Most new smartphones under a telecommunications subscription contract are usually locked for a given duration. This agreement limits the owner or user to a single mobile carrier or network. By unlocking your phone and removing the tether to that specific carrier, you can then use different mobile networks’ SIM cards with the phone. Reliable online services include MobileUnlocked.com and Doctor SIM.
Unlocking a smartphone requires special tools and a certain degree of expertise. This is why most people opt to have their phones unlocked by experts.
What To Do To Unlock Your Phone
If you’ve been searching for ways to unlock your phone, you may be frustrated by all the time and effort it takes to figure out how to open one. If you have the right tools or contact professionals who could do this particular service, you can indeed free your phone in as little as five minutes.
Here are a few guidelines if you want to explore the process of unlocking your phone:
1. Ascertain That Your Phone Hasn’t Already Being Unlocked
Some carriers that sell phone line subscriptions attached to the latest gadget models sometimes don’t inform customers outright that the phone they’re purchasing is open-line. Sometimes, there’s an assumption that their locking or unlocking information is a given, but customers sometimes don’t know these details. Thus, you need to make sure that your phone isn’t already unlocked before trying to find ways to jailbreak it. It would save you time, money, and stress to find out early.
The easiest way to check if your phone is locked is through the SIM cards. Open your unit’s SIM card holder and try using another SIM card from another carrier with your phone. If you notice that your phone shows little or no cell signal or if you can’t make calls or send text messages, then the phone is undoubtedly locked. Once you’re 100% sure of it, you can now figure out how to reverse it.
2. Unlocking Your Phone Exploring Various Ways
There are many ways to unlock your phone, but you’re going to need a device with a SIM card slot and the right kind of tool. You should also consider the country or region in which your phone is locked. For example, if your phone is tied to a cellular service provider, you are locked into that particular carrier for as long as your lock-in contract with them doesn’t expire. If you want to use your phone anywhere else, you’ll have to get a different cellular service provider.
Multifactor authentication adds an extra layer of security to the process of unlocking a new phone. Fingerprints, passcodes, and other methods of authentication will provide protection against unauthorized access. Keep in mind the difference between authentication vs authorization in this process.
However, you can still unlock your phone tied to a carrier and use it with any SIM card. Here are a few ways to explore your options:
- Information From The Carrier On How To Unlock Your Phone
If your phone is locked, your mobile carrier will most likely provide information on how you can jailbreak the device, provided you meet the requirements. Often, once the lock-in contract expires, you’re free to use the phone using any carrier as there’s an automatic unlocking done. Some networks offer the phones on an installment payment basis, and they impose a lock-in period for as long as the payment isn’t completed yet. Other carriers also have varying unlocking schemes when prepaid services are concerned.
Since different carriers have varying guidelines, you’ll need to go to your carrier’s website or chat with their customer service to find out the specific steps they require. Once you understand the mechanics, you’ll be able to discover how to open your phone eventually.
- Unlocking Your Phone By Yourself
If you can’t get your phone unlocked directly through the gadget manufacturer or carrier, you can use a small device called a SIM unlocker to open your phone. This piece of hardware can be bought at a local cell service provider or on the internet.
With this invention, you simply plug it into your phone, turn it on, and insert the appropriate code to unlock your phone. The best thing about using a SIM unlocker is that it’s easy to use; you don’t have to sweat it out before you get your device unlocked. Also, you can get the phone unlocked from whatever region. If you successfully open the unit with it, you’re no longer tied to your cellular provider. You have to understand, though, that not all phones can be unlocked with this device—it’s a hit and miss thing.
You can also glean information online about how you can unlock your phone by yourself. Some can direct you on how to use special apps and software to unlock your device.
- Using A Professional Unlocking Service
If you can’t wait for the duration specified by your phone’s operator and you can’t unlock it by yourself either, consult an expert like Official Sim Unlock to get your phone unlocked.
Although many sites provide information on how to unlock phones, some instructions might not be in-depth enough to guide you. Even the most detailed ones might be too complicated for you to understand if you aren’t much of a techie. So, at this juncture, getting an expert to help unlock your phone would be your best option.
Most phone jailbreaking providers offer their services at affordable prices. The cost is dependent on diverse factors, such as the phone’s brand, type of carrier, and location (whether local or international).
Another Alternative
People frequently complain about trying to unlock their phones without realizing that not all new phones come locked. If you know you can’t deal with this unlocking stress, you should search for newly launched phones that come unlocked right from the manufacturer and buy those instead. Note that not all brands or models have this option, though. Some tech companies do lock-in deals with certain carriers for specific models, so you might want to shop for another model instead of the one you’re eyeing.
Conclusion
Unlocking a locked phone—also known as jailbreaking—to use the unit with any service provider used to be forbidden, even labeled as a crime back in the late ‘90s. However, thanks to the 2014 law called Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, opening phones became a legal act.
Still, there are certain restrictions and provisions of unlocking a phone, depending on the telecommunications carrier you chose to patronize. Make sure to research their respective guidelines on unlocking and follow the tips above for further guidance.
