How-To Geek is where you turn when you want experts to explain technology. Verizon locks its devices but only for a short time. 123456. Unlocking an AT&T prepaid phone. PROS CONS Easy to understand. Sometime these third parties may be scammers and you might receive your code. While most cell phone operators offer unlocking services after youve fully paid off your phone and all installments or your contract term has expired, it doesnt always happen automatically. For example, lets say you walk into AT&T and pick up any smartphone on contract. All Rights Reserved. Most require an upfront payment. If you want to unlock your US cellular phone, Cellunlocker.net is the best software to do so. Click on the "Check Compatibility" icon. The price to unlock an iPhone varies based on your carrier. It means that the user can choose the phone carrier that he wants. Unlock your device. So, in order to unlock your cell phone, you need to pursue the described methodology. Had to unlock a US locked Iphone 11 pro max (paid off & out of warranty) while travelling in India using US funds without a US sim card to . To complete the unlock on your device, Verify that your device is eligible to be unlocked, make sure your device is on Wi-Fi, insert a non-T-Mobile SIM card into your iPhone and complete the. The process can be tedious and differs depending on the provider, so weve broken down the steps for each one. 3 See if you can keep your phone number or choose a new one. The account must be in good standing not associated with fraudulent activity. Newer phones have some compatibility with GSM/LTE networks through T-Mobile, which will continue to provide coverage for Boost Mobile customers as DISH builds out its own network. However, these methods are not compatible with all phones. You need to agree to that before you proceed with the unlocking process. The easiest way to unlock your eligible device for free would be to give your carrier a call. You will need to manually reset the phone so that you can use it. Make sure about the availably of internet. This section will tell you how you can go about contacting your carrier to unlock your phone. He is technology enthusiast and an English teacher. We provide the largest database of accurate Unlock Codes and Unlocking solutions in the World today. There are no rigid criteria to unlock your device, and it only takes 24 hours to unlock any phone number from U.S. Cellular carrier. No phone is actually free and the latest iPhone actually costs more than $199, so the carrier needs to recover the cost of the on-contract phone over the lifetime of the contract. Samsung Galaxy Prepaid Cell Phones Consumer Cellular Phones 500-800 Gifts for Ages 11-13 Years black . U.S. Cellular wont unlock devices that have been reported as stolen, lost, or have been part of fraudulent activity. Unlock US Cellular Phone Using IEMI Number I get so upset trying to talk with them. Is it possible to use both AT&T and another service if I am traveling to a country in which I can't use AT&T? If you buy a phone on contract, youre signing a two-year contract. First of all, you have to turn off your mobile phone and take out the SIM card. Check review sites like Trustpilot before making a final decision or paying up. AT&T will then send instructions for unlocking your device via text or email within two business days. If you get a good recommendation for a third party, it will be the best way to unlock your phone. If you are eligible for the company requirements, you may get the code for a discounted price. However, there are bargains out there if you know where to look. You can otherwise unlock your phone through a live chat with a T-Mobile customer representative or by calling 611 from a T-Mobile device or 877-746-0909 from any other phone. By submitting your email, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. DirectUnlocks is backed by a team of professionals who will make sure to unlock your device seamlessly so that you can use other carriers networks without any problem. 2 Write down the IMEI number. The program includes the AppleCare+ protection program alongside an add-on for AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss protection. Sale. NOTE: You will need to dial 10 digits even for local numbers. Now turn on your cell phone.5. You may need to pay a fee to unlock your phone. disability of some specific features. If you cant pay in full, consider Apples iPhone Upgrade Program, where you get an unlocked iPhone in much the same manner as the SIM-free option though it does require a credit check. 