Your Verizon phone number has been yours for a decade. You finally pay off the device and decide to port it to Mint Mobile — then discover the phone is still locked, and you owe another wait period you didn't see coming. That scenario is now playing out across the country thanks to a wave of carrier policy changes that took effect in late 2025 and early 2026.
Here's a plain-English breakdown of what's actually changed at T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, and the MVNO layer beneath them.
Verizon's 60-Day Unlock Rule Is Gone
This is the biggest policy shift in recent US wireless history. Since 2007, Verizon was the only major US carrier required by FCC rule to unlock eligible devices automatically 60 days after activation, regardless of payment status. That protection is now finished.
In January 2026, Verizon ended automatic unlocking after 60 days — the first such change since 2007 — after the FCC granted a waiver aligning Verizon's policy with AT&T and T-Mobile. The stated reason? Documented fraud: over 784,000 devices were lost to trafficking in 2023 alone, costing Verizon hundreds of millions.
What the new rules actually say:
For postpaid Verizon customers, devices will now be automatically unlocked once fully paid off — whether that's a full retail purchase or the completion of a device payment plan.
On prepaid, Verizon requires 365 days of paid and active service before the device is automatically unlocked.
Online payoffs trigger an additional 35-day wait before the unlock goes through.
The military exception remains: deployed personnel with valid relocation orders can still request unlocking after 60 days.
Bottom line: if your Verizon device isn't fully paid off, it won't unlock — even at 90 or 120 days.
AT&T and T-Mobile Unlock Rules: Still Different From Each Other
AT&T requires 60 days of active service before unlocking postpaid devices. Prepaid devices require six months. There's no automatic unlock — you have to request it through AT&T's Device Unlock portal, with zero outstanding balance and no past-due account.
T-Mobile, meanwhile, has extended its $35 device connection charge to phones purchased directly from Apple, closing off one way customers had previously avoided the fee.
For anyone buying a used carrier-branded device or considering a BYOD switch, the safest play is the same across all three carriers: buy unlocked phones directly from Apple, Samsung, or Google. That sidesteps every carrier-specific lock period entirely.
The MVNO Loophole That No Longer Exists
If you've been running a T-Mobile-locked phone on Mint Mobile, Tello, or Simple Mobile, you may have already hit this wall. Users on T-Mobile MVNOs discovered that phones locked to T-Mobile's network no longer work with those MVNOs. T-Mobile states that devices locked to its network will not operate with other companies' networks without first being unlocked — a policy that wasn't strictly enforced until roughly two years ago.
All three major carriers now use IMEI-level blocking to prevent locked devices from activating on partner MVNOs. This affects Mint Mobile (T-Mobile network), Visible (Verizon), Cricket (AT&T), and virtually every budget MVNO downstream.
What MVNO Customers Should Watch
Most MVNOs in 2026 offer full 5G access on their host network. Premium data tiers like Visible+ and US Mobile Premium also access Ultra Wideband 5G on Verizon or priority 5G on AT&T and T-Mobile. The price savings are real — MVNOs use the same towers as major carriers but skip infrastructure costs, passing savings of 30–50% directly to customers. You just need an unlocked phone to get there.
eSIM Is Now the Default, Not an Option
Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile continue reducing physical SIM support, replacing it with eSIM-first — or in some cases eSIM-only — activation models, a shift that affects far more than activation convenience.
Starting with the iPhone 14 series, Apple completely removed the physical SIM tray for all US models, forcing US carriers to shift entirely to eSIM and making prepaid physical cards increasingly difficult to find at airports or convenience stores.
Physical SIM cards are no longer guaranteed at every point of sale — many carrier stores now stock limited quantities, while online orders often default to eSIM without offering a physical alternative. This isn't a supply issue; it reflects deliberate carrier SIM policy changes, not temporary shortages.
For anyone holding or managing a vanity or premium number, this matters practically: porting a number to an eSIM-only plan still works fine, but the number must be active at the originating carrier until the transfer completes. You have to keep your current plan active until your number finishes transferring — cancel too soon, and that number is gone for good, with no way to get it back.
Porting: Faster in Theory, Still Carrier-Dependent in Practice
The federal right to port your number hasn't changed — number porting is free and protected by federal regulation. But the experience still varies widely by carrier.
T-Mobile completes wireless line transfers typically in 10 minutes to 3 hours, while landline transfers can take 3–10 days.
Verizon runs 4 to 24 hours, often under 8, though delays happen if your account info doesn't match exactly.
AT&T's range is minutes to 5 business days — the widest variation of the three, and one mismatched ZIP code can add 3–5 days to the process.
The FCC has been pushing for faster ports, proposing new rules in March 2024 to cut wireless porting time to 1 hour for postpaid and 4 hours for prepaid. Those rules are still working through implementation.
T-Mobile made a consumer-friendly move in December 2025: instead of being forced to pick a new device during a switch, customers may now port their number and wait up to 90 days to choose a phone deal.
To port out of Verizon, you need a Number Transfer PIN. Number Lock must be disabled before moving.
Only Account Owners or Managers can transfer numbers. For T-Mobile ports, you'll need your account number, billing address including ZIP code, and a Transfer PIN or Password from your current provider.
Plan Pricing: Legacy Customers Getting Pushed
AT&T is raising prices on older wireless plans, with the increases going into effect in April 2026. Retired unlimited plans are increasing by $10/month for single-line accounts or $20/month total for multi-line accounts.
Older Unlimited Your Way smartphone lines are increasing by $5/month per line, affecting lines active before July 24, 2025.
Verizon, by contrast, has eliminated its standard $40 activation and upgrade fees for customers who opt into the Verizon Loyalty program — the only major US carrier to do so as of June 2026.
Both T-Mobile and AT&T still charge a $35 device connection/activation fee per line according to their FCC Broadband Facts disclosures.
Quick Takeaways
- Verizon's automatic 60-day unlock is gone — postpaid devices must be fully paid off; prepaid now requires 365 days of active service.
- All three carriers use IMEI-level blocking — a T-Mobile-locked phone will not activate on Mint Mobile, Tello, or Simple Mobile until it's properly unlocked.
- eSIM is now the default activation path — physical SIMs are increasingly scarce at carrier stores and unavailable on most new online activations.
- Never cancel your old service before the port completes — your number is unrecoverable if the source line goes dark mid-transfer.
- AT&T is the slowest porter of the three — one mismatched account detail can push your wait from minutes to five business days.
- Buying unlocked from the manufacturer remains the cleanest way to avoid every carrier lock period.
If you're actively thinking about which number to bring to your next carrier, GreatNumber's marketplace is a good place to start — browse available premium numbers and check whether your target area code or pattern is open before you initiate a port. Search available numbers at GreatNumber →
