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CRTC Wireless Code : Carriers must unlock your smarpthone

technologyEdward Kiledjian

The CRTC Wireless Code is a bill of consumer rights that aims to make smartphone contracts more fair and understandable to the average Canadian users.

One of the obligations brought forth by this new code is the obligation to unlock a smartphone at the user's request per these conditions:

  1. A service provider that provides a locked device to the customer as part of a contract must 
  • for subsidized devices: unlock the device, or give the customer the means to unlock the device, upon request, at the rate specified by the service provider, no later than 90 calendar days after the contract start date.
  • for unsubsidized devices: unlock the device, or give the customer the means to unlock the device, at the rate specified by the service provider, upon request.

Link to the CRTC Wireless Code. Most Canadian carriers have already started to implement the unlock option.