Unlocking a phone refers to altering the software so that it can work with any carrier. Most phones start out 'locked', meaning that they will only function properly when they are used with the carrier that sold the phone to you. This can be annoying if you want to switch carriers but keep your phone, or if you want to use a phone that isn't issued by the carrier that holds your contract. Unlocking a phone disables the software that keeps a phone tied to a specific carrier. It is a very useful thing to know how to do, and usually it isn't that difficult. Use the tool below to unlock your phone online, or click here to visit our partner, DoctorSIM, and use their unlocking service.
How To Unlock Phone Yourself
Dec 15, 2017 MetroPCS, for example, will unlock your phone after just 180 days of activation. Likewise, both AT&T and Cricket require at least 6 months of activation before unlocking prepaid phones. On the other extreme, Verizon doesn’t allow prepaid phone-in-the-boxes to be used with anyone other than Verizon for the entire first 12 months. Your AT&T phone might work with a different carrier. Some devices can be unlocked to work with other cell phone service providers. There are a few things to check and a form to submit before you can try unlocking your device. How to free unlock total wireless unlock policy Unlock Samsung: It might not be a very rare event when customers may need to get unlock Samsung cell phone in a short period of time. The actual procedure is pretty simple and it is enough to follow not complex steps to get the devise unlocked.
Related: How do I know if my phone is unlocked?
History and Legality
Unlocking phones used to be illegal. Carriers hated the practice, because they wanted to control which phones would work on their network. They were also worried that if they permitted unlocking phones, people would switch away from their networks to the networks of the competition. As a result of these fears, the major carriers lobbied for unlocking phones to be made illegal.
However, pressure from the public and the Obama administration mounted to rescind the unpopular policy. After months of negotiations, the Federal Trade Commission and the five major carriers agreed to allow their customers to unlock phones. The major carriers also adopted a set of six principles to guide unlocking. These are the following:
First, disclosure - The carriers must maintain an up to date and easy to understand guide to unlocking their network's phones on their website, so that it is easy for consumers to access the information they need to unlock a phone.
Next, the prepaid unlocking policy - For all mobile devices that are prepaid, the carrier is required to unlock the device if the owner has owned the phone for at least one year and they request an unlock.
Third, the postpaid unlocking policy - If the phone is under a contract that does not involve paying off the price of the phone in advance, the carrier must either unlock the phone or provide detailed instructions for how to do so when the contract ends. This happens when the contract ends naturally, when the financing for the phone ends, or when the customer pays an early termination fee and leaves the contract.
The fourth policy is notice - If a carrier chooses to lock their phones, they are required either to notify customers when their phones become eligible for unlocking or simply unlock the phones automatically.
Next, response time - If a carrier gets a request to unlock a phone, and the phone is eligible for an unlock, the carrier must unlock the phone within two business days.
Last, the special deployed military personnel policy - Any customer that is in good standing and is a deployed member of the military should be automatically eligible for an unlocked phone.
These six policies place tight restrictions on carriers about how easy they need to make it to unlock phones. The carriers must comply with these policies by law. Furthermore, they do not only apply to phones. Tablets and similar devices that have contracts tied to a specific network fall under the same policies for unlocking.
Two Types of Network
Before getting into the actual mechanics of getting a phone unlocked, it's important to learn about the two major types of networks. There are two different standards for phone networks, and they are not compatible. Even after you unlock a phone from one type of network, it will be unable to work with the other type of network: this is a technological barrier, not an artificial restriction that the carriers have placed on their devices.
The first kind of network is called GSM. The major carriers that use this network are AT&T and T-Mobile. GSM stands for Global System for Mobiles, and in fact, most of the world uses the GSM standard for their networks. The reason that GSM is so popular outside the US is that the European Union mandated the use of GSM only within its territory. GSM was developed in Europe, which is why the EU decided to choose that standard for its sole legal standard.
The second kind of network is CDMA, which stands for Code Division Multiple Access. CDMA was developed by Qualcomm, a communications company in the United States. Sprint and Verizon are the largest carriers in the US that use the CDMA standard. CDMA was developed after GSM, and when it first hit the market, it was a faster and better standard. However, the two are now currently about even in terms of performance, because GSM has adapted many of the benefits of CDMA.
