When Americans choose a wireless provider, cost is often a key factor.
But for many consumers, switching providers isn’t always simple. Today, many mobile devices are “locked” to a specific network—meaning a phone purchased through one provider cannot be used on another network without first being unlocked. While originally intended to support device financing and deter fraud, these practices can also make it harder for consumers to move to more affordable or better-fitting options.
As a result, device locking can limit consumer mobility, reduce competitive pressure and ultimately keep prices higher than they need to be.
There is a clear opportunity for policymakers to modernize unlocking policies in a way that expands consumer choice while preserving important protections against fraud.
Removing barriers to switching
When a phone is locked to a single network, it can prevent consumers from taking advantage of better or more affordable service options. In practice, this means families may remain tied to higher-cost plans—not because they lack alternatives, but because switching is unnecessarily complicated.
Data shows that cost is the #1 consideration for 67% of consumers when choosing a wireless provider, far outweighing factors like reliability or speed. Yet at the same time, households are often paying more than they should because it is too challenging to move providers. Recent estimates indicate consumers may be overspending by more than $2,000 annually on mobile service, compared to available competitive options.
Unlocking competition and affordability
A consistent, automatic unlocking policy that applies to all mobile providers—such as unlocking devices after 180 days—would give consumers greater freedom to choose the provider that best meets their needs.
That flexibility can have a direct impact on household budgets. For example, an average two-line household could save up to $1,200 per year by switching to more competitive offerings like Spectrum Mobile or Xfinity Mobile. In many cases, comparable plans can cost roughly half as much—bringing annual costs down from over $2,000 to around $960.
By making it easier for consumers to switch, automatic unlocking would increase competitive pressure across the marketplace, encourage providers to offer better pricing and service, and support innovative business models and new market entrants.
Consumers overwhelmingly support this kind of flexibility. Ninety-two percent of registered voters agree that consumers should have the right to take their devices with them when switching providers.
Supporting competition while protecting consumers
Unlocking policies should also reflect the need to safeguard networks and prevent fraud.
A 180-day unlocking framework strikes a reasonable balance—giving providers time to identify and address fraudulent activity while still ensuring consumers can switch carriers without undue delay. Combined with tools like device blacklisting and other security measures, this approach supports both consumer protection and marketplace flexibility.
Wireless competition continues to evolve, with more options available to consumers than ever before. Ensuring that consumers can fully access those choices is critical to sustaining that progress.
A uniform, automatic unlocking policy represents a practical step forward—one that can reduce friction, enhance affordability and strengthen competition across the wireless ecosystem.
