AT&T, Verizon face DOJ investigation for allegedly trying to lock eSIMs

Enlarge / Apple Watch Series 3, with eSIM technology for connecting to cellular networks. (credit: Apple)

AT&T and Verizon are being investigated by the Department of Justice (DOJ) over whether they colluded in order to prevent customers from easily switching carriers.

The antitrust investigation, reported by The New York Times yesterday, relates to the eSIM (embedded SIM) technology that is used instead of regular SIM cards in cellular-capable Apple Watches and other devices such as the Google Pixel 2. eSIMs are supposed to let customers switch carriers without changing to a different SIM card or device, but AT&T and Verizon are accused of "try[ing] to establish standards that would allow them to lock a device to their network even if it had eSIM technology," the Times report said.

The DOJ began investigating about five months ago after complaints from Apple and an unidentified wireless carrier, the article said.

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