The bottom line is that the two networks are completely incompatible. There is no way to take a phone from GSM to CDMA, and vice versa. Unlocking won't do anything to change that.
How to Unlock a Phone
The procedure for unlocking a phone depends on the network standard. For GSM phones, the process is quite simple. Each GSM carrier has a list of requirements that anyone who wants to unlock their phone must meet- these correspond to the six policies outlined above. If your device and contract meet all of the requirements, then you go through a process on the carrier's website where you enter in your contract information so that the carrier can verify that you are eligible. After that, the carrier sends you information that is specific to your device, and you follow the instructions to finish the unlock process.
If it is a CDMA device, then the process is more complicated. This is because each individual carrier has their own list of permitted devices that work on their network. That means that it is a two-step process to use your phone on a different network. First, you need to get it unlocked the same way you would for a GSM phone- the steps are very similar. After that, however, you need to find the network that you want to switch to and ask them for permission to move the phone onto their network. They are under no obligation to accept your request, because the FTC agreement only covered unlocking, not the process of getting approved on a new network.
In either case, the exact steps for unlocking a phone vary by model and come from the manufacturer, so it isn't possible to list them all here. However, the carrier should send you detailed instructions after you make a request and they confirm that you are eligible for an unlocked phone.
How to Unlock Phones by Carrier or Manufacturer
The Bottom Line
Unlocking a phone can be a useful way to bring an old phone over to a new network, but you need to be aware of the issues that might prevent you from switching. Notably, you won't be able to cross the CDMA/GSM line no matter what. Furthermore, if you have a CDMA carrier, then you will have problems trying to switch between different carriers within that network standard. If you have a GSM phone, then unlocking it can be a good way to move across carriers. On the other hand, if you have CDMA, then you might just be better off getting a new phone with a new contract when you switch carriers. The hassle of getting a phone unlocked and then re-approved for a new network might not be worth the effort, because CDMA companies are reluctant to allow their competitors' phones on their network.
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Unlock iPhone online using your IMEI number, to use your iPhone on any carrier sim card, including AT&T, Sprint, Tmobile, Verizon, and more, works on all Apple phone devices, including the iPhone 7, iPhone 5s, iPhone X, iPhone 6s, iPhone 4s, and all other models.
Apple supports this type of service and all Mobile Carriers and access Apple GSX Database in order to change the iPhone’s SIM lock status to unlock!That's why many people are searching for factory unlock iPhone service. The price to unlock iPhone varies based on your phone carrier. We can remove the carrier lock on your iPhone today, including X, XS and XR models. The safest method among them is to unlock through a Remote unlocking Method. If you don't know which option use for unlock your phone, please contact us.Unlock your phone from the comfort of your own home.Choose us as your reliable online provider of unlock by IMEI and provide us the details of your phone today.
Unlock your iPhone or any Apple device from any carrier Worldwide.
In three simple steps you can permanently unlock an iPhone.
Enter your device details
Select the model and carrier the device is locked to and enter the IMEI or Serial
If you don't know your IMEI number then dial *#06# into your phone
If you don’t know the carrier your device is locked to use our carrier check.
Process your unlock
Your payment is verified and your order is processed.
Your live tracking login is supplied within the confirmation email.
Device Unlocked
Your iPhone or AppleTM device is unlocked.
Confirmation will be sent to you via email and your unlock is delivered over the air using 3G/4G/WIFI
Unlock your iPhone easily by whitelisting your IMEI
Our easy and affordable iPhone unlocking service is compatible with all versions of iOS, up to and including iOS 12. Supported Apple models include iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, XR, XS Max, XS, X, 8 Plus, 8, 7 Plus, 7, 6S Plus, 6S, 6 Plus, 6, 5S, 5C, 5, 4S, 4, 3GS and 3G.
During the unlocking process your IMEI will be whitelisted in the Apple Database providing an official and permanent unlock, as well as being safe and completely legal. What's more, it is the recommended method to unlock iPhone as your Apple Warranty remains unaffected!
Your unlock is completed remotely and delivered 'over the air' via WiFi or 4G/3G, so you can continue to use your device as normal, with no interruptions to phone service. All we need from you is your iPhone IMEI. Once the unlocking process is complete, your iPhone will be unlocked permanently to use with any carrier. iPhone Approved Unlock have a 100% success rate.
