The CRTC has told Bell to stop selling locked cellphones after determining the company violated the national Wireless Code.

In a letter dated November 28, 2025, the regulator said Bell and its flanker brand Virgin Plus began selling devices locked for up to 60 days, a move Bell said was necessary due to rising crime at retail stores.

The Commission disagreed, saying Bell had not shown that locking devices was effective or that it had explored other options that comply with the Wireless Code. Under existing rules, service providers must supply devices unlocked “at or before the time of sale,” writes Marc Morin, Secretary General and Executive Vice-President at the CRTC, in the letter addressed to Philippe Gauvin, Assistant General Counsel, Bell Canada.

Bell argued that the Code does not

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