When you buy a cell phone, it usually is locked by the company you bought your phone from. This means, if you have a Sprint phone, it’ll only work on the Sprint network. If you have a T-Mobile phone, it only works on the T-Mobile network and so on. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t use that phone on a different network if you choose to switch providers. Unlocking your phone is also a good option if you’d like to use your phone internationally. While there are services that will help you “unlock” your phone, you really shouldn’t have to pay for this service.
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One way to unlock your cell phone is to ask your service provider to give you an unlock code. If you’ve been a loyal customer, they will generally give you the unlock code for free. It’s the easiest way to go about it.
If your service provider isn’t willing to provide you with an unlock code for free, you can always download software that generates unlock codes. Do a search online and you can find such cell phone unlocking software for free. Other websites offer you support services incase anything goes wrong in the process. After downloading the software, find your cell phone’s serial or IMEI number (generally located under the battery). Follow the instructions until you get a message that tells you your phone has been unlocked or that the “restrictions” are off.
If you have a CDMA or TDMA phone, versus a GMS phone, you need the Master Subsidiary Lock (MSL) code. This you may or may not be able to get from your provider depending on the company’s policy. You can also try resetting your phone’s lock code.
Be aware that if you choose to unlock your phone, you can end up losing whatever warranty comes with your phone. Also, make sure you have you have good codes – most phones only let you try to unlock your phone a certain number of times, after which your phone becomes hard-locked. Finally, if you have a newer phone, the codes provided by free software generally do not work and you will most likely have to pay for the service. Just make sure you choose a trusted service!
