When you purchase a phone from a cell provider, it’ll most likely come locked — that means you won’t be able khổng lồ use or get any signal on the phone with a different carrier. After all, it’s in their best interest to keep you as a customer.
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But if you’re looking lớn switch providers or just hoping lớn add some value when selling your phone, unlocking it is a must — and it’s completely legal to lớn vị.
While most carriers offer unlocking services after you’ve fully paid off your phone & any installments, it doesn’t always happen automatically. The process can be tedious & different depending on the provider, so we’ve broken down the steps for each one.
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What you’ll need
The difficulty of unlocking a phone can vary from carrier khổng lồ carrier, và what is a straightforward process with one can be a pain with another. Depending on who you’re with, unlocking your phone can turn out lớn be a laborious process that requires several phone calls và hours of work — or it can be extremely simple. No matter how difficult the unlocking procedure is, it’s a good idea khổng lồ unlock your phone before you leave sầu your current carrier because it will likely prove sầu even tougher after your contract has run out and you’ve sầu left. Even if you’re not planning on using your old phone when you leave sầu, who knows when you might need it in the future? Unlocking a phone that’s come off contract should be second nature, & it’s almost always worth the effort.
While procedures vary, there’s a common danh mục of information you’ll generally need to lớn unlochồng your phone. Make sure as many of the following are at hand before you start lớn unlock your phone.
The trương mục holder’s name and tài khoản numberYour phone numberThe tài khoản holder’s Social Security number or passwordA completed contract and/or device payment planOverseas deployment papers, if you are in the military và want lớn unlock your phone before your contract is upNow that you have sầu that information, let’s see how each carrier handles unlocking your phone.
Unlocking a Verizon phone
Despite not doing so previously, Verizon now locks its devices — but in fairness, it only does so for a short time. According lớn Verizon’s policy, newly purchased devices will be locked khổng lồ Verizon’s networks for 60 days after purchase. This brief period of locking helps to lớn mitigate theft and other fraudulent activity, apparently — and really, you shouldn’t need lớn unloông xã a phone in this time period anyway, so it’s unlikely to lớn affect most people. This rule applies to both postpaid and prepaid devices, và the lock will be automatically removed after the 60 days are up. This thankfully means that — unlượt thích most other carriers — there isn’t really a list of criteria lớn unlochồng your phone.
Deployed military users are exempt from this rule, and can request lớn be unlocked during this period by calling Verizon’s support line at 800-922-0204.
Even though SIM-equipped Verizon phones can be used on AT&T, T-Mobile, or other GSM carriers, the phone will need lớn have roaming GSM radgame ios to make phone calls và sover texts in the United States. While most recent Verizon handsets will work just fine on American GSM bands, your mileage will vary when it comes to lớn LTE tư vấn.
Verizon’s unlocking policies don’t mention world devices & may still require the assistance of a store tech. You can request one by dialing the company’s support line at 800-922-0204.
The off-the-shelf, Phone-in-a-Box prepaid 4G handsets are locked khổng lồ the network for the amount of time specified on the back of the box. You may also have to call Verizon’s prepaid support line at 888-294-6804 to lớn start the process.
Unlocking an AT&T phone
The process of unlocking a phone from AT&T is a bit more complicated than with Verizon. While you’ll need to lớn jump through a few more hoops, it’s still not a difficult process khổng lồ complete.
Here’s the checkdanh sách of prerequisites you’ll need khổng lồ meet to lớn unlochồng your AT&T handset:
The device in question must work on AT&T’s networks.If you’re a current customer, your current contract or installment plan must be fully paid off (including early termination fees). If not, pay off your plan early and wait 48 hours before making a request.It must not have sầu been reported lost or stolen or involved in fraud.It must be attached to lớn an trương mục with “good standing” — i.e., one not associated with fraudulent activity.It must not be active sầu on a different AT&T customer’s tài khoản.On a postpaid tài khoản, it must have sầu been active for at least 60 days, with “no past due or unpaid balance.”If it’s an AT&T prepaid device, it must have had service for at least six months.If you’ve upgraded early, you must wait for the 14-day “buyer’s remorse” period (30 days for business customers) to pass before unlocking your old phone.If it’s a business device, then you must have your company’s permission.You might not need to complete your contract or installment plans if you’re in the military, so long as you’re able khổng lồ gmail AT&T your TCS or PCS (Temporary/permanent change of station) documents.
