By December 1st of this year cellphone providers will be required to unlock their customer’s cellphones for free. The CRTC announced significant changes to it’s now outdated polices on wireless devices to give customers more control over their personal cellphone use.

These fees, called “ransom” or “hostage” fees, average at about $50, but can run up to $150 for special cases hidden in the fine print of a contract. Customers have long been unhappy with the lack of mobility from carrier to carrier resulting in the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to take action.

Under the updated code of conduct, not only will cellphone carriers be required to unlock customer’s phones for free, they must also provide unlocked devices to customers upon purchase.