By Randy Bal
Any time you buy a cell phone from a mobile provider, it is locked to that network's service. If the company offers you a free or discounted smartphone, you commonly have to consent to a 1- or 2-year contract as well. You can avoid this contract and freely swap between providers, along with travel overseas and use domestic networks, easily by unlocking your cell phone using the IMEI code. Following the 3 simple steps below will enable you to unlock your phone permanently.
Step 1
Get the 15-digit IMEI number. This is usually written on the cellphone beneath the battery. You can also typically locate it on your phone's setting page or by entering a unique code to get your smartphone to display the IMEI number on the screen. In most instances, the code is *#06#
Step 2
Once you have located the IMEI code of your smartphone, contact your existing carrier and ask if they'll give you an unlock code. Depending on your circumstances, they could very well grant your request. Although, many service providers will have thier own requirements that need to be met before they'll give you with an unlock code, and many could very well refuse. Usually, if you've completed your service contract, your cell phone provider are likely to give you instructions on how to IMEI unlock your cell phone, but normally they will insist you're the original owner of the mobile phone (the contract on thier system is in your name). In the event you are not, for example, you bought the cell phone used, you'll have to find an alternative unlocking strategy to https://unlock.zone .
Step 3
For those who are not the orginal owner of the cell phone, you'll need to acquire an unlock code from a 3rd party provider. Fortunately there are a great deal of online providers offering services merely by giving them your cell phone's IMEI number, it's make and model and the network its locked to. The price of the service and the time it will take to IMEI unlock your phone depends upon the above factors, and may vary quite significantly for more obscure models or networks. Utilizing a third party unlocking service is generally the quickest and the most hassle-free way to unlock your smartphone, as it is completed remotely without your cell phone ever needing to leave your pocession. As soon as smartphone has been sucessfully unlocked it can then be used with any carrier and in any country you chose.