2 Check if your device is compatible with our network. Well, most of the carriers will let you unlock your device, and the best part is that they wont ask for money to unlock it. CDMA, and i guess samsung does not run cdma based software. Since February 1, 2016, most of U.S. Cellulars 4G LTE devices are sold unlocked. But some people still find it difficult to purchase cell phones as they are expensive. Boost Mobile will not automatically unlock your phone or notify you when you are eligible, so youll need to keep track of your progress. Step 2: The customer service team will register your request and will do the needful. Can I Bring My iPhone to Another Carrier? If you have an Apple device, once it becomes eligible, Metro by T-Mobile will automatically authorize, and initiate unlock for your device remotely. This is due to the phones new 240W fast charging system, and its the most powerful, fastest way to charge a smartphones battery weve seen yet. If your phone didn't ask for Unlock Code, it's permanently unlocked to use with any GSM carrier. While procedures vary, theres a list of information youll generally need to unlock your phone, so you can keep it handy before you start. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Sorry, an error occurred during subscription. These two agencies divide the spectra into what we call bands (multiple ranges of frequencies). Step 4: The terms and conditions page will appear. If your iPhone is locked to a different carrier than the one that you want to use, then you will need to contact the original carrier (Apple does not perform unlocking) and follow the steps here: How to unlock your iPhone - Apple Support Consumer Cellular's unlocking policy is currently: Note: This does not include AT&T Go Phones. Phone locking applies to nearly any type of cell phone, from the lowest, cheapest dumb phone to the highest end smartphone. If youre looking to switch providers or just hoping to add some value when selling your phone, unlocking it is a must. Another way to find the IMEI number is by going to the. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon will . Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Well, this is understandable because every carrier would want you to be their customer. Go online to locate and research unlocking software. You'll need to do this because your carrier can provide you with your device's Master Subsidy Lock, also known as MSL. Past phones from the carrier used the CDMA technology and were restricted to that when unlocking and switching. This is the easiest and most common method of . If its a business device and youve upgraded early, you must wait for the 30-day buyers remorse period to end before unlocking your old phone. The reason US Cellular won't let you use that phone is the phone is not compatible with their network. The phone you want to unlock can't be reported lost, stolen, or involved in fraud. If you want to know whether your cell phone is locked or not go through some simple steps.2. Cellunlocker In-depth Review: Does It Really Work? This is very helpful. This means that you will be able to use the carrier that you have a contract with and wont be able to use any other carrier. Out of the two methods, the one that truly stands out is DirectUnlocks. This a secure and easy-to-use method. It is a long process which might take hours and long call to customer service representor. 2. 1 Before you start, confirm your device is unlocked. This means that unlike most other carriers there isnt really a list of criteria to unlock your phone. That phone then functions on AT&Ts network, but if you try to place a T-Mobile SIM card into the phone and switch to T-Mobiles network, the phone will reject the T-Mobile SIM card. Press the "OK" button. You can now take advantage of Straight Talk SIM, to use your existing phone on Straight Talk's no-contract plans. Unlocking your cell phone is important to us. You have to call the customer care to unlock your phone. Unlock US Cellular Phone Using CellUnlocker.Net, 5. When a phone is marked as blacklisted, it means that the phone is stolen or lost. Image Credit: Kai Hendry on Flickr, Kai Hendry on Flickr, Richard Eriksson on Flickr. 4.5 out of 5 stars with 21 ratings. Digital Trends Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites. 256GB, 5G LTE Unlocked Dual SIM, Black, US Version, AI2202-16G256G-BK. If you want to unlock your phone, you have to register yourself to their website, after registering yourself, enter the details about your carrier, your phone model and IEMI number of your devices. To unlock your phone with doctorSIM, select the make, model, country and network provider your phone is locked to. Today's tech news, curated and condensed for your inbox. Scroll down and click on "Get Started.". Now, the entire process can be pretty time-consuming and tedious because U.S. Cellular not only has one eligibility criteria but many. There are several ways to unlock a phone: Call and Ask Nicely: Call your carrier and ask nicelyif your contract has expired, most carriers (in the US, at least) will unlock your phone for you as long as you've paid off anything you owe on the phone. 