Ofcom, the United Kingdom’s communications regulator announced on Tuesday, October 27, it would ban mobile phone companies from selling carrier-locked handsets beginning December 2021.

The move is meant to make it easier for UK consumers to switch telecommunications providers.

In a statement, Ofcom’s research pointed to more than a third of people opting not to switch their network – which costs around £10 ($13) – because of issues in the unlocking process, such as the loss of service or delays in being able to unlock the phone.

While many UK providers and companies already sell unlocked phones, BBC reported some of them – namely BT and its EE division, Vodaphone, and Tesco Mobile – still sell locked phones.

In its report, The Verge added some additional rules would come into place on June 2022 which would make the process of switching providers easier and a lot more fair.

Ofcom said these included the ability “to get a summary of the main terms of your contract in writing – before you sign up. This will include things like the length of the contract and prices, and broadband providers will have to tell you the minimum internet speeds you can expect from your service.”

The regulator added they would also make it easier for internet users to switch networks, as some broadband networks need users to coordinate between the network they’re on and the one they’re switching to so they can avoid any interruptions in service. – Rappler.com