Unlượt thích Verizon, AT&T offers an unloông xã request khung you can fill out online. You can either enter your AT&T điện thoại number — or if you’ve sầu already switched, the IMEI number from your AT&T device will also do. After submitting this khung, you’ll have sầu 24 hours to clichồng the liên kết within the confirmation gmail sent khổng lồ you. AT&T will then skết thúc instructions for unlocking your device via text or tin nhắn within two business days of the request. AT&T no longer has a hard unloông chồng limit per year, so unless you’re sending a hundred unlochồng requests a month you shouldn’t need lớn worry about being flagged as suspicious. You can check lớn see whether your request has been successful by checking AT&T’s unloông chồng status page.
Unlochồng instructions và codes provided by AT&T will vary depending on your device. Notably, Apple iPhones don’t need an unlock code. Instead, after receiving the email specifying that your unlochồng request was approved, remove your AT&T SIM thẻ và insert the SIM thẻ for your new carrier khổng lồ begin the cài đặt process.
The network offers limited unloông chồng support via its support line, 800-331-0500, but doesn’t officially unlochồng handsets over the phone.
Unlocking a T-Smartphone phone
T-mobile may well be the Un-carrier, but it has some very similar criteria for unlocking khổng lồ other carriers. Here’s what you’ll need khổng lồ keep in mind if you want lớn unlochồng your T-sản phẩm điện thoại phone:
It must be a T-Mobile device.It must not have sầu been reported lost, stolen, or blocked (via IMEI).It must be attached to lớn an trương mục that is in “good standing.”On postpaid accounts, the device must have sầu been fully paid for & have been active sầu for at least 40 days on the requesting line.On prepaid accounts, the device must have sầu had more than $100 in refills since the first use date, or have sầu been active sầu for at least a year.If the device is on a service contract, at least 18 consecutive sầu monthly payments must have been made.If using T-Mobile’s Equipment Installment Plan, or if your phone is leased through JUMP! On Demvà, all payments must be made và the device must be fully paid for.You’ve sầu made fewer than two unloông chồng requests, per line, in the last twelve sầu months.T-điện thoại may request to see proof of purchase.Some Android phones from the carrier can be unlocked through their Settings menus once eligibility requirements are met. Others, such as the Google Pixel & older Samsung devices, can use Device Unlock apps from T-mobile. However, these methods are not compatible with all phones. You can otherwise unloông chồng your phone through a live chat with a T-Smartphone customer representative, or by calling 611 from a T-Mobile device, or 877-746-0909 from any other phone. Deployed military personnel can also get their phones unlocked as long as they’re in good standing, and can produce deployment papers.
Unlocking a Sprint phone
Note: Sprint has recently merged with T-Smartphone & will operate under that brand. As of this writing, the below policy và process are still applicable. It could be subject to change as a result of the merger.
Sprint says that domestic SIM unlock-capable devices launched after năm ngoái will automatically unloông chồng when they become eligible on postpaid accounts. Sprint phones released before this period generally cannot be SIM unlocked. Before Sprint unlocks your phone, you’ll need to lớn ensure your device và tài khoản meet the requirements below:
It must be a device from Sprint.It must be domestic SIM Unloông xã capable (if unlocking for the domestic United States).It must not have sầu been reported lost, stolen or blocked, or associated with other fraudulent activity.It must be attached lớn an account in “good standing.”It must have been active sầu for at least 40 days on the requesting line.There must be no outstanding or pending payments or fees.If you’re unlocking for international use, you must also ensure the device is capable of international SIM unloông chồng.
If your device is currently inactive, you’ll want to lớn gọi Sprint’s Customer Service at 888-211-4727 lớn help get the device unlocked. Be prepared lớn potentially force an over-the-air update khổng lồ get it unlocked, & you may have to lớn submit to extra validation lớn ensure your device can be unlocked.
