tech
January 21, 2026
Verizon starts requiring 365 days of paid service before it will unlock phones
Verizon changed prepaid brands’ policy a week after FCC waived unlocking rule.
TL;DR
- Verizon's TracFone division now requires phones to be locked for 365 days of paid service before they can be unlocked upon request.
- This change follows an FCC waiver that removed the previous 60-day automatic unlocking requirement for Verizon.
- The new policy applies to TracFone and other Verizon prepaid brands like Straight Talk, Net10 Wireless, and Simple Mobile.
- Visible, another Verizon-owned prepaid brand, also updated its policy to require 365 days of paid service for unlocking.
- Verizon and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr argue longer lock periods deter fraud, while consumer groups dispute this, citing negative impacts on device reuse and competition.
- AT&T and T-Mobile have different unlocking policies, with varying periods for postpaid and prepaid plans.