Overview
- Patrick Roach bought a discounted iPhone 16e from Verizon’s Straight Talk on February 28, 2025, used one month of service, and then sought an unlock to move it to US Mobile.
- Verizon implemented a policy effective April 1, 2025 that requires 60 days of paid active service before unlocking and denied Roach’s request under that standard.
- A Kansas small-claims judge ruled in Roach’s favor and ordered Verizon to refund the $410.40 he paid for the phone along with court costs and service fees.
- Roach declined a $600 settlement offer because it would have required him to remain silent about the dispute.
- The article notes that FCC rules require carriers to unlock phones 60 days after activation, shaping customers’ expectations for switching providers.