If you’re a member of the U.S. military deployed overseas & you want your Sprint phone unlocked, the carrier relaxes some of its requirements. With an trương mục in good standing, you must be an active sầu member of a branch of the United States military & must have overseas deployment papers, if applicable. Family members on the same account are subject to the policy as well. If you’re currently deployed overseas, you can unlock your phone by contacting Sprint Worldwide Care or by calling 888-226-7212.
There’s a massive sầu caveat when it comes khổng lồ Sprint’s unlocking capabilities, however. Because the carrier relies on a relatively obscure networking giải pháp công nghệ (CDMA), many Sprint-branded phones won’t be compatible with carriers running on GSM networks. You should look to lớn verify compatibility with your new carrier.
Unlocking a Metro by T-điện thoại phone
Metro by T-sản phẩm điện thoại, formerly known as Metro PCS, is one of the most popular choices when it comes khổng lồ prepaid services. While it bears the T-thiết bị di động branding, the requirements khổng lồ unlock your phone vì chưng vary slightly:
It must be from Metro.It must have had active service for a minimum of 180 consecutive days (about six months).If you have sầu a warranty exchanged handmix, then the 180 days is based on the activation date of the original phone.One method of unlocking is through the Device Unloông xã phầm mềm, usually found in the Metro by T-điện thoại folder of your phone. This can only be done with a select group of phones including the Alcatel A30, LG Arislớn, & Samsung J7 Prime — the rest of them can be found on the carrier webpage.
For devices not on the các mục, such as iPhones, you can liên hệ the Metro customer service line at 888-863-8768 or visit a local corporate store to request an unloông xã code. Note that you’ll be asked to lớn provide the phone number of the locked device, the trương mục owner’s name, and the trương mục billing PIN.
For military personnel, the 180-day service requirement isn’t needed — you can simply visit a corporate store with deployment papers and an agent will provide an unloông xã code for your device.
It’s important lớn know that since rebranding, Metro by T-mobile now operates in the GSM network as opposed lớn CDMA, so your unlocked Metro phone will only be able to lớn work with other GSM carriers lượt thích T-di động và AT&T.
Unlocking a Boost mobile phone
Boost thiết bị di động customers are now a part of DISH Wireless following Sprint’s merger with T-mobile. As a result, you may have new requirements compared lớn the past. You’ll want to lớn ensure your Boost Mobile device can be unlocked in the first place. A SIM unloông xã is not possible for a good khuyến mãi of their phones made before 2015.
Boost điện thoại will not automatically unloông chồng your phone or notify you when you are eligible, so you’ll need to lớn keep trachồng of your own progress. You can make a unlochồng request to the company’s customer care line at 888-402-7366, once you meet the below eligibility requirements:
It must be a SIM unloông chồng capable Boost Smartphone device.It must not be reported lost, stolen, or flagged as unlockable.The device has been active sầu for at least 12 months on the trương mục.The device’s account is in good standing & active sầu.Active military personnel can request an unloông xã with their deployment papers và an tài khoản in good standing. Moreover, family members on the same account are also eligible for SIM unlocks. Each phone number is allowed up lớn two unlocked devices during a 12-month period.
It remains khổng lồ be seen what network versatility will be like for Boost sản phẩm điện thoại phones going forward. Past phones from the carrier used the CDMA công nghệ and were restricted to that when unlocking & switching. Newer phones have some compatibility with GSM/LTE networks through T-Smartphone, which will continue to provide coverage for Boost Smartphone customers as DISH builds out its own network. You’ll want khổng lồ keep these factors in mind when unlocking your phone.
Unlocking a UScellular phone
Since February 1, năm 2016, most of UScellular’s 4G LTE devices are sold unlocked. Those sold before that date can potentially be updated through an over-the-air update, so make sure your device is up to date before contacting UScellular about unlocking. If that doesn’t apply khổng lồ your device, or if you have a 3G or 1X device, then you’ll need an unloông xã code from UScellular’s customer service line on 611 (from a UScellular device) or 888-944-9400 on another device.
