CTIA, FCC come to agreement on cellphone unlocking terms
My quick interpretation.
- Disclosure. Each carrier will post on its website its clear, concise, and readily accessible policy on postpaid and prepaid mobile wireless device unlocking.
- Postpaid Unlocking Policy. Carriers, upon request, will unlock mobile wireless devices or provide the necessary information to unlock their devices for their customers and former customers in good standing and individual owners of eligible devices after the fulfillment of the applicable postpaid service contract, device financing plan or payment of an applicable early termination fee.
- Prepaid Unlocking Policy. Carriers, upon request, will unlock prepaid mobile wireless devices no later than one year after initial activation, consistent with reasonable time, payment or usage requirements.
- Notice. Carriers that lock devices will clearly notify customers that their devices are eligible for unlocking at the time when their devices are eligible for unlocking or automatically unlock devices remotely when devices are eligible for unlocking, without additional fee. Carriers reserve the right to charge non-customers/non-former-customers a reasonable fee for unlocking requests. Notice to prepaid customers may occur at point of sale, at the time of eligibility, or through a clear and concise statement of the policy on the carrier’s website
- Response Time. Within two business days after receiving a request, carriers will unlock eligible mobile wireless devices or initiate a request to the OEM to unlock the eligible device, or provide an explanation of why the device does not qualify for unlocking, or why the carrier reasonably needs additional time to process the request.
- Deployed Personnel Unlocking Policy. Carriers will unlock mobile wireless devices for deployed military personnel who are customers in good standing upon provision of deployment papers.
My quick interpretation.
- You'll see carriers updating their websites to make their unlocking policy easier to find.
- When the phone is paid off, either completing the payment plan, fulfilling the (usually 2-year) contract, or paying the ETF in full, the carrier will unlock the device at the customer's request.
- Prepaid carriers have up to one-year to hold on keeping a device locked to their network. It can be shorter than one year though. Sounds like this can vary from prepaid carrier to prepaid carrier.
- When the device is eligible to be unlocked, the carrier is responsible for notifying the customer that it's ready. The customer still has to make the request. Carriers can charge non-customers or non-forumer-customers a fee to unlock a phone locked to their network.
- Carriers must unlock the device within two business days or provide a reason for the delay.
- Military personnel in good standing can request their device be unlocked by submitting their deployment papers. The device does not need to be paid off.