The price you'll pay to unlock your phone from
Summary. Unlocking your phone comes in handy when you want to switch networks. There are other reasons to unlock as well, and doing so is perfectly legal for whatever your reasons are.
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.
This means that SIMs from other providers won't work unless you get the phone unlocked. Whilst locking phones to a network used to be a standard practice, and is still common in other countries such as the US, it's not as common in Australia now. The exception to this is phones sold as a part of a prepaid deal.
Chances are your mobile phone will work in Australia, however, you have a few different options if you want to stay connected during your travels - activate your international roaming (or your mobile phone's data roaming plan), connect to local wifi, or purchase an Australian SIM card and join a local network.
If you have a GSM phone in Australia, it may work in the United States, as both countries use similar frequencies for 3G/4G networks. However, you must make sure that your phone is unlocked and has a SIM card slot that can fit a US SIM card.
Another method is to do it yourself by getting hold of a code or using a special data cable and software. However, you do need a fair degree of technical know-how to do so. It's not illegal to unlock your phone with either of these methods.
Contact your mobile service provider and say you want to unlock your phone. Your service provider will review your account to confirm you meet all requirements to have your phone unlocked for free. You may not be eligible to unlock your phone if you owe money or have not fulfilled the service contract.
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. Some companies tie the subscriber ID number in the SIM card to the serial number of a cell phone.
It usually takes a few minutes to approve your request, but it can take up to 48 hours.
If you are a Pay-Monthly customer, who got their phone from O2, and you are still in your contract, you can normally get your Samsung phone unlocked for free. You do need to provide security information about your account and the IMEI number but after about a week it should be unlocked.
Under rule 300 of the Australian Road Rules it is an offence to use a hand-held telephone when driving, other than when parked. This means that a driver is not permitted to use a mobile telephone even when stationary at traffic lights. 'Use' is defined very broadly by the Road Rules.
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.
So the answer is – yes, an iPhone purchased in America should work in Australia, if it's one of the later models. The more recent iPhone versions (beginning with the 5 series) work over a very wide range of frequencies, making them compatible with networks in almost all countries.
Your carrier may refuse to unlock your phone if:
Your phone is reported lost or stolen. You haven't met their unlocking requirements.
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.
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.
If a cell phone is locked, it means it can only be used on that carrier, such as only on Verizon or only on AT&T. If you switch carriers, the phone won't work.
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.
Chances are your mobile phone will work in Australia, however, you have a few different options if you want to stay connected during your travels - activate your international roaming (or your mobile phone's data roaming plan), connect to local wifi, or purchase an Australian SIM card and join a local network.
SimCorner is Australia's most trusted supplier of prepaid USA travel SIM cards, which is why when you're pre-purchasing with us, you can have peace of mind on any trip overseas.
ATT does not provide service in Australia. You would be roaming on an Australian carrier provided you have a postpaid plan and are allowed to roam.