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What does an "Unlocked" phone mean?

Forum Mobility Networks : Cingular What does an "Unlocked" phone mean?

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Anonymous   04-22-2004 at 11:49:13 PM
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Archived from groups: alt.cellular.cingular (More info?)

 

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

Thanks,
Dan

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Anonymous   04-23-2004 at 01:41:38 AM
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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

Reply to Anonymous
Anonymous   04-23-2004 at 03:10:22 AM
- 0 +

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
>

Reply to Anonymous
Anonymous   04-23-2004 at 09:13:11 PM
- 0 +

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

Reply to Anonymous
Joseph   04-23-2004 at 03:32:35 PM
- 0 +

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

Reply to Joseph
David   04-23-2004 at 05:43:07 PM
- 0 +

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 ;-)

Reply to David
khaos28   10-28-2008 at 12:38:05 AM
- 0 +

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?

Reply to khaos28
fallenangelrulz   12-06-2008 at 08:47:14 PM
- 0 +

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.

Reply to fallenangelrulz
Anonymous   09-20-2009 at 08:59:23 PM
- 0 +

i have a verison phone and i got an un locked mini i phone can i still use it for verison

Reply to Anonymous
nelsona96   10-12-2009 at 08:41:58 PM
- 0 +

so if i have a sprint phone how do i change it to metro pcs??

Reply to nelsona96
TheGreatGrapeApe   02-11-2010 at 01:24:32 AM
- 0 +

This topic has been closed by TheGreatGrapeApe

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Reply to TheGreatGrapeApe

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