“U.S. wireless carriers will make it easier for consumers to ‘unlock’ their mobile phones for use on a competitor’s network, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler said on Thursday,” Alina Selyukh reports for Reuters.
“Wheeler told members of Congress an agreement was reached between the carriers and the agency, and details will be presented at an FCC meeting later on Thursday,” Selyukh reports. “Industry sources have said the agreement would ensure that providers notify customers about the eligibility of their phones for unlocking – by text message, for example – and could also cover some pre-paid phones. The deal would also require carriers to process or deny unlocking requests within two business days, according to FCC’s earlier guidance.”
“U.S. wireless carriers often “lock” smartphones to their networks as a way to encourage consumers to renew their mobile contracts. Consumers often get new devices at a heavily subsidized price in return for committing to longer contracts,” Selyukh reports. “The new deal would assure consumers that they could get their phones ‘unlocked’ at the end of their contract and make the process more uniform among carriers.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Arline M.” for the heads up.]