What does an "Unlocked" phone mean?

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

I see references to "Unlocked" phones. What does this mean?

Thanks,
Dan
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

Some carriers lock the SUBSIDY or SIM lock so that only their SIMS will be
operational in phones they sell.. Basic theory is to keep you from getting a
dirt cheap phone, and then going and activating with another carrier, and
they are out the money that they lost "subsidizing" the price of the phone
to entice you in as a customer. Also, keeps you from going to another
country, using PrePaid SIMS and cutting them out of their ROAMING income.
But they wont tell ya that one.
Some carriers, will give you the unlock code after you fulfill X amount of
days (TMOBILE is 90 days)or are at the end of your contract. (ATT wont if
you were dying) You can also pay someone to UNLOCK it, or do it yourself,
techniques vary by phone and manufacturer. Nowdays, its usually cheaper to
pay someone to do a single phone, unless it has an unlock site/calculator
available like most NOKIAs. Welcome to GSM



"Dan Graves" <dg@jjgoeiwkdxl.net> wrote in message
news:kdfg80prdrecgogsnmmm7si0emh5ef6qcu@4ax.com...
> I see references to "Unlocked" phones. What does this mean?
>
> Thanks,
> Dan
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

Thanks for the info. I have a Nokia 6340i. How can I unlock it or find
the info on the web?

Thanks again,
Dan



On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 19:41:38 -0400, "PDA Man" <pda@man.com> wrote:

>Some carriers lock the SUBSIDY or SIM lock so that only their SIMS will be
>operational in phones they sell.. Basic theory is to keep you from getting a
>dirt cheap phone, and then going and activating with another carrier, and
>they are out the money that they lost "subsidizing" the price of the phone
>to entice you in as a customer. Also, keeps you from going to another
>country, using PrePaid SIMS and cutting them out of their ROAMING income.
>But they wont tell ya that one.
>Some carriers, will give you the unlock code after you fulfill X amount of
>days (TMOBILE is 90 days)or are at the end of your contract. (ATT wont if
>you were dying) You can also pay someone to UNLOCK it, or do it yourself,
>techniques vary by phone and manufacturer. Nowdays, its usually cheaper to
>pay someone to do a single phone, unless it has an unlock site/calculator
>available like most NOKIAs. Welcome to GSM
>
>
>
>"Dan Graves" <dg@jjgoeiwkdxl.net> wrote in message
>news:kdfg80prdrecgogsnmmm7si0emh5ef6qcu@4ax.com...
>> I see references to "Unlocked" phones. What does this mean?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Dan
>
 

Joseph

Distinguished
May 19, 2002
326
0
18,930
Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 17:49:13 -0400, Dan Graves <dg@jjgoeiwkdxl.net>
wrote:

>I see references to "Unlocked" phones. What does this mean?

On GSM phones it means you can use any SIM in it. If a phone is
locked you can only use the carrier that you got the phone from.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
remove NONO from .NONOcom to reply
 

David

Distinguished
Apr 1, 2004
785
0
18,930
Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

"Dan Graves" <dg@jjgoeiwkdxl.net> wrote in message
news:k6rg80lmsn6qu7gsqp71l9289iagkbfina@4ax.com...
> Thanks for the info. I have a Nokia 6340i. How can I unlock it or find
> the info on the web?
>
> Thanks again,
> Dan
>

A search on Google using 'unlock nokia' found several sites offering
information. I am afraid you will have to do the rest of the research
yourself ;-)
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

Unlocked means you can take your GSM phone to any GSM provider you want.
For example, if you buy a motorola v400 with TMobile, you can switch
services to ATT and without any special modifications to the phone, you may
be able to insert the ATT sim card and have your service work.

Most providers sell you a phone which is LOCKED into them specifically so
that it would be a waste for you to buy their service with the phone, waste
money and switch providers. We call it a LOCK IN.


"Dan Graves" <dg@jjgoeiwkdxl.net> wrote in message
news:kdfg80prdrecgogsnmmm7si0emh5ef6qcu@4ax.com...
> I see references to "Unlocked" phones. What does this mean?
>
> Thanks,
> Dan
 

khaos28

Distinguished
Oct 28, 2008
1
0
18,510
So, if I go onto eBay to buy a phone, and I have ATT, I will have to buy an unlocked phone from T-Mobile? and since I already have ATT, I can just buy an ATT phone which will not matter if it's unlocked or not?
 

fallenangelrulz

Distinguished
Dec 6, 2008
1
0
18,510
Hi,
I am currently a student in the USA.I was planning to buy a c905 and am right now in att.Could i buy a normal c905 and use my att sim or do i need to get an unlocked c905?.

Thanks in advance.
 
G

Guest

Guest
i have a verison phone and i got an un locked mini i phone can i still use it for verison
 
Status
Not open for further replies.