In cell phones, what does "UNLOCK" and "UNLOCK CODE" mean?

Similar questions: cell phones UNLOCK CODE.

Consumer Electronics > Cell Phones & Accessories.

Nearly all cell phones are tied to a carrier... If you buy a ATT/Cingular phone, it is meant to be used on their network. The phone you get from them is "locked" to their network. ATT's network is now, for the most part, GSM, which is the most popular phone standard in the world.

Now say one day you decide you don't like ATT anymore and you would like to move your service to T-Mobile. T-Mobile also supports the GSM standard so you could do this (you couldn't move to Verizon or Sprint because they use a different standard). But in order to get your phone working on T-Mobile, you need to "unlock" your phone to work on any GSM carrier.

There are several services out there that provide unlocking. A quick check of Google and eBay will tell you that. But more often than not, if you have been a customer of a carrier for a while (more than 90 days) they will provide you with the unlock code.

Having an unlocked phone can be very convenient if you travel abroad, as this will allow you to take advantage of the local phone carriers and possibly save you a bundle in roaming charges. Sources: my experience .

The code unlocks the software lock on the phone that prevents you from using another provider's service. Cellphone identity is contained in the SIM chip - this tells each carrier who you are and whether you are associated with their service. If you get your SIM chip operational in some other phone, the phone service will treat that new phone as you.

Likewise, any phone can hold your chip, and thus if you get the SIM operational you can make that phone your own. Many cell phone companies "lock" their phones (the handset, not the SIM) so that you can only use that cell phone handset with SIMs from that company. Unlocking that phone means getting rid of that software lock so that some other SIM could be used (for example, that inexpensive "stored minutes" one you're buying in another country for use there, or perhaps the SIM of a competing company in your area).

The cellphone company justifies doing this because they subsidized your purchase of the cell phone, so they don't want you going off to do your business with someone else til your initial period of signup is completed. This doesn't really make much sense, though, since if there is a contractual obligation to complete a one or two year service contract, you're still obligated. Many companies sell unlock codes for cell phones.

You enter the code into your phone, and it becomes unlocked. You could then put in a SIM card from some other company than one authorized by your original service provider. http://www.thetravelinsider.info/roadwarriorcontent/unlockingfaq.htm#2 .

Locking means you have to use the phone with a certain carrier. This almost always refers to GSM phones, which store your account information on a SIM card. If you want to switch from T-Mobile to AT&T, you can just take out the T-Mobile SIM card, install one from AT&T, and keep your handset.

The trouble, at least in the carrier's eyes, comes when you get a discounted handset for signing up. They give you a few hundred bucks off the price of a phone, expecting to make it back from your monthly service fees. But if you leave too quickly, they're losing money, so SIM locking is used to make sure your phone can only be used with that carrier.

When you buy a used phone, you need to make sure it's unlocked so you'll be able to use it with whatever service you want. The unlock code is a code you can enter into the phone to unlock it. Sometimes the carrier will just give it to you, if your contract expires, or if you tell them you're going overseas and want to buy a prepaid SIM from a local company while you're there.

Other times you can figure out the unlock code based on your phone's serial number, or pay someone else to figure it out, or send the phone off somewhere to be unlocked. (Locking isn't as much of an issue with CDMA carriers like Verizon and Sprint, probably because Sprint won't activate a Verizon phone anyway. ) .

The lock function in the phone enables privacy Cell phone owners like to lock their cell phone for many reasons, the most important one being In case they leave it lying somewhere, and they don't want any random passerby to be able to open it and check their contacts list or text messages. You can lock your cell phone by looking through the settings in your cell phone (different for each brand of cell phone). When you first try to set your phone on lock, it will ask you to set an unlock code (like a password) which then, you will use to unlock the phone whenever YOU want to use it (the unlock code prevents the people who don't know the code from prying).

If you have never set a lock code on your phone before...the default lock code might be set in. The default lock code varies for different phones. But usually the DEFAULT code is one of these: The last 4 digits of your cell phone number The last 4 digits of the social security number of the person under who the cell phone plan is (so if its a family plan, if the plan is under the dad's name...it will be the last 4 digits of his social) Or sometimes its "1234" or "0000" Hope I answered your question!

Feel free to ask if you still have any doubts. Sources: My experience PnL's Recommendations iPhone Silicone Case w/ LCD Screen Protector - 5 Color Options Amazon List Price: $24.95 Average Customer Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (based on 10 reviews) The latest phone....I believe it costs 500$ .

Or the sublock code to reprogram with a different number or carrier. If it is a different carrier or number the sublock code can only be gotten through the carrier that origionally had the phone...Likey they will not give it to you either If you accitently locked your phone try the last 4 didgets of the phone number 4 zero's or 1234...if that doesn't work...sorry you are out of luck .

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Where is the cheapest place to get unlock phones.

Similar Questions: cell phones UNLOCK CODE Recent Questions About: cell phones UNLOCK CODE.

The code unlocks the software lock on the phone that prevents you from using another provider's service. Cellphone identity is contained in the SIM chip - this tells each carrier who you are and whether you are associated with their service. If you get your SIM chip operational in some other phone, the phone service will treat that new phone as you.

Likewise, any phone can hold your chip, and thus if you get the SIM operational you can make that phone your own. Many cell phone companies "lock" their phones (the handset, not the SIM) so that you can only use that cell phone handset with SIMs from that company. Unlocking that phone means getting rid of that software lock so that some other SIM could be used (for example, that inexpensive "stored minutes" one you're buying in another country for use there, or perhaps the SIM of a competing company in your area).

The cellphone company justifies doing this because they subsidized your purchase of the cell phone, so they don't want you going off to do your business with someone else til your initial period of signup is completed. This doesn't really make much sense, though, since if there is a contractual obligation to complete a one or two year service contract, you're still obligated. Many companies sell unlock codes for cell phones.

You enter the code into your phone, and it becomes unlocked. You could then put in a SIM card from some other company than one authorized by your original service provider. http://www.

Thetravelinsider. Info/roadwarriorcontent/unlockingfaq. Htm#2 .

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