How to Unlock your Phone: A Guide to Unlock any Carrier

Phone unlocking is becoming increasingly popular, especially among the money savvy. Not only will an unlocked phone save you on monthly phone bills by getting a better deal on another carrier, but also allows you to pass on your phone to your friend, relative, or even adds value when you sell your phone.

Our phones are a big part of our lives, becoming like miniature laptops in our pockets to stay connected instantly and constantly as well as being an incredible device for businesses on the go, which is why we have provided you with our complete guide on the why’s and how’s of unlocking your phone as well as giving you information on any questions you have concerning unlocking your phone. We answer questions such as is it legal to unlock your phone? Why are phones locked? And how do you unlock a phone safely?

Read on for our full guide for everything you need to know about unlocking your phone.

Why are phones locked to the carrier?

When your phone is locked, this refers to your phone being ‘SIM locked’. If you try and insert another SIM card from another carrier – for example if you are on O2 and you put in a Vodafone SIM card – your phone won’t work. This is because your carrier has locked your phone to their carrier to block you from using another carrier. This trick is commonly used by carrier providers so that you stay using them after your contract has ended, as your phone will be locked permanently, unless you use a third party service like Mobile Unlocked to get your phone unlocked to use on any carrier.

How to find out if a phone is locked to a carrier

To find out if your phone is locked to a carrier you can contact your phone provider and they will be able to tell you. Alternatively, a simple way to quickly find out if your phone is locked is by putting in a different SIM card by another carrier in your phone. If your phone is locked you will get a prompt message that the phone needs an unlock code to use the SIM card. This method is great for finding out if your phone is unlocked or not, but to find out which carrier your phone is locked to, you will need to use a carrier Check Service to instantly find out.

If you haven’t purchased your phone yet and you are wondering whether or not your phone will be locked, you can simply ask the phone company or carrier provider before purchasing. Usually, EE, O2 and most of Vodafone handsets are sold locked to their carrier, so it’s worth bearing this in mind.

Is it safe to unlock a phone?

carriers lock phones to prevent you from leaving them so that they can keep you as a customer. But what if you’ve found a better deal elsewhere and want to keep your phone?

Some people still believe that phone unlocking is illegal, but this is a misconception. It is 100% legal to unlock your phone. In 2002 there was an Ofcom review that confirmed unlocking a phone is legal and states that locked handsets are a restriction to consumers freedom to choose the operator as well as the option to have multiple SIM cards to take advantage of different offers at the same time. Although handsets are still sold locked, this means you have the option of unlocking your phone legally to use other carriers as you desire.

What happens when a phone is unlocked?

Once your phone is unlocked you can take advantage of so many benefits that you were previously restricted to. For instance, you can now search for any deal on any carrier that you like. Compared to phone contracts, which are usually 24 months, SIM only deals tend to be 12 months, so you will benefit from switching carriers more often to get a better deal and save a lot of money.

If you’re a frequent traveller, you can benefit greatly from an unlocked phone to save money on roaming charges by using a SIM card from overseas that will give you local bundles. This helps you to avoid those hefty data, calls and text fees that you would usually get from your carrier when using your phone abroad.

Selling your phone unlocked also has its benefits, typically a device that is unlocked sells for 30% more in value than if it was locked. Buyers tend to want an unlocked phone to use immediately, so it’s worth unlocking your phone to profit more.

It’s legal to unlock my phone – So how do I get my phone unlocked?

The safe and reliable method to unlock your phone is by using your IMEI number to find your official unlock code to safely unlock your device to use on any carrier. Your IMEI number is a unique number to identify your phone, which enables your carrier to detect the make, model and your phone’s serial number. It’s easy to find your IMEI number, simply dial *#06# from your phone and the number will flash up.

You won’t be able to unlock your phone yourself, but a third party service like Mobile Unlocked uses the IMEI to retrieve the unlock code for your phone, which is a secure method of phone unlocking and is recommended by phone manufacturers. The unlock code is taken from legitimate databases from Samsung, iPhone and other leading mobile companies, meaning that the service is 100% legal. Phone unlocking via IMEI won’t void your warranty, so your phone is completely safe after you’ve unlocked it using this method.