What is a Locked Phone
Most times, phones are rarely manufactured with any form of lock, especially these days when companies understand the freedom people expect to enjoy with their phones. A phone is usually locked by the seller who could do it for many reasons, however, they are usually done by network carriers.
There Are Two Common Types of Phone Lock:
1. Country Lock
This means that you cannot use the phone outside your country because no other network or SIM besides the one in your country would be compatible with the phone. Although this is becoming very rare, it can still be found in cheaper phones. Sometimes the lock comes from the manufacturers who do not intend the phone to be used outside a particular country.2. Network Lock
This form of lock is usually done by the network carriers themselves. It disallows you from using any other network on that phone other than the one that came with the phone. Network locked phones are usually bought on installment payments, making them quite common.Sometimes, it may be that the phone has been locked to only use one SIM and no other, even if it is from the same network.
If you have just recently purchased an iPhone, chances are that it may be carrier locked, except you bought it from the Apple Store directly. But how can you be sure?
To Know If Your iPhone is Carrier-Locked, Try the Following Steps:
1. Turn off the phone.
2. Remove the SIM from the phone and insert another SIM from another network into it.
3. Switch on the phone.
4. Check for network signs or any other proof that shows the SIM is active.
5. If you see a "No SIM installed" message, then your phone is network locked. But do not be so sure.
6. Put the phone on flight mode and back. If the "No SIM installed" message persists, then your phone is network locked.
You can never really tell if your phone is country locked until you travel outside your country with it, but that may not be something you do often, so you need not bother yourself with that. Still, you can always ask at the point of purchase, if the phone has any country lock if you travel frequently.
Having tried that, you may already be asking, “how do I unlock my phone?" Unlocking your phone can be easier than you think. You can either contact the network provider or use third party services.
Some people prefer the option of third party services. This is a common option for people who received the phone as a gift, bought the phone from someone or has forgotten the network details of their phone. Today, there are so many phone unlocking services that can help you unlock your phones to work with other SIMs.
These services may be provided by people over the air or in stores near you and it usually costs a fee that is not too expensive. They then provide you with the code and give you instructions on how to proceed, or they unlock it themselves for you from their end. Although sometimes, depending on the model of the phone, you may have to send it to them to unlock it for you.
Now That You Have Unlocked Your Phone, What Are the Benefits?
1. Use Any Network You Want
Unlocking your phone gives you the freedom to use any network of your choice, as any SIM would now be able to work on it.2. You Save Money
Maybe the tariff on your previous network was expensive, but you had no choice but to use it. Now that you have unlocked it, you can use other networks that offer cheaper plans, thereby saving money.3. Gives Your Phone Greater Value
Using an unlocked phone gives your phone more value since you can do more with it now. Also, it makes it easier for you to sell it since people are very careful about buying a network locked phone.If you require the services of phone unlocking services, first check to see if they can unlock your exact model of phone and also know the process they would be using. Another thing to pay attention to is how long they have been in the business, as that tells you about their experience. You can always make consultations online or in person if there is a store near you.
