Verizon imposes new roadblock on users trying to unlock paid-off phones - Ars Technica

Verizon has imposed a 35-day waiting period for customers who want to unlock their paid-off phones, even if they pay off their device installment plan online or in the Verizon app. This change, which applies retroactively, means that customers who paid off their plans before the policy change are still subject to the 35-day wait. The only way to avoid this delay is to pay off the device plan at a Verizon corporate store using a secure payment method. Verizon claims this policy is necessary to prevent fraud, but critics argue that it unfairly burdens customers who use common payment methods.