AT&T tries to defend why it shouldn’t let you unlock your phone sooner

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Credit: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

• AT&T executives met with the FCC to explain why they are against the 60-day unlocking rule.
• The carrier argues that imposing the rule would lead to higher prices, increased fraud, and reduced financing options for customers.
• T-Mobile raised similar concerns, but Verizon supports the FCC’s proposal.

AT&T is no stranger to pushing back at federal rules it doesn’t like. The telecommunications company continued that tradition by arguing against the 60-day unlocking rule the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed to help consumers switch to the carrier they want.

For context, some mobile service providers in the US prevent you from switching to a different carrier until you pay off a device and submit a request for it to be unlocked. Others, like T-Mobile, won’t let you unlock your phone until you’ve stayed on their network for a certain number of days, even if the device is paid off. Earlier this year, the FCC proposed standardizing unlocking policies, requiring carriers to unlock customer phones within 60 days of activation. The organization believes this will level the playing field for competition and reward those with the most innovative services.




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