What does locked cell phone mean

Be aware that you can only unlock a pay monthly phone if you've had your contract for 6 months or more. EE will unlock pay as you go or SIM only devices can be straight away, with no time limit.

In which case, there's no charge. Alternatively, use this online form. Compare EE deals. All pay monthly phones bought on O2 from June are sold unlocked.

Pay as you go phones sold on O2 are still sold locked to the network. But can be easily unlocked. O2 pay monthly customers are not subject to a time limit and can unlock their phone free of charge at any point in their contract. If you bought an O2 pay monthly or pay as you go phone before June , you're looking at a wait of up to 72 hours to get your handset unlocked by the network.

Prefer not to talk to anyone? You can also unlock via O2's site or through the MyO2 app. Compare O2 deals. All Vodafone pay monthly and pay as you go handsets bought after July will be locked to the network. To be eligible to do so, PAYG customers must have used their phone number with the handset for at least 30 days. Compare Vodafone deals. It does. But Tesco Mobile pay monthly and pay as you go phone customers can unlock their handsets pretty easily.

Pay monthly Tesco Mobile customers can unlock their phone for free. However, depending on the handset a time limit may apply.

Essentially, this means that you not be able to unlock phones that were recently released. Pay as you go Tesco Mobile customers can unlock their phones for no charge, provided they wait 12 months after it was first activated. Tesco Mobile customers usually face a wait of seven working days to receive their unlocking code. However this varies according to the handset. It could take up to 20 days.

Call from your Tesco Mobile phone, or from any other mobile phone or landline. Compare Tesco Mobile deals. With the exception of iPhones, all iD Mobile handsets sold with a pay monthly iD contract are unlocked at the point of purchase. In the case of iPhones, the handset will be unlocked six months after the contract started. Locked iPhones on iD Mobile bought on a monthly contract can be unlocked for free, within the first six months.

As indicated above, thereafter they're unlocked anyway. Compare ID deals. Because Sky Mobile phones are supplied unlocked, there is no charge for unlocking them. Nor does a time limit apply. If you find your Sky Mobile phone isn't unlocked, you can reach customer support on Which network's best for coverage? We weigh them up here: guide to network coverage. Compare Sky Mobile deals.

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OK This is a preview. Click for full glossary page. Log In or Register. By registering, you agree to our Terms of Use. We value your privacy and will never share your email address. Share on Facebook. Tweet this. This is a preview. In addition to carriers, third-party services can unlock your phone, but doing so could violate your contract. For Android phones, you pay a flat fee in return for an unlock code.

These third-party services have access to databases managed by phone manufacturers that contain unlock codes tied to the device IMEI. But be careful: Some third-party services may not be legit and could run with your money. With an unlocked phone, you have the freedom to choose the best compatible wireless carrier. Even if you paid off the phone and completed contact obligations, the device is all yours, and you should have the freedom to switch.

What is an unlocked phone, and how do I know if my phone is unlocked? Here's what you need to know to get your freedom from the major carriers.

Features By Ryan Haines. What is an unlocked phone? You can buy unlocked phones. Dual-SIM phones are typically sold unlocked. How can I tell if my phone is unlocked?

Head to imei. Enter your IMEI number. Open Cellular. Open Cellular Data. Cellular Data Options should be present on an unlocked phone.