Senators Urge FCC to Establish Uniform National Standard for Mobile Device Unlocking
A coalition of senators, including John Barrasso, Katie Britt, Roger Marshall, Pete Ricketts, and Bernie Moreno, has written to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr, advocating for a uniform national standard for unlocking mobile devices. They propose a 180-day unlocking period across all providers. This initiative is supported by a diverse group including SpaceX, the Rural Wireless Association, NTCA, and ACA Connects. The core issue is that most mobile providers currently lock customers' phones, restricting them to a single network and preventing consumers from easily switching to more affordable services. This practice, according to the senators, limits consumer choice and competition. They argue that a standardized unlocking rule would build on previous progress made by the FCC and the Trump Administration in lowering wireless prices, empowering consumers to take advantage of competitive offers and switch providers more freely. 