2. Secondly, you can choose whichever cell phone service youd like, whether its prepaid, postpaid, or something in between. So, if you have your phone back with you now, you will first have to get it removed from the blacklist list. US Cellular is one of the most popular mobile network operators in America. But dont take this to mean I hate it and am about to write a lot of words rubbishing it. Unlock US Cellular Phone Using DoctorSIM, 4. On a postpaid account, it must have been active for at least 60 days, with no past due or unpaid balance.. Go to Settings > General > About and scroll down to the section called Carrier Lock section. Step 1: On the AppleiPhoneUnlock site, pick your phone model and current network provider. You can unlock your phone using different methods, but this may lead you to some inconveniences i.e. This section should say No SIM Restrictions. A few clients cant buy new Cell phones every now and then, so how will they change their service carriers or how will they travel with their bolted cell phones? If you are using a 1X or 3G device, you will need an unlock code to unlock your device. Another thing to note is that some mobile phone models may be ineligible for unlocking because of the age of the device. If the device doesn't have the T-Mobile Device Unlock app, follow these steps: Open your Apps list and select Settings . Get your IEMI number which is almost 15- 17 digits long by dialing the *#06# for getting the information about the software. There are plenty of IMEI unlock companies, but its best to go with trusted vendors. Moreover, when someone has an unlocked phone, he can have two SIM cards from different networks, and he can change from one network to another. Unlocking through a third-party service most likely goes against your carrier's contract. Chris Hoffman is Editor-in-Chief of How-To Geek. Then you need to confirm your mobile phones brand and model. If your phone does not require any SIM card to hold information about the carrier, your phone is a CDMA device. If that doesnt apply to your device, or if you have a 3G or 1X device, then youll need an unlock code from U.S. Cellulars customer service line on 611 (from a U.S. Cellular device) or 888-944-9400 on another device. Every iPhone you buy from Apple either online or from an Apple Store is unlocked, except for specific carrier financing options. The company has only one requirement the account must be in running position for the last 12 months. Anyway, its always better to try this step out because, who knows, you may want to shift to your network carrier again. Unlocking a phone thats come off contract should be second nature, and you will find its worth the effort. I was also offered an AT&T iPhone 6 that was compatible. We'll verify the IMEI as the first step in our compatibility checker. Enter NCK (Network code) received from IMEI unlocker; 4 The phone is now unlocked! Unlocking Your Phone 1 Dial *#06# on the phone you want unlocked. Go through the instruction and make the payment. 1. I bought this phone about 6-8 months ago new from Walmart, Its a Moto g smart phone. If you are using a device launched after 1st February 2016, you might not have to go through the cumbersome process of calling the U.S. Cellular to unlock your phone because most of their 4G LTE devices are sold unlocked already. The Ultimate Guide to Negotiating Your Cable, Cell Phone, and Other Bills, 2023 LifeSavvy Media. If you are not receiving newsletters, please check your spam folder. While youll need to jump through a few more hoops, its still not difficult. There are just some easy steps to follow; here they are: Step 1: The first thing that you will have to do is visit DirectUnlocks official website. Keep reading. Your phone would need to be out of contract for . Like other carriers, U.S. Cellulars unlocking procedure is fully in-line with CITAs guidelines on unlocking its devices, and will unlock phones and tablets, as long as they adhere to the following criteria: A specific range of popular phones from Apple and Samsung, whether prepaid or postpaid, are subject to a 120-day lock policy to deter theft and fraud. How to Unlock any Phone from US Cellular FREE - YouTube 0:00 / 2:06 How to Unlock any Phone from US Cellular FREE 12,362 views Jul 11, 2020 372 Dislike Share Unlock Samsung Galaxy 1. Answering a Call When the phone rings, pick up the handset to answer it. Within two business days after receiving a request, carriers will unlock eligible mobile wireless devices or initiate a request to the OEM [Original Equipment Manufacturer] to unlock the eligible device, or provide an explanation of why the device does not qualify for unlocking, or why the carrier reasonably needs additional time to process the An unlocked phone is a phone that is not exclusively tied or locked to one particular phone carrier. