How does a phone become "unlocked"?Why do unlocked phones cost so much more than the alternative? Can I unlock my phone?

Similar questions: phone unlocked phones cost alternative unlock.

Consumer Electronics > Cell Phones & Accessories.

Evil operators lock phones. The reason operators lock phones to their network is because they want to keep you as a customer. That and the fact that they subsidized your purchase of that phone so they don't want you jumping ship and taking that "value" to another operator.

Thus if a phone is not locked in the first place...then it was never subsidized...making it more expensive. Now, to unlock a phone. The unsafe way: Download some Russian unlocking software that may "brick" your phone (turn it into a useless brick) and most certainly will infect your PC with more spyware and viruses than you can shake a Kaspersky at!

The slightly more safe way: Send the phone to a professional "unlocker" and pay a good chunk of change to get it done right. The way I recommend (that doesn't always work): Take your phone to your local operator's store. Tell them that you are traveling to the EU and you have a Vodaphone SIM card you want to use there but the phone needs to be unlocked to use it.

Usually free, sometimes a small fee, often a flat-out "no" is what you could get. This works for GSM phones. If you have a CDMA phone then this ploy won't work at all.

CDMA phones don't have SIM cards; they are all "captive". However since you are talking about locking and unlocking I'm assuming you mean GSM.

It depends First there are two types of "locked" phones. The one I assume you are refering to is something you may see on E-Bay etc.. ALL cell phones have a sublock code that alonf with the electronic serial number is needed to program the phone. Each Cell phone carrier in its own way "owns" that phone.

That is to prevent you from taking an Iphone fro ATT to Verizon etc. Unless you find a customer service rep who isn't doing their job, even if you bought the phone.....they won't give you the sublock code. If you buy a cell without the sublock code, you might just as well throw it away.So the ones that are more expensive, it because you can use them. When I was in the business, I had a program that I could enter that ESN number and get the sublock code.

Hope that helps some...oh the other lock...is when you lock the keypad with your own code so people can't use it Sources: experience .

Its not very simple An unlocked phone is becomes unlocked when it can be used with any service provider. For example, if a T-mobile phone is bought, Only a tmobile sim card can be used in it. A sim card with at&t or otherwise will not work in this phone.

When you unlock this phone, you can put any brand sim card in it. Unlocking a phone is attractive because some kinds of phones are not available to certain carriers, like the new iphone is only available for a certain carrier, so if you are using another carrier, you want to unlock your iphone to make it work. That's why they're expensive, because when a phone is locked, the carrier sells the phone for cheaper than retail, knowing you can only use their phone service and no one else.It depends on what kind of phone you have to know how to unlock it, sometimes it involves some button pushes, something it requires a whole opening up of the phone and altering something in it.

If so, which ones?" "unlock passwords for US cellular phones" "I need a cell phone that can handle two lines. Need two lines but don't want to carry two phones. Anything out there?" "Should I get an unlocked cell phone instead of the usual locked phones and plans?

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And hours? And texting?

I need a cell phone that can handle two lines. Need two lines but don't want to carry two phones. Anything out there?

I'm trying to get a new cell phone plan. Any recommendations on phones and carriers.

Why are mobile phones called "cell" phones.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.