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.
Only your carrier can unlock your iPhone. Contact them and request an unlock. After you submit the request, it might take a few days to complete. Contact your carrier to check the status of your request.
Ask your wireless carrier what you can do to bring your account into good standing if it refuses to unlock your phone. Wireless service providers are required by law to unlock your phone for free, as long as your account is in good standing and you've fulfilled all contract terms.
Depending on how long you've been using the phone on the network, you'll be asked to pay a fee (from $25 – $80). Pay up using either your credit card or funds from your main prepaid credit balance. After paying, Telstra will send you the unlocking instructions in a short while.
Thankfully, most Australian mobile carriers have stopped network locking their phones. However, this is not always the case and unlocking your phone from your prior carrier can be become quite a hassle, especially if you've already ported your number across to your new carrier.
Under Australian law, a data access order may “only be made against a person who is suspected of committing an offence attracting a penalty of five years imprisonment or more, and who has the relevant knowledge necessary to gain access to the device”.
You can unlock your phone by asking your network provider. If you're out of your initial phone contract, the company must do this for free. Even if you're still within the contract term, all the major networks should allow you to unlock the device without a fee. Most phone networks ask you to fill in an online form.
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.
Your phone cannot be re-locked to different network. Any compatible SIM card can be inserted, and as long as you have an account and credit with that network, you'll be able to make calls, send SMS, and perhaps even get online.
The primary drawback of unlocked phones is that you'll likely have to pay outright for the device. That upfront cost might be a lot to bear, especially if it's a brand new, late model flagship phone.
Good to know:
It usually takes a few minutes to approve your request, but it can take up to 48 hours. Don't have a wireless phone account?
Why unlock your phone? 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.
The Network Unlock Code (NUC), sometimes called a Network Unlock PIN (NUP) or Network Control Key (NCK), allows you to unlock a mobile phone from its original network. If you've not received a NUC you can request one.
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.
Android Screen Unlock(4uKey) can remove all models of Android device digital password, fingerprint password, and face recognition lock by one click without a password. There is no master pin for an Android phone. Everything from 0000 1234 or whatever you can think of.
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.
Why do providers lock mobile wireless devices? Locking software is meant to ensure devices will be active for a certain period of time or amount of usage on the network of the provider that sold that device (perhaps with a subsidy or discount) or with a device installment plan.
Nope, once you have network unlocked your phone, a hard reset wont lock it back just like it wont unroot a rooted device. What happens when I unlock my phone?
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.
Some buyback stores will buy locked phones. Prices depend on your phone's model, capacity and condition as well as the type of lock placed on your phone. For example, blacklisted and finance locked phones can be worth between 55% to 98% of an unlocked phone's value.
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.
By purchasing an unlocked phone you can continue to use older or legacy voice, text and data plans. This can save you money and allow you to keep the plan you are comfortable with. You can also get financing for your phone using your My Best Buy® Credit Card.
The major downside of buying locked devices is the inability to switch carriers as you wish. And that is, in fact, the goal of carrier phones; to ensure you stick with them for an extended period.
First, it's important to understand that the police cannot simply track anyone's phone without a warrant or some other lawful authority. In Australia, the police must follow strict rules and procedures when it comes to collecting evidence, and this includes information obtained from electronic devices like smartphones.