The best ways to Unlock Mobile Phones by IMEI (in three clear-cut steps)


By Dorine Barrentine

Every time you get a cell phone from a network provider, it's locked into that network's service. If the company offers you a free or reduced price cellphone, you ordinarily have to agree to a one- or two-year agreement as well. You can avoid this contract and freely move between networks, in addition to travel abroad and roam on other networks, easily by unlocking your smartphone using the IMEI code. To permanently unlock your cellphone follow the three simple steps below.

Step 1

Locate the 15-digit IMEI code. This is generally written on the mobile phone underneath the battery. You can also typically locate it in your mobile phone's setting page or by entering a special code to get your mobile phone to display the IMEI number on the screen. In most cases, the code is *#06#

Step 2

Once you have found the IMEI number of your mobile phone, contact your existing service provider and find out if they will provide you with an unlock code. Dependent on the circumstances, they could very well grant your request. Even so, different carriers may have thier own criteria that need to be fulfilled before they are willing to provide you with an unlock code, and many might possibly refuse. Usually, if you have finished your contract, your mobile phone provider will provide you guidelines on how to permanently unlock your phone, but frequently they'll insist you are the original owner of the phone (the contract on thier system is in your name). When you are not, for example, you purchased the mobile phone secondhand, you will need to find an alternative unlocking strategy to a unlock your mobile phone.

Step 3

If you are not the orginal owner of the mobile phone, you'll have to acquire an unlock code from a third party provider. Luckily there are a great deal of on-line suppliers selling services merely by providing them with your mobile phone's IMEI number, it's model and make and the network its locked to. The cost of the service and the time it takes to unlock your cellphone will depend upon the above mentioned factors, and can vary quite considerably for more obscure models or networks. Utilising a 3rd party unlocking provider is usually the quickest and the most straightforward method to factory unlock your cell phone, as it is performed remotely without your mobile phone ever needing to leave your pocession. Once your cellphone has been sucessfully unlocked it can then be used on any network and in any country you want.