Verizon's phone unlock proposal draws a lot of opposition

The Federal Communications Commission is getting an earful about Verizon’s petition for a waiver to its 60-day handset unlocking requirements. Many of the public comments appear to come from everyday citizens who are fed up with corporate greed and want the freedom to take their handsets wherever they darn well please. However, several law enforcement agencies filed comments in support of Verizon’s waiver request, including the International Union of Police Associations, Virginia Beach Police Benevolent Association, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations Agents Association, Salt Lake Valley Law Enforcement Association, Toledo Police Patrolman’s Association, and Sergeants Benevolent Association. One of Verizon’s arguments for ending the handset unlocking policy is that it encourages bad actors to buy phones that are unlocked and funnel them to other countries for resale. But a contingent of consumer advocacy groups, including Public Knowledge, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, and Consumer Reports, filed in opposition to Verizon’s proposal, saying that its fraud argument is unconvincing, among other things. Of course, fraud and trafficking are legitimate concerns, but the consumer groups are calling BS on Verizon’s attempt to pin the problem primarily on unlocking.