The Obama administration wants the FCC to require carriers to unlock phones

This move is a continuation of the efforts called for when an exemption in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) allowing the unlocking of devices expired back in January. There was a push by the Obama administration to form legislation on the topic back in March, but the efforts have since fallen off. So, the administration decided it was time to prod the FCC once again. The FCC has said it is in favor of requiring carriers to unlock devices. The petition from the administration argues that allowing unlocked devices would increase competition and consumer choice.

Of course, despite the fact that it is technically not legal to unlock devices, it isn't exactly illegal either; and, many carriers will unlock devices owned by customers in good standing. Some carriers don't even require that the customer has fully paid for the device in order to get it unlocked, though this is usually an exception made for users who are going to be traveling internationally. Still, it would be good to get rid of the legal grey area, and remove any potential for misuse by carriers. 

source: Washington Post