Canada Phone Unlocking Rules in 2026: What the CRTC Actually Changed

Canada’s phone-unlocking rules are easy to misread because the CRTC changed the practical position in August 2026. The short version is not that carriers received permission to keep a phone locked for 60 days. They did not. The temporary arrangement allows a lock only if the device is automatically unlocked within two business days, and the customer can still request a free unlock.

The change followed disputes involving Bell and a separate TELUS application. It is a useful distinction for anyone buying a subsidized or financed phone, especially if the plan looks attractive but the device is tied to one network.

What the CRTC rule says now

CRTC Telecom Notice of Consultation 2026-210, dated August 14, says the Wireless Code normally requires a service provider to provide a device unlocked. The notice created a temporary, industry-wide stay of that specific requirement while the wider consumer-protection proceeding continues.

Under the temporary arrangement, a provider that uses a lock must:

unlock the device automatically within two business days after the customer purchases it;
unlock it upon the customer’s request, as required by the separate unlocking provision; and
make reasonable efforts to explain the expected lock duration, what the lock means, and the customer’s right to request an unlock.

That is a maximum of two business days under the temporary condition, not a new 60-day waiting period. The CRTC specifically contrasts the two-day requirement with the 60-day period at issue in the proceeding.

Why people are searching for TELUS and smartphone locks

TELUS submitted an application dated May 22, 2026, seeking temporary and permanent authorization for wireless providers to use a 60-day lock on new subsidized or financed devices. A CRTC staff letter published July 8 recorded the request and reminded TELUS that the existing Wireless Code rules remained in effect unless the Commission expressly decided otherwise.

The August notice did not grant TELUS a 60-day authorization. Instead, it set a temporary framework for all providers and invited TELUS to address whether it wished to continue with its application. The CRTC said the temporary stay remains in effect until it issues a decision in the separate proceeding on harmonizing consumer-protection codes.

What the Bell case changed

The same CRTC notice says Bell Canada and Virgin Plus had been providing devices locked for 60 days after purchase. The Commission had previously found that practice did not comply with the Wireless Code and directed Bell to stop. The 2026 proceeding asks Bell to show cause why its practice was not a violation.

The regulator also said a device-locking policy should not be treated as compliant simply because a phone becomes usable on another network after a period of time. The Wireless Code’s purpose includes making it easier for customers to switch providers, travel with their devices, and benefit from competition.

What to do when buying a phone

Ask what the lock means

Before accepting a financed or subsidized phone, ask whether it is locked, when automatic unlocking occurs, and whether the provider’s paperwork gives you a way to request the unlock. Keep the contract and the purchase date. The two-business-day clock matters only if you can show when the device was purchased.

Test another network carefully

Do not assume a SIM change alone proves a problem. A device can have carrier settings, an account issue, or compatibility limits that are separate from a network lock. If another provider’s SIM does not work, ask the original provider to confirm the device’s lock status and provide the unlock at no charge.

Escalate in the right order

The CRTC tells customers to contact their provider first. If the answer does not resolve the issue, the CRTC points customers to the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services, or CCTS. Keep screenshots, dates, ticket numbers, and copies of the contract. A clear paper trail beats a long argument with a retail counter.

Confirmed versus unconfirmed

Confirmed: the CRTC’s August 14 notice created a temporary industry-wide stay with automatic unlocking within two business days, free unlocking upon request, and disclosure efforts.
Confirmed: TELUS asked for permission to use a 60-day lock on new subsidized or financed devices.
Confirmed: the temporary stay lasts until the CRTC decides the related harmonization proceeding.
Unconfirmed: a permanent 60-day device-lock rule. The sources opened for this article do not show that the CRTC has approved one.