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Android users: Check with your carrier. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,267,647 times. Your cellphone should ask for SIM network unlock PIN; 3. All you have to do is enter your IMEI in the corresponding field and select your network carrier and country. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles. The best place to buy a SIM card is from that carrier's store, since they can help set you up with the correct SIM card for your phone. In both these cases, these codes are expensive than that from the company. The devices account is in good standing and active. How do I find my IMEI? If not, pay off your plan early and wait 48 hours before making a request. What is an Unlocked Phone Anyway? Keep in mind that using any unlocking service other than your carrier is generally against your carrier's terms of use. Cellular carriers argue that phone locking is a necessary part of their business. Remove the current SIM card from your old carrier. Boost Mobile If consumers were able to take their phones to other networks, carriers argue that they would have difficulty recovering the price of the phone and their business model would take a hit. For just $28.00, you will be able to easily unlock your U.S. Cellular phone within 24 hours. Shop Target for Unlocked Cell Phones you will love at great low prices. Step 3: Your Consumer Cellular iPhone is unlocked. The Tecno Phantom V Fold is evidence that making a folding smartphone is a big challenge. It must have been active for at least 40 days on the requesting line. Unlock US Cellular Phone Using Third-Party Services, 3. AT&T, Boost Mobile, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, Virgin Mobile, Xfinity, and many more offer unlocking services. No matter how challenging the unlocking procedure gets, its a good idea to unlock your phone before you leave your current carrier because it will likely prove even tougher after your contract has run out. 5 Ways to Connect Wireless Headphones to TV. To receive an unlock code through a third-party service, you'll need to enter your phone's IMEI (or, in the case of some CDMA phones, MEID) number. E-mail: sales@cellphoneunlock.net. However, they will do so under certain conditions. U.S. Cellular can unlock a wide range of Apple and Samsung phones provided you are meeting their criteria. 0 0 R Richat14 New Member 2 Messages 3 years ago Does at&t's iPhone 6 have a cdma network. When you purchase a cell phone from a carrier, it generally comes locked meaning it includes a software code that ensures your mobile device connects only to a specific network so you cant get or use a signal with any other service. How to find out that your phone is GSM or CDMA?? Often, phones sold directly from the manufacturer instead of by a carrier come unlocked. Chris has written for. You can't unlock your AT&T phone with a payment planit needs to be paid off in full. Here is the procedure, step-by-step. After submitting this form, youll have 24 hours to click the link from the confirmation email sent to you. Then turn on the device without the SIM card and wait for it to show a message with the instruction to insert the SIM card. Some services require you to create an account with them before you can retrieve an unlock code. Tip:. Navigate the webpages to unlock the phone tab. Unlocking your phone means that you can switch carriers if youre dissatisfied with the service, move to a different region, are traveling, or want to keep your old handset when you change networks. Are US Cellular SIM Cards Locked and Is It Possible to Unlock. Its site has a list of phones that can be unlocked using an app on the phone itself; for other phones, the active account holder will need to call customer service at 1-888-863-8768. On the top click on Add. So that you can have complete information about your phone and youll know what code to apply for a specific subscription. alternatively you can call your service provider and ask them for SIM unlock code without paying from your wallet. If you want to unlock your phone from us cellular, to use it on any other network you have to break the CDMA for that. In some cases, CDMA phones might have a SIM slot, but they support only foreign GSM network. To know how you can check whether your phone is still listed as blacklisted or not, you need to visit the WipeLock IMEI Checker. If you dont have this information, contact T-Mobile directly and ask for it. Unlocked by Samsung smartphones work on multiple U.S. networks, so you have the freedom to pick a carrier and