For decades there has been endless policy wrangling over whether “unlocking your phone” (removing restrictions allowing you to take the device with you to another carrier) should be allowed. Giant carriers have generally supported onerous phone locks because it hampers competition by making it harder to switch providers. Consumer rights groups and the public broadly support unlocked devices.
It’s extremely hard to just move to another phone or internet company. You have to threaten, lie, waste 10 hours, etc. Internet and phone companies have turned us all into “let me speak to your manager” types, we didn’t start out that way.