The Federal Communications Commission has approved a policy shift that allows Verizon to keep smartphones locked to its network for longer periods, ending a long-standing requirement that set the carrier apart from its competitors. The move removes Verizon’s obligation to automatically unlock phones 60 days after activation, a change that consumer advocates warn could make it more difficult for customers to switch wireless providers.
By granting Verizon a waiver, the FCC has effectively aligned the carrier’s unlocking practices with the broader wireless industry, which operates under voluntary standards rather than mandatory, carrier-specific rules. The decision marks a notable shift in how handset unlocking is regulated in the United States and has sparked renewed debate over consumer choice, competition, and fraud prevention.
Verizon Moves Under Industry-Wide Unlocking Practices
Previously, Verizon was required to unlock phones automatically after 60 days, regardless of whether a customer requested it. That obligation no longer applies while the waiver remains in effect. Instead, Verizon must now follow the Consumer Code established by CTIA, the wireless industry’s primary trade association.
Under the CTIA framework, unlocking timelines vary by plan type. Prepaid devices are eligible for unlocking one year after activation, while postpaid devices can be unlocked once customers complete their contract, pay off device financing, or settle early termination fees. Importantly, the CTIA code requires unlocking only when consumers ask for it, rather than mandating automatic unlocking.
The FCC said the waiver will remain in place while the agency considers whether a uniform unlocking policy should be adopted across the entire wireless industry.
FCC Declines to Impose a Time Limit
Several consumer advocacy organizations and industry groups urged the FCC to at least cap Verizon’s phone-locking period at 180 days. The agency rejected that request, stating that the CTIA’s voluntary standards already provide sufficient safeguards for consumers and preserve competitive options in the marketplace.
In its ruling, the FCC concluded that imposing a six-month limit was unnecessary and that treating Verizon differently from other carriers could undermine regulatory consistency. As a result, Verizon now operates under fewer unlocking restrictions than it did for more than a decade.
How Verizon Ended Up With Stricter Rules in the First Place
Verizon’s earlier unlocking obligations were the result of agreements it voluntarily accepted in exchange for regulatory approvals. In 2008, the company committed to more consumer-friendly unlocking rules as part of its purchase of licenses to use 700 MHz spectrum. Similar conditions were included again in 2021 when Verizon sought approval for its acquisition of TracFone.
For many years, Verizon sold phones that were unlocked by default. That approach changed in 2019, when the FCC allowed the carrier to lock devices for up to 60 days, citing concerns that criminals were exploiting quick unlocking timelines to resell subsidized phones on international markets.
Fraud Concerns Drive Verizon’s Request
In March 2025, Verizon petitioned the FCC to eliminate the 60-day unlocking requirement altogether. The company argued that the limited lock period was no longer effective in preventing fraud, particularly as global demand for U.S.-sold smartphones increased.
According to Verizon and supporting law enforcement groups, stolen or fraudulently obtained devices are often trafficked to countries that do not participate in international device-blocking systems. The FCC agreed that the previous rule had made Verizon phones an attractive target for organized theft rings.
The agency also noted that law enforcement agencies had raised concerns about the resources required to investigate handset theft, arguing that longer locking periods could reduce crime and allow officers to focus on broader public safety issues.
What the Decision Means for Verizon Customers
The FCC emphasized that the waiver applies only to phones activated on Verizon’s network after the order takes effect. Devices already in use will continue under the previous rules, preventing retroactive changes that could disrupt existing customer agreements.
Verizon has said it will update its unlocking policies to comply with the CTIA Consumer Code. This means customers may face longer waits to unlock their devices and will need to actively request unlocking once they meet eligibility requirements.
Past Disputes Highlight Ongoing Tensions
The FCC’s ruling follows disputes over Verizon’s unlocking practices, including a case involving a Kansas resident who sued the carrier after it refused to unlock an iPhone he had purchased. While the FCC declined to intervene, a small claims court ruled in the customer’s favor, finding that Verizon improperly applied a newer policy to a device purchased earlier.
That case centered on Verizon’s April 2025 policy change, which required 60 days of paid active service before unlocking—a condition critics said went beyond FCC rules at the time. The new waiver largely removes those distinctions, giving Verizon greater flexibility moving forward.
Consumer Advocates Push Back
A coalition of consumer and digital rights organizations opposed Verizon’s waiver request, arguing that automatic unlocking benefits consumers, boosts competition, and supports device resale and reuse. The groups also maintained that Verizon had not provided clear evidence showing that extending lock periods would meaningfully reduce fraud.
They argued that carriers already have tools to detect suspicious activity, flag trafficked devices, and deny unlocking when fraud is suspected, even under shorter locking timelines.