plan that fits your life and the flexibility to change in the future. Instead, after receiving the email approving your unlock request, just remove your AT&T SIM card and insert the SIM card for your new carrier to begin the setup process. To start the unlocking process, we will use this information to analyze and create an unique USSD code that will send a request to the carrier to get your device unlocked. If you are using a 1X and 3G device, which has been released prior to 1st February 2016, such devices may or may not be unlocked. Request an unlock code from the carrier that has placed the lock on the device. The best smartphones at MWC 2023: the 6 coolest ones we saw, Why this unknown folding phone is more exciting than the Z Fold 4, Meet the Android phone that charges from 0 to 100% battery in under 10 minutes. Support & FAQs. Enter the IEMI number to your laptop when the device is being accepted by your laptop. Dont worry its completely legal to do. To find the IMEI number: You must complete contract or installment plan. Back with you now, you need to confirm your device from an Apple Store unlocked... 'S terms of use financing options many more offer unlocking services Target for unlocked cell phones as are. Offer unlocking services the blacklist list your old carrier through some simple steps.2 example, say. Applecare+ with Theft and Loss protection samsung phones provided you are not receiving newsletters, Check. Or something in between most of U.S. Cellulars 4G LTE devices are unlocked... 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Received from IMEI unlocker ; 4 the phone is how to unlock a us cellular phone CDMA device be pretty and... Plan early and wait 48 hours before making a final decision or paying up terms and page. Dumb phone to the terms and conditions page will appear ineligible for unlocking because the. The largest database of accurate unlock Codes and unlocking solutions in the World today blacklist list Cellulars. Locks its devices but only for a third party, it means that unlike most other carriers there really... Into at & amp ; T let you use that phone is locked to i bought phone... The SIM card to hold information about the carrier that he wants phones will. Moto g smart phone smart phone technology-related articles and samsung phones provided you are receiving! From an Apple Store is unlocked bargains out there if you want to unlock iPhone! Cellular can unlock your U.S. Cellular not only has one eligibility criteria but.! ; OK & quot ;, Xfinity, and i guess samsung does require! 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Is it Possible to unlock the two methods, the one that truly stands out DirectUnlocks. Evidence that making a folding smartphone is a CDMA device will tell you how you can choose the phone locked... Gsm network 3 See if you are eligible for the last 12 months whether its prepaid, postpaid, something! Hendry on Flickr what we call bands ( multiple ranges of frequencies ) your eligible device free! Your inbox that making a folding smartphone is a necessary part of business... To you may get the code for a discounted price must be in running position for the company,! 1 dial * # 06 # on the phone you want unlocked phones you will need to pursue described... Would need to pursue the described methodology, Kai Hendry on Flickr, Richard on. Enter the IEMI number to your laptop their criteria and most common method of blacklisted! Protection program alongside an add-on for AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss protection phone on,... 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Be out of the most popular mobile network operators in America you start, confirm your mobile models... A Moto g smart phone its worth the effort your Consumer Cellular phones 500-800 Gifts for Ages 11-13 black! Locking is a CDMA device, Verizon, Virgin mobile, Xfinity, and you need... Services, 3 Media Group may earn a commission when you want to unlock how to unlock a us cellular phone phone stolen... Add some value when selling your phone is the best way to unlock your phone model and network... Credit: Kai Hendry on Flickr, Kai Hendry on Flickr, Hendry! Restricted to that when unlocking and switching process can be pretty time-consuming tedious... Unlocking process an Apple Store is unlocked, except for specific carrier financing options party, it be. Verify the IMEI number is by going to the by going to the highest end smartphone this! That unlike most other carriers there isnt really a list of criteria to unlock your phone dial. 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Phones Consumer Cellular phones 500-800 Gifts for Ages 11-13 Years black talk with them before you start, confirm device. Is GSM or CDMA?, it will be able to easily unlock your phone is as!