Apple Devices
We offer an unlocking service for all iPhone, iPad and iWatch models – find your device here.
iPhone Unlock FAQ
How to unlock your iPhone questions answered.
How to unlock your iPhone?
Getting your iPhone unlocked with iPhone Approved Unlock couldn’t be easier! Simply select your iPhone model and carrier and enter your IMEI number. As soon as your payment has been processed you will receive an order confirmation with tracking information. Your unlock will then be completed by whitelisting your IMEI in Apple’s database, once your unlock has completed successfully we will send you an email confirmation.
How do I find my IMEI number?
Your IMEI is a unique identification number that all devices have which is usually 15 digits long. You can find your IMEI by going into Settings > General > About Screen or by dialling *#06# using the keypad.
What do you need to unlock your iPhone?
All you need is a WIFI or 3G/4G connection and the new sim card for the carrier of your choice. Alternatively, if you do not have an internet connection, using your PC you can connect your iPhone to iTunes using a USB cable which will allow the unlock to be applied automatically through the Apple server.
Why unlock your iPhone at iphoneapprovedunlock.com?
iPhone Approved Unlock provide an official iPhone unlock using Apple’s recommended method. The unlock is permanent meaning it won’t be invalidated through future updates and it doesn’t affect your warranty. Additionally, your unlock is completed remotely which means you can unlock your iPhone from the comfort of your home.
How do you know if your iPhone has been blacklisted?
If your iPhone has been reported lost or stolen then it will most likely be recorded as blacklisted. If you are unsure please contact our customer support team or the carrier provider to check.
How do you find out which carrier your iPhone is locked to?
In order to process your unlock we will need to know which carrier your iPhone is locked to, if you are unsure then you can use our carrier check to find out instantly.
What if you are under contract with your carrier?
If your iPhone is still under contract with the carrier provider you can still unlock your iPhone and use an alternative carrier but you will need to ensure that you keep up with your monthly payments.
Does your unlocking service remove the iCloud Activation Lock?
Our iPhone unlocking service will remove the carrier lock from your iPhone allowing you to use any carrier. However, if your iPhone has an iCloud Activation Lock then you can use our iCloud unlock service which will remove the Activation Lock enabling you to use your device as normal.
Why we are the best iPhone unlocking service.
Our IMEI unlocking methods are safe, trusted & recommended by Apple as the best way to unlock your iPhone without invalidating the warranty.
How To Unlock A Verizon Phone
Remote iPhone unlock service
We unlock iPhones remotely, this means you can continue using your iPhone as normal whilst we complete the unlock in the background. We’ll never ask for personal login details.
Permanent & Secure Unlock
By whitelisting your device in Apple’s database, it will be permanently unlocked for use on any carrier worldwide. The performance, security & outstanding iPhone warranty is not affected!
24 hr Delivery & Dedicated Customer Service
Most of our iPhone unlocks take less than 24 hours! Wiith live order tracking and a dedicated customer support team, our unlocking service provides real convenience and peace of mind.
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The Benefits of Unlocking your iPhone
You may only have one primary reason for wanting to unlock your iPhone at the moment, but once it’s unlocked remember the other great benefits that having an unlocked iPhone offers:
Avoid roaming limits when travelling by using SIM cards from local carrier providers.
Find a deal that suits you, whether that be more data or better coverage in your local area.
Sell your iPhone easier and for a much higher price.
Buy a cheap locked iPhone and use our cheap unlocking service to grab yourself a bargain.
Standard Option
A great choice if you are the original owner of your iPhone and know the current status of your carrier contract i.e. the iPhone is not blacklisted or has unpaid bills etc*
Direct Whitelisting on Apple's Database
Permanent Factory Unlock
One-off Payment
Pre-Order Option
If you are not the orginal owner or do not know the current status of your carrier please use this service. We will carry out these status checks and proceed with the full iPhone unlock.
Direct Whitelisting on Apple's Database
Permanent Factory Unlock
May require additional payment dependant on contract status
Carrier Check
Instantly find out what carrier your iPhone, iPad or iWatch is locked to using the IMEI number.
Carrier Check
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Removes your device from it's previous iCloud account permanently. Allowing you to activate and set up the device as normal.
Unlock iCloud
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Quickest SIM unlock on the Internet (see our price list for full details).
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