Have you ever tried to buy a phone but it was locked to a different carrier than yours? This is a pretty common occurrence, but there are several options available to you. Continue reading and follow the steps below to get an unlocked phone.
Telecommunications businesses frequently sell phones that have been blacklisted. The major goal is for these phones to only work with one operator (the one where you bought them).
However, there are other methods for unlocking a gadget. This method can be quite straightforward or a little bit hard, depending on the phone’s brand. When your annoying wireless contract expires, it’s customary to search around for more cost-effective solutions while keeping your trusty smartphone.
There’s only one problem: your handset is probably “locked” to your old carrier, which means you won’t be able to transfer it to a current provider.
But, if you can unlock your phone (the processes for doing so vary per carrier), you should be able to move providers without having to buy a new device. Let’s look at how to unlock a phone with the following steps and by best phone unlocking services. What you’ll need to do to get your phone out of your old service provider’s clutches.
What Is The Best Way To Unlock A Phone?
Know Your IMEI Number
You’ll need the IMEI first. This is the code for identifying mobile equipment around the world. Its major purpose is to identify mobile phones all around the world. It’s similar to a person’s identity document, but in this case, it’s your phone’s identity number.
To have control over mobile phones, they must be identified and registered. This code has 15 numbers in most mobile devices, and it is vital to learn this code in order to understand the various functions it has. You may get your IMEI by dialing *#06# on your phone if you don’t know it.
When the screen displays it, make a note of it somewhere. In the case that your phone is taken or you simply misplace it, you can call your mobile network operator to have it locked.
Examine Your Smartphone’s Labels
Don’t worry if the first step doesn’t work; there’s another way to get this unlock code. The only information you require to do is look behind the battery or in the original box of your phone for a label.
The user is usually given this code by the mobile network operator. However, it only works with a SIM card from the same telecommunication firm. When your service contract expires, you can use the IMEI code to unlock your phone automatically. So, the first step in trying to unlock your cell phone is to call the device’s operator or communications firm.
To unlock your phone, contact customer service.
Mobile phones have been sold unlocked for a few years, and some companies sell the unlock code to their consumers not just in the United States but all over the world. So, all you have to do now is contact the customer service department of the telecommunication provider with whom your phone is affiliated and request that your phone be unlocked.
They will offer you a code for your phone to be instantly unlocked just by giving them your IMEI code from the previous stage. As a result, it will function with any SIM card from any other mobile network.
You Can Unlock Your Phone by Yourself
There’s another way to get your phone unlocked. First and foremost, you must power down your phone and remove the SIM card. Then, without the SIM card, power on the device and wait for it to display a message instructing you to insert the SIM card.
To unlock the phone, you will need to write down the IMEI code.
However, because each brand and type of mobile phone has its own set of requirements, you will not have to repeat the processes to unlock the device.
How can you tell if your phone is locked or not?
If you have your phone with you – whether it’s an iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, or something else – the simplest way to see if it’s unlocked is to put different SIM cards in it. You might borrow a SIM card from a friend or family member from a different network than the one you’ve been using and put it in your phone to see if you can get a signal.
Otherwise, your phone is most likely locked. A notification may also appear, requesting a SIM unlock code and confirming that your phone is locked.
Is unlocking your phone against the law?
The FCC and the CTIA have agreed on “voluntary industry guidelines” for unlocking wireless phones with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular, and Verizon Wireless, which is good news for consumers.
The following are the CTIA industry guidelines for unlocking phones:
On their websites, providers must disclose their policy on unlocking phones.
Prepaid unlocking policy: Prepaid device unlock requests must be fulfilled within one year of the initial activation.
After their service agreement or device financing ends or after the payment of early termination costs, users must unlock or give the necessary information to unlock their devices to current and former users.
Providers who lock devices must either notify subscribers or unlock the device automatically when the device is eligible for unlocking.
Time to unlock eligible devices: Within two business days of receiving a request, providers must unlock eligible devices.
Unlocking policy for deployed military personnel in good standing: Providers are required to unlock the devices of deployed military personnel in good standing.
As a result, unlocking your wireless phone is totally lawful as long as the service providers follow the guidelines outlined above.
