Regulatory Waivers Enable Carrier Lock‑In

When telecom regulators grant waivers from consumer‑protection rules, carriers can lawfully extend contractual or technical lock periods on handsets and thereby raise switching costs. That converts a procedural, agency decision into a durable market power amplifier that reduces portability and consumer bargaining leverage. — Regulatory waivers that change device unlock practices reshape competition, consumer choice, and the broader politics of telecom oversight — they deserve scrutiny as a matter of antitrust, consumer‑protection and governance.