Telus asks CRTC to restore device-locking capabilities for all Canadian providers

Telus Corp. is asking the CRTC to help it combat fraud by allowing wireless service providers in Canada to implement a 60-day device lock on all new device activations. In a Part 1 application, Telus asked the regulator to grant interim approval of the device locking regime while it considered the application, and amend the Wireless Code to make the change permanent. Device locking restricts a newly activated smartphone from using any network other than that of the carrier which sold it. An unlocked device, on the other hand, works on any wireless network anywhere in the world. The Wireless Code previously allowed a 90-day device lock following the commencement of a contract, but the code was updated in 2017 to prohibit the practice altogether, in an attempt to promote competition and reduce barriers to switching providers. In its application, Telus said smartphone theft is rampant across the country, due to the high value and low weight of the product. The western-Canadian telco added violent thefts are a growing problem in its stores, threatening the safety of its staff. On top of store robberies, Telus pointed out that roughly 5,000 people in Toronto alone had their cellphones stolen in 2025. Telus argued smartphones are attractive targets for fraudsters, since they don’t require a contract to change ownership and have a healthy resale market. Due to the current regulatory landscape, anyone with a smartphone is a viable target for thieves, Telus said. But, a 60-day device lock, the telco argued, would act as a deterrent, because thieves could never be certain which cellphones were unlocked and able to be readily trafficked across borders. In 2025, BCE Inc.’s Bell Canada notified the commission of its intent to begin locking new devices for 60 days to combat fraud, which the CRTC warned violated the Wireless Code. The application outlined some terms of the proposed lock, including that the device would be automatically unlocked after no more than 60 days at no cost to the customer, so long as the consumer was in good standing and the account was not showing signs of fraud. Under those same conditions, a customer would also be able to request the device be unlocked early for “legitimate purposes,” such as travel, switching service providers, moving, or necessary network migration. Telus’s application was submitted on May 22, but wasn’t posted to the public record until July 8. Telus asked the commission to grant interim relief 60 days following the submission of the application, and notified the CRTC of its intent to implement the temporary lock on July 30. In a staff letter addressed to Telus on Wednesday, the CRTC reminded Telus it is responsible for remaining compliant with the Wireless Code “until the Commission makes an express decision otherwise.” Interested parties have until July 28 to submit comments on Telus’s application. mcollins@thewirereport.ca

Telus asks CRTC to restore device-locking capabilities for all Canadian providers

Regulatory |
By Maria Collins
|July 8, 2026

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Telus asks CRTC to restore device-locking capabilities for all Canadian providers

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