Here's how to unlock the full potential
of your GSM cell phone so that it can be used with any service provider,
anywhere in the world.
With an
unlocked phone,
you simply plug in a different SIM card (the small chip usually located under
the battery of the phone) to change service providers. Simple, easy, and
instantaneous
Our unlocking service has been
positively written up in the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer, other
newspaper articles, featured on CNN, and on many websites.
In recognition of the huge number of
visitors to our unlocking pages we're now getting every day, here are answers to
some of the questions more commonly asked.
And, if there's a question that we've
not answered, please let
us know so we can add your question (and our answer) to this
list.
Ordinary cell works so that the unique
serial number in your phone (its ESN) is used by the cell phone service provider
to identify who you are. The wireless service 'knows' that a particular phone's
serial number is your
phone and
knows to send phone calls to that phone when someone dials your phone number.
A GSM phone is not directly linked to
you. Instead, it has a removable account card, called a SIM (subscriber
information module) and this SIM has a unique serial number on it. This is what
identifies you to the wireless provider.
The important difference about this is
that you can put your SIM into any compatible phone (and pretty much all modern
GSM phones are compatible with all modern SIMs) and that phone will now act as
your phone, because the
wireless company sees your SIM inside it. It doesn't care that you've
changed phones; all it cares is where to find your SIM.
And now for the really exciting part of
this, just as in theory, you can put any SIM in any phone, the opposite is also
true. Any phone can work with any SIM. So, if you've already bought an
expensive phone that you like and have learned how to use, if you change from
one GSM wireless
company to another one, you don't have to change phones. You can keep the phone
you've grown to like, and all you need to do is replace the first company's SIM
with your new service provider's SIM.
But, some wireless providers 'lock'
their phones, meaning that their phones have been programmed to only work with
SIMs issued by their company. Reversing that programming - unlocking your phone
so it can work with any SIM - is what this is all about.
What is GSM? Is it different than normal cell phone service? How do I know
if I have GSM or not?
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GSM is a type of digital mobile phone
service. The more common type of digital mobile phone service in the US is
CDMA, but just about every other country in the world uses primarily or only
GSM.
For you as the user of your phone,
there is no difference at all between using a phone on a CDMA system or a phone
on a GSM system. Unfortunately, the two different systems are not compatible
with each other.
If you have a T-Mobile, Cingular, or
AT&T, then you have GSM service.
Will my existing cell phone service provider know if I unlock my mobile
phone?
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We're not sure about this. Certainly,
if they physically have your phone, they can get it to display its current lock
status, but when you have the phone, we're not sure. It might be possible, in
theory, for them to interrogate the phone through the cell service control
signals, and get the phone to advise of its status, but we've never heard of
this being done.
And, in any case, read the next two
questions/answers for further reassurance on this topic.
Will my existing service provider care if I unlock my phone?
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Probably not! That is one of the
ridiculous things about unlocking which makes the whole thing so unnecessary.
You have already signed a one or two
year contract with your cell phone service
provider, you are committed to
spending a monthly minimum amount with them every month, whether you ever turn
your phone on or not! Indeed, in a way, it is probably good for them if you
never use the free minutes included in your plan - that way, their monthly fee
becomes pure profit!
So, why should they care if your phone
is locked or unlocked? Apart from hoping you'll use more than your free
minutes, it is all the same to them, one way or the other.
It is your phone, isn't it? Then
surely it is as legal that you unlock your phone as it is that you give it away,
lose it, break it, leave it turned off, or do just about anything else with it!
Unless your phone service contract says
'this phone remains the property of us (the service provider) and you agree not
to modify or alter it in any way' then there would seem to be no reason why you
can't legally do anything you like with your phone, just so long as you're not
attempting to defraud anyone.
It is illegal, in some countries, to
change the phone's IMEI (serial number) - this is a type of what is called
'cloning' and, particularly with non-GSM phones, could enable you to then
pretend to be someone else and have your airtime charged to someone else's
account.
We don't provide any cloning type
service and don't approve of people that do. But we do help you simply unlock a
phone that belongs to you so you have freedom of choice as to which service
provider you use it with.
Can my existing service provider relock my phone without telling me?
