I originally had the word "very" in the government part because I do think some industries need regulation. I'll edit it back in to make the point less contradictory to the last one.

The handset issue is part of an already very regulated coms industry. Seeing as how the only way for the operators to make any money at all is by licensing spectrum that belongs to the government, I think it's fair for the government to make certain stipulations, especially when the licensing can produce near-monopolies or cartels in some regions. Both situations which already have many laws associated with them.

Unlocked handsets are a way for companies to play on a more level field and also for consumers to be able to freely use what they've fully paid for. In the case of a subsidy, I can fully understand a lock until the subsidy is reclaimed - this will help prevent people defrauding the carrier and/or handset reseller. Mandatory unlocking provisions already exist in many countries. I thought they existed in the US as well, but it might just be company policy with some carriers for some of their products (ie. non-iPhone handsets).