Verizon is making it even harder to unlock your paid-off phone

Source: Android Authority

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

TL;DR

• Verizon has recently changed its policy for unlocking phones bought via contract.
• The carrier now imposes a 35‑day waiting period for people who pay off their phones via the Verizon app or authorized retailers.
• You’ll need to pay off the phone via a “secure” payment type in Verizon stores to immediately unlock the device.

One common requirement for unlocking a phone bought via a carrier on a postpaid plan is that it should be paid off. Unfortunately, Verizon is now making subscribers jump through hoops to unlock their paid‑off devices in a timely fashion.

Ars Technica reports that Verizon has updated its postpaid device unlocking policy, now mandating a 35‑day waiting period for people who pay via the Verizon app or Verizon‑authorized retailers. This waiting period previously applied only to payments made via Verizon gift cards.

The company outlined the changes via its Device Unlocking Policies webpage:

If you payoff a device payment agreement balance online or in the My Verizon App, or if a Verizon Gift Card is used to purchase a smartphone or pay off a remaining balance, the unlocking process will be delayed by 35 days. This window allows for the verification of the gift card’s funds to ensure they were not obtained through fraudulent or illegal means.

The updated section explains why the waiting period is necessary for payments made via gift cards, but it doesn’t explain why it’s required for payments via authorized retailers and the Verizon app.

The support page was only updated with this tweaked policy around February 11, but it also notes that the updated policy went into effect on January 27. In other words, Verizon appears to be applying these changes retroactively, which could affect subscribers who didn’t explicitly agree to the new terms when signing their contracts.

Verizon also explains on its device unlocking FAQ page that it automatically unlocks your device when you use a “secure” payment type at a Verizon store. Secure payment types are defined as cash, a credit card with an EMV chip, or contactless payment.

Verizon’s change an “anti‑consumer” move

The updated policy has not been well received online. Users in the /r/verizon and /r/technology subreddits have largely expressed dissatisfaction:

“This is so anti‑consumer, it’s upsetting. If there is a lot of fraud with gift cards, sure, maybe I can understand a delay for that method. But if you pay off your phone with your credit card online? You should not be held hostage for another 35 days,” — stetsdogg

What do you think of Verizon’s updated policy for unlocking postpaid devices?

“If I paid off my device, it’s mine. Not yours. If I want to move to a different carrier, it should be allowed without delay. In fact, as soon as the last payment is made, unlocking should be automatically enabled. These greedy, bottom‑feeding companies can all burn in hell,” — Jamizon1

We have reached out to Verizon for comment regarding these changes and will update the article when a response is received. This isn’t a great look, especially when carriers such as T‑Mobile and AT&T have more straightforward device‑unlock policies.

The policy change follows another controversial Verizon move in January, when the company announced that Verizon Value‑branded phones had to be used on its network for 365 days before they could be unlocked, a reversal from the previous 60‑day unlock window.