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We used to think the answer to this was
'no, of course not'! But then a reader wrote in to tell us how he bought a
Treo, new and unlocked, and after using it with T-Mobile, changed his service
provider and started using it with AT&T. To his surprise and horror, AT&T
somehow then locked his Treo and now are refusing to unlock it, even though he
never bought it from AT&T and never let them touch it.
Somehow they apparently sent a locking
signal to the Treo that locked it to their SIM. This understandably upset the
owner of the Treo. It was 100% his Treo - he'd paid full price for it, buying
it from a regular store, not from a cell phone service provider, and then signed
up for an account with AT&T that had no special incentives associated with it.
So, maybe it is indeed possible for
your phone to be relocked. So keep your unlocking codes in case you need to use
them again!
How do I know if my phone is already unlocked or not?
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Easy, borrow a SIM from a friend who
has an account with a different wireless service provider and see if it works in
your phone or not. If it works, and your phone thinks it is his (or her) phone
with that phone's number, then your phone is already unlocked.
But if it creates some sort of error
message and doesn't work, then your phone is locked.
How do I know if my phone can be unlocked?
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As far as we are aware,
all GSM phones can be unlocked. It is just a
matter of finding the right provider of unlock codes to work with. But if your
phone is not a GSM phone, then it probably can't be unlocked at this time.
There is a market place starting to develop for “flashing” the memory of
non-GSM phones to allow the phones to migrate to other non-GSM carriers.
There are two main companies that offer
GSM service in the USA. AT&T and Cingular are now merged into one company, and
the second company is T-Mobile.
If your service is with, e.g., Sprint,
Nextel, Verizon, or just about any other US wireless company, then you do not
have GSM service and your phone generally can't be unlocked. There is one
exception to this rule that is becoming more common recently. There are some
providers who have a method for overwriting the firmware within some of the
phone models unique to these non-GSM carriers that allow the phones to be
utilized on other carriers in the non-GSM market. Please understand that this
does not provide you with a phone that is useful in most overseas markets.
I don't have a GSM phone, but will be traveling internationally so need
one. Can I just buy an unlocked phone without signing up for service?
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Yes, there are several ways to buy an
unlocked phone without needing to sign up for a year or two of service that you
mightn't need. You can simply buy a new, or pre-owned reconditioned GSM phone
from a provider like us.
If you do buy a used phone this way,
check to confirm it truly is unlocked (to be kind to sellers, many sellers don't
understand exactly what locking is and so incorrectly describe their phones as
unlocked) and check it will support the frequency bands used in the countries
you're likely to visit. Also consider buying a new battery, because batteries
do wear out.
Most phones can be unlocked simply by
keying a secret code into it. The code is usually a unique number only for that
particular phone, based on its serial number (what is called its IMEI) and the
service provider who locked it. We can sell you this secret code for most
models of phones. Costs vary depending on carrier and / or manufacturer and are
easy for you to enter into your phone with the instructions we provide.
How do I know that my phone has been successfully unlocked?
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Usually, after entering the unlock
codes; the phone will say something that sounds sort of encouraging.
Do the test in the question two above.
Borrow a SIM from a friend who has an account with a different wireless service
provider and see if it works in your phone or not. If it works, then your phone
is already unlocked, but if it creates some sort of error message and doesn't
work, then your phone is still locked.
I've unlocked my phone, but when I turn it on, it still shows the name of
the previous wireless service
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This logo (called a 'splash screen')
has been programmed into your phone by the company that sold it to you. It
doesn't mean anything about which company now provides you phone service.
Unlocking your phone removes the
electronic restriction that prevents your phone from working with other SIMs
from other wireless services. It doesn't change your splash screen.
The good news is you can get rid of the
splash screen without needing to unlock your phone. See if you can find in your
phone's manual how to change the splash screen, or consider calling the phone
manufacturer and have them walk you through it.
Which countries will my unlocked phone work in?
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(See the next question as well).
GSM service is offered in 207
countries.
Check
this website to see if the country you are interested in has GSM service,
and, if it does, what frequency the GSM service(s) operate on.
How do I know if my phone will work internationally?
