Credit: 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 to payments made via Verizon gift cards.