Verizon updated TracFone’s unlocking policy so that phones activated on or after January 20, 2026 will be unlocked only upon customer request after 365 days of paid, active service. If a customer does not keep service active for the full period, the eligibility date is delayed. The change follows an FCC waiver issued about a week earlier that removed a requirement for Verizon to unlock handsets 60 days after activation, a condition tied to spectrum-license and merger obligations related to Verizon’s 2021 purchase of TracFone. The new policy applies to TracFone and prepaid brands including Straight Talk, Net10 Wireless, Clearway, Total Wireless, Simple Mobile, SafeLink Wireless, and Walmart Family Mobile. Customers who bought phones before the policy change remain eligible for unlocks after 60 days. The Verizon-owned prepaid brand Visible also updated its policy to require at least 365 days of paid service, with progress pausing when service is not paid and resuming upon reactivation.