131
AMY KLOBUCHAR 
MINNESOTA 
COMMITIEES: 
AGRICULTURE, NUTRITION, 
AND FORESTRY tinitnt ~tatcs ~cnatt 
COMMERCE, SCIENCE, 
AND TRANSPORTATION 
JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE 
JUDICIARY 
RULES AND ADMINISTRATION 
The Honorable Tom Wheeler 
Chairman 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street SW 
Washington. DC 20554 
WASHINGTON. DC 20510 
February 10. 2015 
Dear Chairman Wheeler and President Baker: 
Mrs. Meredith Attwell Baker 
President & CEO 
CTIA-The Wireless Association 
1400 16th Street NW, Suite 600 
Washington, DC 20036 
Consumers deserve to have the choice to change carriers and take their devices with them. 
Unfortunately, for too long consumers were faced with hurdles if they wanted to unlock their 
mobile phones from one network and move to a new carrier with their device. Additionally, 
consumers found that their carriers• unlocking policies lacked transparency, consistency, and 
clarity. 
That is why I introduced the Wireless Consumer Choice Act in 2013 which required the Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC) to issue rules regarding unlocking for mobile devices. 
Following the introduction of this bill and increased pressure from consumers. the FCC and 
CTIA- The Wireless Association came to a voluntary agreement to preserve consumer choice 
and consumers' ability to unlock their devices. I was pleased that the industry heard the call for 
change from Congress and consumers and took action. 
The voluntary commitment set a clear timeline stating that all six unlocking standards agreed on 
would be implemented by February II, 2015. The six standards included in the Consumer Code 
for Wireless Service are: 
1. Disclosure. Each carrier will post on its website its clear, concise, and readily accessible 
policy on postpaid and prepaid mobile wireless device unlocking. 
2. Postpaid Unlocking Policy. Carriers upon request, will unlock mobile wireless devices 
or provide the necessary information to unlock their devices for their customers and 
former customers in good standing and individual owners of eligible devices after the 
fulfillment of the applicable postpaid service contract, device financing plan, or payment 
of applicable early termination fee. 
3. Prepaid Unlocking Policy. Carriers, upon request will unlock prepaid mobile wireless 
devices no later than one year after initial activation, consistent with reasonable time, 
payment or usage requirements. 
4. Notice. Carriers that lock devices will clearly notify customers that their devices are 
eligible for unlocking at the time when their devices are eligible for unlocking or 
automatically unlock devices remotely when devices are eligible for unlocking, without 
additional fee. Carriers reserve the right to charge non-customers/nonformer-customers 
with a reasonable fee for unlocking request. Notice to prepaid customers may occur at 
point of sale, at the time of eligibility, or through a clear and concise statement of policy 
on the carrier's website. 
5. Response Time. Within two business days after receiving a request, carriers will unlock 
eligible mobile wireless devices or initiate a request to the OEM to unlock the eligible 
device, or provide an explanation of why the device does not qualify for unlocking, or 
why the carrier reasonably needs additional time to process the request. 
6. Deployed Personnel Unlocking Policy. Carriers will unlock mobile wireless devices for 
deployed military personnel who are customers in good standing upon provision of 
deployment papers. 
With the deadline for implementation of the voluntary agreement this week, I respectfully 
request, at your earliest convenience, updates on the implementation and success of this 
voluntary standard designed to give consumers choice and increase competition among carriers. 
Specifically, I would like to know where each of the six principals stand in terms of 
implementation, if the FCC or wireless carriers continue to receive complaints from consumers 
regarding unlocking policies even after the agreement, and if this voluntary policy has met the 
goals of increasing consumer choice and promoting competition. 
Thank you for your continued attention to this issue. I look forward to your responses and to 
continuing to work with you to protect mobile consumers. 
Sincerely, 
~~\~ 
United States Senator