SIM free is the sale of a phone without a SIM card. A SIM free phone may be locked to a network. Locked handsets only work with SIM cards from one particular service provider. Locked handsets can be unlocked.
SIM free phones are phones that don't come with a SIM card. SIM free phones are also unlocked, meaning you can use them with any network. SIM free phones are popular choices for phone-users who want to buy their phones outright and (typically) pair with a SIM only deal. This often works out cheaper.
You'll not have to worry about network branding, locked network features or network specific apps with a SIM free phone.
Generally speaking, postpaid phones that have been sold through one of Australia's major telcos should be unlocked. However, if you have an older phone model – from around 2013 to 2015 – it's more likely that it could be a locked phone that won't work if you are planning on switching carriers.
If you buy a phone from Telstra on an Upfront plan, it will be unlocked. However, all Telstra prepaid phones are locked.
$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 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 didn't make a point of buying an unlocked model when you purchased your phone, it's likely tied to your current network.
Tap General > About. Look for Carrier Lock. If it says No SIM restrictions, then your iPhone is unlocked. If it says SIM locked or anything else, it is probably locked.
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.
Well, in many ways, it's the answer to the question “Are you fed up with costly contracts and your phone being tied to one network?” So, if you're looking for a new smartphone but don't want to be tied into a long contract, or simply like the idea of choosing your own network, SIM free could be just the option for you.
Once you've unlocked a SIM-free iPhone, it will be permanently unlocked for use on any network.
SIM-free means that the phone you are buying does not come with a SIM-card. Typically this means that you are buying the phone outright - it does not come with a pay monthly contract.
If you purchase a replacement phone or upgrade to a new unlocked phone, you can take out the SIM card in your old phone and pop it in the new one. If your old SIM is not compatible (size difference) or you are changing carriers, you will need to purchase a new SIM card.
If your phone or tablet is locked, you will only be able to use a SIM card from the mobile network it's locked to. This can be very frustrating if you need to use a SIM from a different network, only to find that your phone (or tablet) won't let you.
How to remove the SIM lock when starting your Android (including Samsung Galaxy) If you do not want to enter the SIM PIN code each time you start your Android smartphone or tablet, tap on “Lock SIM card” to turn off the switch. You are prompted to enter your current SIM card PIN code. Insert it, and then tap OK.
You can find out if your iPhone is locked by going to Settings > General > About. If "No SIM restrictions" appears next to Carrier Lock, your iPhone is unlocked.
It may still be possible for the police to access your phone without the passcode. Unless the data on the phone is encrypted the police can still access the information lawfully with specialist software. However, the police would usually warn a suspect that they could potentially damage the device in doing this.
Unlocking a cell phone has been legal for more than half a year, thanks to a change in the law. The problem is, no one carrier has quite worked out how it works in practice.
If the phone is locked, it can be used only on the carrier it's locked to. That could make a big difference to you when you decide to purchase a used phone. Keep in mind that the unlocked phone may not work completely the same on another carrier network because of different technologies.
Yes, we verify the details of every single SIM card activation, which means you need to go through the process for every single SIM card you activate.
But the final verdict by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) is resoundingly in favor of the consumer. Yes, it is legal to unlock phones. More importantly, the FCC has mandated that all carriers should unlock phones for their consumers for free if a consumer so desires.
Unlock your Android phone from Optus
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.
Mobile providers are now banned from locking devices to their network. But if you purchased your phone through a network before December 2021, chances are it'll be locked to that network – if you try to put another network's Sim card in, it simply won't work.
Standard Requirements for Phone Unlocks
Your phone must have been purchased from your carrier. Your phone must not have been reported stolen or lost. Your phone must not be blocked by your carrier. Your account with your carrier must be in good standing with no past due or unpaid balances.