particular providers—mainly Verizon—and distorts the marketplace in a critical US industry."
It further read, 'he rule has resulted in unintended consequences that harm consumers, competition, and Verizon, while propping up international criminal organizations that profit from fraud, including device trafficking of subsidized devices from the United States. These bad actors target and harm American consumers and US carriers like Verizon for their own profit, by diverting unlocked trafficked devices to consumers in foreign countries,' as reported by Tom's Guide.
Verizon also argued that after the purchase of TracFone, a 'sharp increase" was observed in the number of TracFone devices being deactivated before customers had completed the payments needed to cover the subsidized cost of the phones.
Also Read: What restaurants are open on Memorial Day 2025? McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, and more
Interestingly, Verizon's push marks a shift in direction for the smartphone industry, as the FCC under President Biden had previously considered a proposal to standardize the unlock period across all carriers at 60 days. However, that will not be happening as highlighted by Ars Technica since the new FCC chairman Brendan Carr is focused on deregulation. The news might come as a huge disappointment to Verizon consumers, especially because the company was a favourite mainly because of its shorter unlock window.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
3 hours ago
- Mint
Trump Urged Ergen, Carr to Cut a Deal on EchoStar Spectrum
President Donald Trump has intervened to push EchoStar Corp. and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr to resolve a dispute over the satellite communications company's valuable spectrum licenses. The FCC in May launched an investigation into whether EchoStar was meeting certain obligations for its wireless and satellite spectrum rights. In response, EchoStar has been skipping bond coupon payments and is considering filing for bankruptcy. The company has said the FCC's threats have 'effectively frozen our ability to make decisions' about its 5G network buildout. After multiple rebuffed attempts to speak directly to Carr, EchoStar President Charlie Ergen finally sat down with the chairman late Wednesday afternoon in the FCC's Washington headquarters, according to people familiar with the meetings. Carr told Ergen that EchoStar needs to start selling some of its spectrum licenses, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing private information. Otherwise, Carr told Ergen, the company risks losing them. The next day, Ergen met with Trump at the White House to make his case, the people said. The president said he didn't want a major American company to go bankrupt, as it would create uncertainties for other businesses. In the midst of the conversation, Trump telephoned Carr, who came to the Oval Office and joined the meeting. The discussions included a brief exchange about Ergen's political donations and whether he gave to both Republican and Democrat candidates, some of the people said. At one point Trump also called Newsmax Inc. founder Chris Ruddy to ask if EchoStar's DISH satellite TV service carried conservative news outlets like his, according to people familiar with the matter. 'Newsmax has had a very positive relationship with the DISH network and we appreciate them giving diverse voices, including us, the ability to reach their subscribers,' Ruddy said in a statement, when asked for comment about the meeting. The meeting concluded with the president encouraging Carr and Ergen to work together and reach some kind of deal, the people said. EchoStar declined to comment. Carr and representatives for his office didn't respond to multiple requests for comment. The White House didn't immediately respond to a request to comment on the specifics of the meeting between Ergen and the President. The FCC initially blessed EchoStar's ambition to become a fourth national wireless carrier, using pioneering technology that lets more companies participate in the buildout of the network. But in a letter sent to Ergen last month, Carr questioned whether EchoStar has adequately made use of its spectrum licenses, including a portion of the airwaves that has been long coveted by Elon Musk's satellite communications company SpaceX. EchoStar owns the Dish Network pay-TV brand and the Boost Mobile wireless service. It has spent billions of dollars and several years trying to build a nationwide communications network to compete with AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc. and T-Mobile US Inc. But Carr has suggested EchoStar is moving too slowly and not achieving agreed upon targets for coverage, leading to 'spectrum warehousing,' or unused portions of spectrum. Starlink has publicly pointed to what it characterizes as EchoStar's wasted bandwidth to argue for regulatory action. In the worst-case scenario for EchoStar, the FCC could find that it has not met obligations to use its spectrum licenses and reclaim at least some of them. Former FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington, a Republican who recently left the agency, wrote in an opinion piece that Carr should drop the probes. With assistance from Hannah Miller. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
Air India will be fully transparent in air crash investigation and support probe as long as it takes, says CEO Campbell Wilson
