Bell is pushing back against regulatory scrutiny over its device locking practices, claiming that temporarily locking new cellphones has virtually wiped out violent retail crime at its store locations.

The telecom revealed new figures showing how severe the security situation had become before it implemented a security lock on newly activated phones. “In early 2025, Bell saw a more than 500% increase in robberies and attempted robberies at its retail stores. Since introducing automatic device unlocking after 60 days, or sooner at a customer’s request and at no cost, in-store robberies have been nearly eliminated, helping make our stores safer for employees, customers and the public,” Bell said on Thursday on X.

Before the policy took effect, thieves frequently targeted retail outlets because brand-new unlocked devices could be activated immediately on any wireless network. Under Bell’s setup, devices remain tied to its network for 60 days before automatically unlocking, though customers can request an early unlock for free.

While the policy sparked debate over compliance with federal Wireless Code rules that ban selling locked devices, Bell maintains that temporary network locks are the most effective deterrent against organized retail crime.

It’s not just Bell that has implemented this phone locking policy. Telus informed the CRTC it would be doing the same, and its phones will start locking in October, and not July.

Update August 10: Telus told iPhone in Canada it would start locking its cellphones in October of this year.