Ban on mobile companies selling ‘locked’ phones planned by watchdog
'By freeing mobile users from locked handsets, our plans would save people time, effort and money,' says Ofcom representative
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Ofcom says it plans to introduce a ban on mobile companies selling phones that are “locked” in order to help consumers switch network providers with more ease.
The watchdog explained that when firms including Tesco Mobile, Vodafone and BT/EE sell mobile phones, the devices cannot be used on other mobile networks unless they have been unlocked.
However, unlocking these phones can incur a charge of around £10, which can be off-putting for customers.
“Ofcom research has found that more than a third of people who decided against switching said this put them off,” Ofcom stated.
The regulator outlined that approximately half of consumers who attempt to unlock purchased mobile phones find it difficult for a variety of reasons, including not being sent the code they need to unlock their device for a long period of time.
“So we are proposing to ban mobile companies from selling locked phones, allowing people to move to a different network with their existing handset, hassle-free,” Ofcom said.
The proposed regulation change follows a reform introduced by Ofcom in July, which outlined that mobile phone users can switch networks by sending a free text message.
“Switching mobile provider can be really frustrating,” said Lindsey Fussell, consumer group director at Ofcom.
“By freeing mobile users from locked handsets, our plans would save people time, effort and money – and help them unlock a better deal.”
The suggested ban on selling locked mobile phones is part of Ofcom’s work to implement the new European Electronic Communications Code (EECC).
The EECC came into force on 20 December 2018, although European Union member states have until 21 December 2020 to bring the changes into national law.
“Other elements of the code that we are proposing to implement include changes to the information customers receive before they agree a contract, and their right to exit a contract before its end date,” Ofcom stated.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments