Is my cell phone unlocked?

[XS650]

How can I tell if my cell phone is unlocked?

I need to know if my cell phone is unlocked because I am planning a foreign and would like to buy a local sim card when I get there. It's a tri band phone that covers the band used where I am going.

I called my cell provider and they were clueless, couldn't tell me if it was unlocked. I have also emailed them, but won't have a lot of confidence in their answer.

I'm using Locus Mobile GSM which uses the ATT network. I bought a card from Locus when I started the service.

Is there some simple test to tell if it's locked, short of trying another companies sim card?

 

[Tom NJ]

I just came back from Argentina and faced the same problem before leaving. On my phone I needed to enter a code to get to the secure area for unlocking the SIM card. In my case the procedure was to hit "clear" and then rapidly hit 073887*. It then asked for a security code, which was 000000, and then gave a menu which included unlocking the SIM. I understand the codes above apply to many Motorola phones, but may be different for different makers and models. I suggest you do an internet search your phone maker/model along with "SIM unlock" and you should find the codes to get to the SIM unlock area on your phone. Once there, if it then prompts you for a code to unlock the SIM card, it is probably locked (as most are).

At this point you need the Sim unlock code, usually an eight digit number. You should be able to get this code from your phone maker for free - just call and ask the procedure. In my case Motorola gave it to me on the phone, but some may require a written request. If you cannot get the SIM unlock code from your phone maker, you can buy the codes online from many vendors for about $20, along with the complete procedure for unlocking. Some vendors want you to send in the phone, but there is no reason you can't do it yourself once you have the codes.

When you get to your foreign destination, go to a phone shop for one of the major networks servicing the country and ask for a SIM card for your calling needs, e.g. to call the USA and locally. Mine cost $6 in Argentina and included $3 worth of minutes of talk time, which became activated after I loaded some more minutes. After installing the SIM card, I then bought and installed some additional minutes and it worked fine.

If you have any problems getting your codes, let me know the make and model of your phone and I'll give it a try.

Tom NJ

 

[mechtech2]

Can you obtain a SIM card from another phone?
That will tell you quickly. If it works with other SIM cards, it is unlocked.
BTW, I consider phone companies thieves and reprobates for locking your own property.

 

[CivicFan]

If you didn't buy an 'unlocked' phone, the phone is probably locked to the provider you are using. As a rule, the unlocked phones are much more expensive than the locked ones you get as part of a new service agreement or any other deal with the provider.

As for the phone companies being thieves - the phones that you get free or for very little money cost a lot more to them than what they sell them for. So part of the 'deal' is to give you a locked phone since you are not paying the fair market value for them.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: CivicFan
If you didn't buy an 'unlocked' phone, the phone is probably locked to the provider you are using. As a rule, the unlocked phones are much more expensive than the locked ones you get as part of a new service agreement or any other deal with the provider.


I suspect it's unlocked. I bought the phone new on Flea Bay and am using a sim card my Locus Mobile ahead plan sent me. I guess the question is whether Locus locked me into their service or not. I'm pretty clueless on this, almost as clueless as their customer service rep

. She was nice though and answered the phone right away. With ATT it can take 30 minutes to get a hold of someone who doesn't know anything.

 

[CivicFan]

It's probably unlocked, then. The providers cannot lock the phones if they didn't sell them.

 

[XS650]

I just got an email from the company I buy my service from, they confirmed that it is unlocked.

 

[kingrob]

Quote:
With ATT it can take 30 minutes to get a hold of someone who doesn't know anything.


Compounding the problem is that they don't know anything, but with the added frustration of being clueless with an indecipherably thick foreign accent.

 

[firemachine69]

A girl I'm seeing currently works in-town for billing for Rogers. However, this is the Canuck-side, YMMV.

 

[BTB]

It is a rare case where a billing girl may come to unlocking department or know details about unlock codes. If she has that much contact you can get the code through her or you can get it from Rogers straight away or else you can get the code from unlocking sites such as TheUnlockArena.com . Select your phone model and then the country & network to which your phone is locked and then provide the IMEI when it is asked and get the unlock code through mail. In case you need your Apple product ( iPad or iPhone ) to be unlocked you can get the remote unlock service alternately.