SpaceX, Broadband Industry Urge FCC To Revive Handset Unlocking Rules
The groups argue lock periods should only last for 180 days.
WASHINGTON, May 29, 2026 – A coalition of broadband providers, wireless carriers and satellite companies urged the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday to require mobile phones to be automatically unlocked within 180 days of activation.
The joint filing argued the change would expand consumer choice and competition. It was signed by a wide range of telecommunications groups and companies, including SpaceX, NTCA, ACA Connects, and the Rural Wireless Association.
The filing supports an FCC proposal that would require wireless providers to automatically unlock mobile devices no later than 180 days after activation, allowing customers to switch carriers more easily.
“This practice weakens competition by allowing large providers to retain customers without having to earn their continued business,” the groups wrote in the filing. “It is particularly harmful to those consumers who must wait for an additional time period even after they have completely paid off the device.”
The debate over unlocking rules has intensified in recent months after the FCC granted Verizon a waiver in January removing a prior requirement that the carrier unlock phones after 60 days. The rule had originally been imposed as a condition of Verizon’s 2007 purchase of 700 MHz spectrum licenses.
At the time, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr argued the waiver would help reduce device theft and trafficking by creating a more uniform industry standard. Consumer advocacy groups opposed the decision, warning that longer locking periods could make it harder for customers to switch providers and reduce competition.
Device locking allows wireless carriers to prevent phones purchased through installment plans or subsidies from operating on competing networks for a set period of time. Large carriers have argued the practice helps combat fraud and recover the cost of discounted devices.
But supporters of the FCC proposal argue long-term locking policies unfairly limit consumer choice, particularly in rural areas where users may need access to multiple providers or emerging satellite connectivity services.
The FCC opened the proceeding last year as part of a broader review of wireless competition and consumer protection rules. The Commission has not yet announced when it may vote on final unlocking requirements.
