Unlocked Cell Phones
"I want to switch to another mobile provider, but I love my current phone and don't want to buy a new one. How can I unlock my phone so it will work on any cellular network?"
Why Unlock a Cell Phone?
Why doesn't a cell phone work with any carrier, and not just the one from which you got the phone? Well, the company probably gave you the phone, or sold it to you at less than the carrier paid for it. So you got a great deal on a wonderful piece of technology and the mobile provider feels you owe it loyalty in return. So it gave you a phone that is programmed to work only with the SIM card that ties you to the carrier. The phone is "locked" to that one carrier.
Or maybe you didn't get a great bargain, but the carrier locked your phone anyway, to make it worthless if you decide to switch carriers.
Either way, consumers would like the freedom to switch carriers without getting new phones, obviously. You may move to an area where your current carrier's service is not as reliable or high-quality as another's, temporarily or permanently. While in that area, you'd like to use another carrier.
That should be as simple as switching the phone's SIM card - a small electronic gadget about the size of a postage stamp, which your phone uses to connect to mobile carrier network.
But not if the phone is locked. That's why some consumers want unlocked cell phones. And there are several ways to get an unlocked phone.
How to Unlock Your Cell Phone
First, ask your carrier to unlock your locked phone. Some will do so, especially after your initial contract period expires. Often, a carrier will want to charge you a fee to unlock your phone. Sometimes you can get that fee waived if you convince the carrier its in its best interest to do so. "Unlock this thing or I won't renew my contract with you," in other words.
Second, buy an unlocked phone from a non-carrier vendor. The drawback is that you will probably pay full retail price for it. But you'll be able to use that phone with just about any carrier's SIM card.
The third method is a bit risky. You can unlock many phones yourself without your carrier's knowledge or cooperation. The risk is that your phone may not work at all once it's unlocked, or work imperfectly with other carriers. And even though unlocking your phone is legal, some providers may void your warranty if you do so. It's best to check first…
You can unlock your phone using software hacks downloaded online or pay a third-party service that, presumably, knows what it's doing to unlock your phone for you. Both free and paid unlocking applications are available for specific phones and carriers. A bit of googling will show you a variety of websites that offer unlocking information. But you get what you pay for; some of these hacks can turn your phone into a useless brick, and some may contain hidden software that turns your phone into a spammer's slave.
If you have satisfactory service in your area and don't travel widely, you may not need an unlocked cell phone. But if you want to change carriers and don't want to pay for another phone, or if you have to have multiple carriers to maintain quality coverage during your travels, then an unlocked phone is the way to go. The safest bet is to pay the fee for professional third-party unlocking.
Not All Phones Can Be Unlocked
Before you try to unlock your phone, there's an important caveat you should be aware of. Not all cell phones can be unlocked. In fact, only phones that are GSM-based can be unlocked, because they're the only ones that have SIM cards. Phones that are CDMA-based cannot be unlocked. It doesn't matter much what the acronyms stand for, as long as you know which type of phone you have.
If you live in the USA, you'll probably have to go with AT&T, Cingular or T-Mobile to find a GSM-based phone. Most other US-based mobile providers, such as Verizon, Sprint and Nextel DO NOT offer GSM phones, so phones from these carriers cannot be unlocked. Outside the USA, your chances of being able to unlock your phone are better, since GSM is standard in most parts of the world.
Got something to say about unlocked mobile phones? Post your comment or question below…
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Posted by Bob Rankin on January 3, 2010 03:39 PM
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Article information: AskBobRankin -- Unlocked Cell Phones (Posted: January 3, 2010 03:39 PM)
Source: http://askbobrankin.com/unlocked_cell_phones.html
Copyright © 2005 - Bob Rankin - All Rights Reserved
Most recent comments on "Unlocked Cell Phones"
(See all 11 comments for this article.)Posted by:
J. Saleh
03 Jan 2010
Actually Phone companies MUST unlock your phone by law, if you ask them to: especially if your contract is over or if you are on a pay as you go service. I had a T-mobile phone and was leaving the country (obama was elected), and called them. They gave me a code that I punched into the phone and that was it.