Air India will be fully transparent in the investigation into the crash of its Boeing 787-8 aircraft and will support the probe process as long it lasts, the Tata group airline's chief executive officer Campbell Wilson said Friday. In a recorded statement from Ahmedabad, the Air India CEO said that he has assured the government that the carrier is 'committed to full cooperation with those working on the ground and through the investigations'. 'We know that the investigations will take time, but we will be fully transparent and will support the process for as long as it takes. Air India will continue to do everything we can to care for those affected by this tragedy and to uphold the trust placed in us,' Wilson said. Wilson was in Ahmedabad following Thursday's deadly crash involving a 787 aircraft operating the Ahmedabad-London Gatwick flight AI-171. The accident, the worst aviation disaster involving an Indian airline in four decades, resulted in the death of all but one of the 242 people on board. The accident also led to casualties on the ground as the aircraft crashed into a medical College hostel in the vicinity of the Ahmedabad airport shortly after take-off. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited the accident site on Friday. 'This morning, I visited the crash site and was deeply moved by the scenes. I also met key stakeholders in the government and assured them that Air India is committed to full cooperation with those working on the ground and through the investigations,' Wilson said. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is investigating the crash, while the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) would also be involved in the detailed probe, given that the aircraft is manufactured by an American company—Boeing—and was manufactured in the US. A UK AAIB team is also going to help with the investigation, and so are Boeing and other major component manufacturers like GE (engine manufacturer). According to aircraft accident investigation protocol, the probe report should be finalised within a year. According to flight tracking data, the signal from the aircraft was lost at an altitude of just 625 feet, moments after take-off. It then descended with a vertical speed of 475 feet per minute and crashed. According to aviation safety regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the pilots gave a Mayday call—signaling severe distress—to the Ahmedabad airport air traffic control (ATC) upon take-off, after which it crashed outside the airport perimeter. 'All of us at Air India are devastated by this loss and grieve for those affected, their families and their loved ones,' Wilson said, adding that a team of nearly 100 caregivers and 40 engineering staff from Air India had reached Ahmedabad to provide support to affected families and help out at the crash site. 'Many more caregivers are traveling to Ahmedabad to provide further support. We have set up friends and relatives assistance centers at Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi and London Gatwick airports for the next of kin of our passengers and crew members. These centers are facilitating their travel to Ahmedabad and providing them full support,' Wilson added. The Tata group had on Thursday evening announced Rs 1 crore for families of those who perished in the accident. The conglomerate also said that it will bear all medical expenses of those injured in the accident. Sukalp Sharma is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express and writes on a host of subjects and sectors, notably energy and aviation. He has over 13 years of experience in journalism with a body of work spanning areas like politics, development, equity markets, corporates, trade, and economic policy. He considers himself an above-average photographer, which goes well with his love for travel. ... Read More
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Oil up 8%, but India may not feel much pain
NEW DELHI: The Israel-Iran conflict may not immediately disrupt global oil supplies , but the tensions could keep prices elevated, squeezing oil marketing companies' margins while having little impact on consumer prices, according to executives at Indian refining firms. An Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear and military facilities, followed by Iran's vow to retaliate, sent shockwaves through the oil market on Friday, pushing benchmark Brent crude up 8% to $75 a barrel. "It is in the interest of the US, Iran, and other West Asian producers to keep oil flowing without disruption," said a refinery executive, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "Producers in the region will not want their trade disrupted, and Trump will be wary of global supply shocks that could push up US pump prices." "India's crude supply basket is currently well-diversified and West Asia has a comparatively smaller footprint than it was a decade ago," said M K Surana, the CEO of Ratnagiri Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd and former chief of HPCL . Russia currently supplies about 40% of India's crude imports. "More than supply, it's the price risk that's more relevant to India. This can weigh on oil marketing companies' margins." "Structurally, the global oil market supports lower crude oil prices with increased OPEC+ supplies and weak demand growth. But escalating geopolitical tensions brings in risk premium in oil prices, higher freight and insurance costs," Surana said. "Speculation creates upward momentum in prices." Despite the rise in crude prices, domestic fuel rates are unlikely to be affected as pump prices in India are already at elevated levels, said another executive. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
