How you Unlock Mobile Phones by IMEI

By Myles Odegard

When ever you acquire a cellphone through a cell phone provider, its locked into that company's service. If the company provides you with a free or reduced price phone, you generally have to agree to a one- or two-year agreement as well. You can avoid this contract and freely switch between providers, and also travel overseas and use other networks, easily by unlocking your mobile phone using the IMEI code. If you wish to unlock your cellphone quickly and easily, follow the 3 simple steps below.

Step 1

Find the 15-digit IMEI code. This is usually written on the phone beneath the battery. You can also sometimes locate it inside your phone's setting page or by entering a specific code to get your cell phone to show the IMEI number on your screen. In most cases, this code is *#06#

Step 2

Upon having located the IMEI number of your cell phone, speak to your current network and ask them if they are willing to give you an unlock code. Dependent on the circumstances, they may grant your request. Nevertheless, different networks have thier own criteria that need to be met before they will give you with an unlock code, and many will probably refuse. Usually, if you have finished your service contract, your phone provider may give you guidelines on how to permanently unlock your phone, but frequently they'll insist you're the original owner of the mobile phone (the contract on thier system is in your name). When you're not, for instance, you purchased the phone used, you will have to locate an alternative unlocking method to IMEI unlock your mobile phone.

Step 3

If you're not the orginal owner of the cell phone, you'll need to acquire an unlock service from a third party provider. Thankfully there are loads of on line companies selling services by just giving them your mobile phone's IMEI number, it's make and model and the network it's locked to. The price of the service and the time it will take to unlock your smartphone depends upon these factors, and may vary quite significantly for more obscure handsets or networks. Utilising a third party unlocking company is generally the fastest and the most hassle-free method to factory unlock your cellphone, as it will be completed remotely without your phone ever having to leave your pocession. Once your phone has been sucessfully unlocked it can then be used on any network and in any country you chose.