XPost: misc.phone.mobile.iphone   
   From: NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com   
      
   shame on them.   
      
   In comp.mobile.android, on Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:48:12 -0700, Marian   
    wrote:   
      
   >   
   >Verizon refused to unlock man's iPhone, so he sued the carrier and won   
   >   
   >   
   >When Verizon refused to unlock an iPhone purchased by Kansas resident   
   >Patrick Roach, he had no intention of giving up without a fight. Roach sued   
   >the wireless carrier in small claims court and won.   
   >   
   >Roach bought a discounted iPhone 16e from Verizon's Straight Talk brand on   
   >February 28, 2025, as a gift for his wife's birthday. He intended to pay   
   >for one month of service, cancel, and then switch the phone to the US   
   >Mobile service plan that the couple uses. Under federal rules that apply to   
   >Verizon and a Verizon unlocking policy that was in place when Roach bought   
   >the phone, this strategy should have worked.   
   >   
   >Verizon, unlike other carriers, is required by the Federal Communications   
   >Commission to unlock phones shortly after they are activated on its   
   >network. Verizon gained significant benefits in exchange for agreeing to   
   >the unlocking requirement, first in 2008 when it purchased licenses to use   
   >700 MHz spectrum that came with open access requirements and then in 2021   
   >when it agreed to merger conditions to obtain approval for its purchase of   
   >TracFone.   
   >   
   >Verizon is thus required to unlock handsets 60 days after they are   
   >activated on its network. This applies to Verizon's flagship brand and   
   >TracFone brands such as Straight Talk.   
   >   
   >But 60 days after Roach activated his phone, Verizon refused to unlock it.   
   >Verizon claimed it didn't have to because of a recent policy change in   
   >which Verizon decided to only unlock devices after "60 days of paid active   
   >service." Roach had only paid for one month of service on the phone.   
   >   
   >The FCC-imposed restriction says Verizon must unlock phones 60 days after   
   >activation and doesn't say that Verizon may refuse to unlock a phone when a   
   >customer has not maintained paid service for 60 days. Moreover, Verizon   
   >implemented its "60 days of paid active service" policy for TracFone brands   
   >and Verizon prepaid phones on April 1, 2025, over a month after Roach   
   >bought the phone.   
   >   
   >Company policy at the time Roach made the purchase was to unlock phones 60   
   >days after activation, with no mention of needing 60 days of paid active   
   >service. In other words, Roach bought the phone under one policy, and   
   >Verizon refused to unlock it based on a different policy it implemented   
   >over a month later. Verizon's attempt to retroactively enforce its new   
   >policy on Roach was not looked upon favorably by a magistrate judge in   
   >District Court of Sedgwick County, Kansas.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)