The CRTC has denied a request from Bell to temporarily allow it and other wireless service providers to provide locked cellphones after purchase.
In a letter dated April 22, Bell and its flanker brand Virgin Plus informed the CRTC of their intention to start selling locked cellphones to address an increase in crime at Bell’s points of sale, with the phones to be locked to Bell’s network for up to 60 days after purchase.
Bell’s letter was sent to the CRTC just days before putting its new practice into effect, noted the CRTC in a Nov. 28 letter informing Bell of the commission’s decision to deny the wireless provider’s follow-up request in May to temporarily allow it to continue selling locked cellphones and to launch a proceeding to consider changes to the Wireless Code.
The practice of locking wireless devices has been banned since 2017.
Deeming Bell to be non-compliant with the Wireless Code, the CRTC has directed Bell to immediately stop selling locked cellphones and ensure all future cellphone sales comply with this direction and the Code. In addition, Bell is directed to unlock, free of charge, any cellphone still locked to its network because of this practice, and to notify affected customers that Bell has done so.
The CRTC also denied Bell’s request to launch a proceeding to consider changes to the Code.
In order for the CRTC to assess the scope of the current situation, the commission has asked Bell to submit certain information by Jan. 9, 2026, including: the number of locked cellphones sold since April 22 and the number of customers who requested unlocking before the 60-day term; of those, the number of requests granted, and how long it took to unlock each cellphone; and the number of complaints received about locked cellphones, and a description of the actions taken to resolve them.
“We’re carefully reviewing the CRTC’s letter to determine our next steps and will respond to the CRTC by their deadline of January 9,” a Bell spokesperson told Cartt in a statement. “Our priority remains protecting our employees and customers from rising criminal activity and fraud targeting wireless devices.”
Large service providers have complained that the unlocked phones ruling has increased device theft because those phones are not tied to any particular provider.
