FCC Grants Verizon’s Request for Unlocking Waiver

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2026 – The Federal Communications Commission granted Verizon’s request to waive a rule that required the company to unlock phones after 60 days.

The company asked for the waiver in May, arguing the unlocking rule distorted the marketplace and incentivized theft of its phones. The FCC agreed. 

“By waiving a regulation that incentivized bad actors to target one particular carrier’s handsets for theft, we now have a uniform industry standard that can help stem the flow of handsets into the black market,” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said in a statement.