Posted by:
Peter Brockenbrow
03 Jan 2010
Not entirely accurate to say Verizon do not offer 'GSM' phones. Verizon phones designed to operate internationally do have sim cards for use on GSM networks; of course when used in the USA theses phones default to Verizon's CDMA network.
I suspect the same is true for Sprint & Nextel, for those phones designed to work internationally also.
Posted by:
david oliver
04 Jan 2010
Bob, I suggest you put the date of the articles beside them so that we are not reading about products and services that are now superceded.
Thanks
Posted by:
Paul
04 Jan 2010
I do NOT understand ... America, the land of freedom, does NOT let you choose carrier and/or cellphone. OMG ... OMG ...
OK, I could understand that if some carrier sells some "special" cellphone, and that it only works with his services ... OK ... But a cellphone to just make calls ? I really don't understand ...
I remember the times that we Europeans were so jealous about the USA phone system ... About the "freedom" it had ... e.g. you could call your neighbours for free while we Europeans had to pay each and every minute. Calling a neighbour costed as much as calling a friend 30/40/50 miles away...
But now ... OMG ... poor Americans ... Don't you see how you get screwed by your phone companies now???
I walk into a store, see a nice cellphone, buy it, put my Simm card in, and I start calling right away. NO problems.
I see that a provider has better conditions than the one I'm with now ? I go into their store, buy a simmcard, put it in my phone, and start calling (using the new plan immediatly) When I change operator, even my phone number stays the same ! (for this I'll have to contact my "old" provider first, but IT IS THE LAW that obliges my "old" provider to pass on my number to my "new" provider...)
Anyhow ... friendly greetings, Happy New Year etc ... etc ... oh ... and give me a call me soon ! *VBS*
Posted by:
Dave
06 Jan 2010
If you want to unlock Nokia N73, you just have to press: *#7370# .Make sure you saved your contacts,pictures,etc. When backup from pc be careful NOT to backup files otherwise it will get lock again. All the best if you have any problem you can contact me. Get my mail add. from Bob. Have a great day!
Posted by:
Stan Kurowski
07 Jan 2010
I live in Luxor, Egypt, and when friends from the UK visit me, I always advise them to go to the local Vodafone shop, and buy a Holiday SIM card for about $3. This means that all calls are at the local rate, including international calls. The problem with the tie to a provider is that roaming charges apply, so that the person called also has to pay. And the charges are far higher. If their phone is locked, there are several nearby shops that will unlock it for a small fee.
Posted by:
Jenny
07 Jan 2010
Well what I am wondering about is: can I take a GSM phone (I would like an iphone) and get it unlocked, and have it work in a CDMA area? I only have Alltel and Verizon networks where I live.
EDITOR'S NOTE: As far as I know, you just CAN'T buy an iPhone without getting the AT&T service plan. And a GSM phone can't be used on a CDMA network.
Posted by:
pat
08 Jan 2010
Actually, like all software driven devices, ALL cell phones can be unlocked. It's just a matter of putting in the proper codes. If your carrier won't unlock your phone, go to an "agent" (ie, independent) location and 99 times out of a hundred, someone there will have the unlock codes and will get you free in a few minutes. I know, because I AM an agent.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Ummm, an agent of what?
Posted by:
Barry Stephens
03 Feb 2010
I travel in Mexico and USA. I use ATT&T GSM cell phone. I have 4 months left on current contract. My Question; Can I unlock my phone - buy a sim card from local Mexico area - return to USA and reinsert ATT sim card and use again in the USA. Then 2 months later, return to Mex and reinstert the Mex sim card and use that one again~??
EDITOR'S NOTE: Sounds like it should work to me.
Posted by:
Marcy Wiggins
07 Feb 2010
I bought a T-Mobile Blackberry 8520 and had it unlocked. I put My AT&T sim card in and it worked for texting and phone service. But the internet does not work. No email or browser at all. How can I configure the phone to connect to AT&T Media Net? I wanted this phone for the email and internet.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Do you have a data/internet plan with AT&T? If so, contact them and ask why it's not working.