Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), joined by Senators John Kennedy (R-LA) and Eric Schmitt (R-MO), wrote to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr this week calling on the Commission to finalize its rulemaking to require automatic phone unlocking after 180 days.
Support requiring automatic phone unlocking after 180 days through FCC rulemaking.
Occurrences
calling on the Commission to finalize its rulemaking to require automatic phone unlocking after 180 days.
We urge the Commission to seize this opportunity to deliver meaningful relief to American families by enacting a uniform unlocking rule, establishing long-sought regulatory certainty, and upholding the principle that competition best serves consumers.
Evidence
The Federal Communications Commission today proposed that the agency require mobile service providers to unlock customers’ mobile phones within 60 days of activation.
We propose to require all mobile wireless service providers to unlock handsets 60 days after a consumer’s handset is activated with the provider, unless within the 60-day period the service provider determines the handset was purchased through fraud.
We urge the Commission to seize this opportunity to deliver meaningful relief to American families by enacting a uniform unlocking rule, establishing long-sought regulatory certainty, and upholding the principle that competition best serves consumers.
Senator Cynthia Lummis, along with Senators John Kennedy and Eric Schmitt, wrote to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr urging the Commission to finalize its rulemaking to require automatic phone unlocking after 180 days across all mobile carriers.
The FCC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking suggests requiring providers to unlock handsets 60 days after activation, with exceptions for fraud.
The FCC proposed a rule requiring mobile service providers to unlock phones within 60 days of activation.
At paragraph 33, the FCC declined to impose an unlocking condition in the Verizon Wireless/Array spectrum transaction and explained that general, industry-wide handset unlocking issues are more appropriately addressed through a Commission rulemaking proceeding, citing WT Docket No. 24-186.
Sen. Lummis and colleagues asked the FCC to finalize its pending handset-unlocking rulemaking and establish a uniform unlocking standard after 180 days across all mobile carriers.
Assessments
Lummis fulfilled the promise as framed: she supported requiring automatic handset unlocking through FCC rulemaking by leading a March 5, 2026 letter urging the FCC to finalize a uniform automatic unlocking standard after 180 days. The FCC had not adopted the final rule by the latest evidence, so this is not delivery of the underlying regulatory outcome, but the promise was to support the requirement rather than personally enact it.
Senator Lummis actively advocated to the FCC for an automatic 180-day phone unlocking rule, demonstrating real legislative engagement toward this promise. However, the FCC's actual proposal only requires phone unlocking within 60 days, not the specific 180-day threshold outlined in the promise. Thus, while strong effort was shown, the precise outcome as promised was not delivered.
Senator Lummis advocated for the FCC to mandate automatic unlocking of phones, meeting the spirit of her promise. The FCC responded with a rulemaking proposal, but the rule would require unlocking after 60 days (not the promised 180 days). Although the regulatory process has begun, and her active engagement is clear, the specific 180-day timeframe in the promise has not been adopted. Thus, the promise is partially fulfilled, reflecting both the legislative effort and substantial progress, but not full delivery on the exact terms.