That said, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), your prepaid carrier MUST unlock your phone no later than 1 year after purchase as long as: Your account is in good standing with your carrier (i.e., it's fully paid).
Prepaid devices are tied to a specific network and carrier, while unlocked phones can be activated on any compatible network.
If you have a prepaid plan, then it's probably locked. If you're unsure about whether your mobile device is locked or unlocked, try switching your SIM card with another network's SIM card. A mobile device that is locked to the Telstra network will only work with a Telstra SIM card.
Unlocking your phone isn't hard to do—and it's completely legal—but a little help can go a long way, because the process varies from phone to phone and carrier to carrier.
If you bought your Android phone from Optus as part of a prepaid plan, then it will be locked. Telcos subsidise the price of prepaid phones, and as such, lock them to their network. You can get your prepaid Android unlocked from the Optus network.
If a cell phone is locked, it means that the phone can only be used on one specific carrier's network, like only on Verizon service, or only on AT&T. Carriers will install software on the phone to lock it to their network.
Can my mobile service provider refuse to unlock my phone because I owe them money or am currently under contract? Yes. Providers do not have to unlock devices for existing or former customers that are not in good standing.
If the cell phone is locked, it means that it will only work on one specific network. Consequently, if you insert a SIM card that is from a different carrier, it will simply not work.
To protect your SIM card from others using it for phone calls or cellular data, you can use a SIM PIN. Then, every time you restart your device or remove the SIM card, your SIM card will automatically lock and you'll see "Locked SIM" in the status bar. Don't try to guess your SIM PIN.
That said, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), your prepaid carrier MUST unlock your phone no later than 1 year after purchase as long as: Your account is in good standing with your carrier (i.e., it's fully paid). The phone isn't flagged as lost or stolen.
If your service has been active for over two years, we don't charge an unlocking fee, but if your service has been active for less than two years, we charge: $80 for devices that have never been activated, or active for six months or less. $25 for devices activated for six months to two years.
Unlocking fees
If you have a saved payment method with us, this can be used during the checkout process. Otherwise we'll send you an Optus PayID for payment in your banking app. There is no fee to network unlock devices purchased with a plan.
When a handset is locked it means it will only work with the provider that you bought it from. If your phone is locked it won't automatically become unlocked when your contract expires with your provider. You'll have to specifically ask your carrier to unlock it. We'll explain how it works in due course.
A carrier-imposed “lock” is a software code that prevents your phone from working on another cellular network. With an “unlocked” phone, on the other hand, you can get service with any carrier on a compatible network — and that's just one of the benefits of an unlocked phone.
An unlocked smartphone is a phone that isn't tied to a specific carrier or contract. Therefore, you have the freedom to shop for the latest phones and plans as often — or as infrequently — as you like. Plus, they don't come preloaded with numerous carrier applications that that take up space on your phone.
Yes, you can switch SIM cards between phones as long as they are compatible with the same carrier network. Your SIM card should also be compatible with the new phone in terms of size (micro, nano, and standard size).
When a friend of yours dials your phone number, it travels through the network to your SIM card, which then tells your phone to ring. This means that whatever phone you put your SIM card in will then have your phone number – as long as it's unlocked, of course.
Go to Settings > General and tap About. Under Carrier Lock, you should see a message that says, "No SIM restrictions." If you don't see that message, contact your carrier.
According to the claims of major U.S. wireless carriers, unlocking a phone bought after January 26 without your carrier's permission violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”) whether the phone is under contract or not. In a way, this is not as bad as it sounds.
On Friday, August 1, President Obama signed a bill into law that again made it legal for consumers to unlock their cell phones in order to take them to a carrier that best suits their needs. It marked the very first time a We the People petition led to a legislative fix.
Many buyback stores will still purchase it even if it is passcode-locked. Make sure you exhaust all available options for unlocking it before you bring it to the buyer and let them know that it is passcode-locked.
Answer : Prepaid 4G phones need to be activated for one month of service on prepaid service first but then they can be used on postpaid service. It doesn't have to be used for the full month but that month of service needs to be activated on it.
After purchasing a card, you use it by calling an access number, which can be either a local telephone number or a toll-free number. You will then be prompted to provide your personal identification number, usually listed on the card you purchased, and the telephone number you wish to call.
Most of our devices are already unlocked. Make sure you try a SIM from another network before requesting a code.