The UK is set to ban sales of locked phones.
Regulators Ofcom have ruled mobile phone companies will no longer be able to sell devices that are locked to a certain network, such as Tesco Mobile or Vodafone and BT/EE, from December 2021.
Selina Chadha, Ofcom’s connectivity director, said: "We know that lots of people can be put off from switching because their handset is locked.
"So we’re banning mobile companies from selling locked phones, which will save people time, money and effort – and help them unlock better deals."
When a mobile phone is locked, it means the user has to pay to have it unlocked, which can cost around £10.