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US GSM cell phones work on 1900 MHz
(and sometimes also 850 MHz). Most other countries have GSM networks on 900 or
1800 MHz.
Check on the website of your cell phone
manufacturer to see which frequencies your model phone supports, or if we carry
your model the frequencies will be listed with the product specifications. Here
are sites for the most common phones (let me know if your phone isn't included,
and I'll then add it to the list):
How/where can I get a SIM that will work internationally?
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Well, the easiest way to get a SIM that
works in a foreign country is in the foreign country itself!
But, oftentimes, this is actually not
the easiest way to get a foreign SIM. When you're traveling, you don't want to
have to find a cell phone store, and try and sort out what you need, perhaps in
a different language, and potentially have things go wrong.
For this reason, many people choose to
buy a pre-paid SIM for the country or countries they'll be traveling to before
they leave home. Several companies will sell them to you; we recommend
Telestial
because we've dealt with them ourselves, we know them, and find them helpful,
honest, responsive and reliable. They have a wide range of SIMs and fair
prices.
If you buy the SIM before you leave,
you have a chance to make sure you understand how it works, and will also know
its phone number, which you can then conveniently give to people so they know
how to contact you.
Do I need any credit checks or anything to get a foreign SIM?
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Probably not. Most people buy a SIM
that works on a prepaid type account basis. That means you pay money into your
phone account, and then use it up as you make calls. When it is used up, the
account stops working until you pay more money into the account again (either by
credit card over the phone, or by purchasing a 'top-up' card that transfers
money into your phone account.
Because the wireless service provider
isn't extending you any credit, you don't need to pass any credit checks, and
you don't need to have any sort of proof of fixed address in the foreign country
or anything. Most of the time you just buy the prepaid account and SIM without
any need for any paperwork at all, put the SIM in the phone, perhaps dial a
number to activate it, and it is instantly then working.
Is there any sort of minimum contract I have to sign for a foreign prepaid
SIM?
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No. Because the wireless service
provider isn't giving you a free phone or any other sort of subsidy, you don't
have to commit to a one or two year term. You just buy the SIM, use it as much
or as little as you like, and stop using it whenever you choose.
Why should I get a different SIM for traveling internationally?
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You should read our series on international cell phone service. This
explains all the different issues and options you have as to how best to keep in
contact when traveling out of your home country.
Will I have to unlock my phone every time I change SIMs?
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No. Once your phone is unlocked, it
remains permanently unlocked, no matter what you do to it, unless you specially
program back the lock code into it.
Will my existing service still work with my unlocked phone?
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Yes, your existing service will work
perfectly with no change, as long as you leave your present SIM in your phone.
Will I be able to get better reception and roam more in the US with an
unlocked phone?
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Possibly. Unlocking does not make any
difference to how your phone works with its present wireless service provider,
but if another carrier has a larger roaming area or stronger signal where you
utilize your phone the most it could have an impact on the quality of your
service. It still uses the same transmitters on the same towers as before, and
does everything the same. The only difference is that you can take its SIM out
and replace it with a different SIM for a different wireless company.
Will I save money with an unlocked phone?
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Maybe. Your current wireless provider
will still charge you exactly the same as before for all your calls, but you no
longer need to be bound to a contract. This allows you to shop providers and
utilize monthly plans which can minimize your costs by easily adjusting to your
changing needs.
But because your phone is now unlocked,
you can use a different SIM from a different provider whenever this might give
you better rates - for example, when traveling overseas.
If you have a GSM phone, then we can
assist you in unlocking it. Simply go to our
GSM unlock page, select either your carrier or phone brand,
include your phone information when requested, pay the associated fee, and we'll
send you back your phone's unlock code and complete instructions on how to
unlock it.
If your phone is not on our current
list of phones we can unlock,
ask us and maybe we can now unlock it, too.
There are three main reasons why you
might want to unlock your phone.
Because you want to change the
wireless company you get service from in the US, and want to keep your
present phone.
You've changed to a different
service provider and got a new phone, but you want to unlock your old phone
so you can use it in an emergency just by swapping the SIM over if your main
phone gives problems
Because you want to travel
internationally and don't want to have to pay the very expensive
international rates your present wireless company would charge you while
internationally roaming.
