In a move to further protect consumers from fraudulent wireless device use, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has modified the handset unlocking rules currently applicable to a major wireless service provider.
In an FCC Order issued in mid-January, the Commission has voided the 60-day device unlocking requirements applicable to Verizon Communications. The action comes in response to a request for a waiver from FCC regulations that were applied exclusively to the company in 2007 and which deviated from standard industry practices.
According to Verizon’s waiver request, the 60-day device locking period is insufficient for the company to effectively detect fraud before a device is unlocked. As a result, there has been a significant increase in fraudulent activity associated with unlocked devices.
Verizon’s unlocked handsets have reportedly been stolen and resold on black markets in countries including Russia, China, and Cuba. Further, according to the FCC, “federal and state law enforcement has investigated and prosecuted transactional handset trafficking schemes used to facilitate broader criminal enterprises like drug and human smuggling.”
The FCC’s Order aligning Verizon’s unlocking requirements with those of other wireless service providers is available at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-43A1.pdf.