Like other carriers, UScellular’s unlocking procedure is fully in-line with CITA’s guidelines on unlocking its devices, và will unloông chồng phones & tablets, as long as they adhere to lớn the following criteria:
It must be a device from UScellular.The device in question must not have sầu been lost, stolen, or obtained fraudulently.The device in question must have been fully paid for.A specific range of popular phones from Apple and Samsung, whether prepaid or postpaid, are subject lớn a 120-day lock policy lớn deter theft and fraud. An trương mục in good standing that meets the above requirements can still request an early unloông xã. As is usual, deployed military personnel can also get their device unlocked earlier by presenting their deployment papers, as long as their tài khoản has no past-due balance.
UScellular also warns that some devices can’t be unlocked, either because of the age of the device or because it doesn’t have the giải pháp công nghệ to lớn access other networks. If it sounds like your device might fall under that, you can liên hệ UScellular on 611 (from a UScellular device) or 888-944-9400 on another device.
Unlocking your prepaid or fully paid phone
There are, of course, folks who have sầu prepaid & paid-in-full devices. Unlocking these is, for the most part, relatively straightforward. While there was already a generalized unlocking policy, the Cellular Telephone Industries Association (CTIA) put forth a phối of standardized unlocking policies for cell phones and tablets. The agreed-upon terms require carriers khổng lồ unloông chồng a phone paid in full, or a prepaid phone in service for a year, if a subscriber makes such a request. Cellular providers also have sầu to lớn alert subscribers when their handsets are eligible for an unloông chồng. Finally, carriers must unlochồng phones for U.S. military personnel upon request.
Sprint, T-điện thoại, Metro by T-sản phẩm điện thoại, UScellular, and Verizon have sầu all complied, & AT&T’s policies were already in line with the terms.
You should be aware that unlocking your phone doesn’t exactly mean you can just take it to lớn any other provider. While some modern phones are built for that kind of compatibility, others are still only designed for the network capabilities and features of a particular carrier. Most carriers offer an online Bring Your Own Phone tool lớn see if your unlocked device will work well on their network. You’ll just need to lớn enter your device’s IMEI number lớn get an instant check.
Third-tiệc nhỏ services
Third-tiệc nhỏ unlocking services, by & large, differ only in name. Most of them work in the same way: You make your way to lớn a trang web, provide payment in exchange for an unloông xã code, và wait for the code to arrive via gmail. Prices vary depending on your device, but they typically range anywhere from a few dollars to $50. But like everything out there, third-party services can be risky. Most of them require you khổng lồ pay upfront, & there’s always the danger unsavory services will simply take your money and never send you a code. As ever with this sort of thing, it’s smart to retìm kiếm a service thoroughly before you fork over any amount of cash, so make sure to lớn thoroughly Google any service you’re considering using khổng lồ make sure it’s legit and above board. Make sure to lớn kiểm tra websites lượt thích Trustpilot before making any decisions and especially before sending over any cash.
Reputable unlocking services often have sầu customer support lines to lớn assist with code issues. They typically deliver codes quickly, too. If you notice a lot of customers complaining about codes being delayed for days, weeks, or even months, it’s probably best lớn stay away from those services.
Here are some third-tiệc nhỏ resources:
Buying unlocked phones
The easiest, most hassle-không tính phí option is buying a phone that’s already unlocked. It’s simple khổng lồ purchase the most common unlocked phones from a wide range of manufacturers if, for whatever reason, you’re not keen on the idea of any of the unlocking methods listed above sầu. Offset the cost by combining your purchase with the lakiểm tra deal from your điện thoại carrier — the good news is that you can siêu thị around with no strings.Retailers such as Amazon và Walmart also sell unlocked phones, but often with high upfront costs. However, there are bargains out there if you know where lớn look, lượt thích Amazon’s Alexa Built-in unlocked phones, for example. Those phones are much more affordable but at the expense of having Amazon’s services pre-installed. If you’re a người of Amazon Alexa, though, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
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When all is said và done, the best option for most people is usually purchasing an unlocked phone rather than figuring out how to unlochồng one. First of all, it saves you the hassle of getting it unlocked. Secondly, you can choose whichever cell phone service you’d lượt thích, whether it’s prepaid, postpaid, or something in between. It’s a significant investment & may hurt a little if you already have a phone, but the freedom lớn switch carriers at any time is worth it.