Ever thought of sticking to a mobile phone that doesn’t allow you to do whatever you want? For example, you can’t change the carrier the way you want? It’s both frustrating and tyrannical. That’s the deal given by some major mobile providers like Verizon, AT&T, and MetroPCS. They do this to tie subscribers to their network and maintain their customer base. The restriction is also imposed to ensure that the buyers stick to their agreement.
Whatever the reasons, you have every reason to have a versatile phone. Worst of all is having an iPhone that can only work on a specific network. It may feel like garbage and a waste of money. Considering the value of an iPhone, you expect better from such an investment. You expect things like freedom, versatility, and the value for your money. But all hope isn’t lost. You can still make it happen by unlocking your iPhone. That will make it accommodate various carriers and support more features.
We dedicate this article to showing you how you can unlock your iPhone. Even though these processes are for iPhones, it can also be used on other smart phones. Thus, if you have paid for your device and it’s all yours, nothing can stop you from unlocking your iPhone.
Reasons You May Unlock Your iPhone
There are many benefits you get from an unlocked phone. Top on the list is the freedom to use different network carriers. The diversification to various competing networks results in better services and plans.
Additionally, you can localize your phone when on international trips. A locked iPhone won’t allow that, and you end up spending a lot of cash on roaming charges. With an unlocked iPhone, you can buy a friendly local SIM card, which is cheaper and convenient.
Also, you can get tired of your device and decide to upgrade. An unlocked phone is always more valuable than a locked one. So, if you have plans to sell your phone, unlocking it will maximize the potential value.
The Process For Unlock Your iPhone
Are you convinced it’s time to unlock your iPhone? If yes, depending on the carrier you are on, the process and requirements may be a bit different. However, there isn’t much difference. Unlocking your iPhone using your carrier is always the best way. One, because it is free of charge and it’s a sure thing. You are sure of unlocking as long as you meet the requirements. Let’s look at how to unlock your iPhone while on these popular carriers; MetroPCS, AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint.
1. iPhone Unlock MetroPCS
Also known as T-Mobile, MetroPCS will unlock your iPhone free of charge. However, you must meet the requirements for unlocking. According to the unlock policy, you must fulfill the following;
- You must have bought the phone from them.
- The phone shouldn’t be on their stolen, blocked, or lost phone list.
- Your account should be in good standing.
- The phone should have been active for at least one year.
- If you are on the post-pay agreement, the phone should have been 40 days active before the application day.
If all the above requirements click, then you are good to go. Contact T-Mobile experts. You can either call 877-746-0909 or through the social platforms for unlocking. The process may take a couple of hours but won’t take more than 48hours.
For smooth unlocking, ensure you have all the required details before calling. The IMEI number and the account details are the main data required by T-Mobile for this process.
2. iPhone Unlock AT&T
Unlocking your iPhone with AT&T is one of the easiest exercises. All you have to do is answer a few questions on their unlock portal, and you are good to go. The good thing with them is that third parties can unlock their phones without problems. Also, you don’t have to be the original owner of the device to unlock it. It’s a suitable carrier that makes unlocking such a breeze.
AT&T requires your IMEI to unlock your phone within two business days. Remember that after applying for unlocking, you should request the reference number. This will help you to track the processing status. Once finished, you will receive a confirmation email with a link. Click on the link to complete the unlocking. The following are the policy requirements you must satisfy before your iPhone qualifies for unlocking;
- Must not be in the system as lost, blocked, or stolen phone.
- Should not have an overdue balance.
- Should not bear two AT&T accounts.
- If it’s an office phone, you should have authorization from the management.
- For prepaid AT&T iPhones, it should have been on service for at least six months.
iPhones bought on installments agreement have extra conditions like;
- The iPhone to be should have been on the AT&T network for at least 60 days.
- The term captured in the agreement should be complete.
- All the phone installments should be paid.
3. iPhone Unlock on Sprint
Sprint has one of the best features for iPhone unlocking. You have various options you can rely on to unlock your iPhone through sprint. Even without contacting customer care, Sprint will unlock your account as long as your account is in good standings. This is achievable after 60 days.
If you purchased your iPhone before 2015, you might have to check whether it has the SIM unlock capabilities. All post-2015 iPhone models are not lockable by default. However, some customers have complained that the auto-unlock feature isn’t always correct. It may take longer to unlock your phone. Thus, before getting excited about switching carrier or advertising it after the term expiry, check out the status.
If your phone is a pre-2015 model or has been inactive, you have to contact Sprint customer care. You have two options here; dial *2 on your Sprint iPhone or call 888-211-4727.
To unlock your iPhone from the Sprint network, the following are the requirement;
- Your phone should have SIM unlock capabilities. Alternatively, it will have the Master Subsidy Lock (MSL). In such instances, you have to contact Sprint.
- Your account should be in good standing.
- The iPhone should have been active on the Sprint network for at least 40 days.
- The phone shouldn’t be in the lost, stolen, or blocked databases.
If you bought your Sprint iPhone on an agreement to be paid in installments, you have more conditions to meet;
- You should have cleared all the early termination fees.
- You should have paid all leases or installments.
- If the phone is on a lease agreement, you should have fully paid the end of the lease-purchase option.
4. iPhone Unlock Verizon
Verizon is perhaps the best network carrier to deal with when unlocking your iPhone. This is because he doesn’t impose any strict requirements to unlock your phone at all. As long as your phone hasn’t been reported lost or stolen, Verizon will unlock it after two months. The company has many positive reviews. That means their auto-unlock feature works for many customers and trusts the company. Except iPhone 5. It has had issues; all the other models have received an overwhelming positivity rate.
Third-Party iPhone Unlock Process
Away from the carrier unlock, we also have the third party unlock techniques. Most of these, though, will need you to pay some fee for your iPhone unlocking. Most of these do not even have policies and will crack your phone within a blink of an eye. The only major rule is that the phone should not be in the stolen, blocked, or reported lost list.
One of the best applications you can use to unlock your iPhone is Cellunlocker.net. The software is so robust that it can even unlock iPhones that your carrier can’t unlock. To unlock your iPhone with Cellunlocker.net, follow these steps below;
- Fill your phone’s details in the app’s unlock form.
- After submitting your application form, Cellunlocker will start the unlocking process right away.
- Once complete, they will email you the remaining steps to finish the process. The program will prompt you to enter your payment details for the device’s unlocking. There isn’t any difference between this method and the carrier unlocking. The iPhone will be added to the Apple unlocked devices’ list.
Final Steps
Now that your iPhone is unlocked, it’s time to insert your new carrier SIM card. If you aren’t yet ready to migrate, go ahead and reset your phone. Resetting won’t undo the unlocking, and therefore your phone will be ready for any SIM card. After resetting, recover your data from the backup. And that reminds you that you should back up your iPhone preferably on iCloud.
People also ask – FAQ.
Do military service persons have unique requirements?
Yes. The carriers can overlook the duration spent on the network if you are military personnel. Some will even place your phone under “military suspend.” This is a service in which your charges are suspended during your deployment period. If you are going for an international operation, they unlock your iPhone to allow you to communicate with your family.
What is the meaning of Blacklisting, and what can I do to correct it?
No carrier can activate a blacklisted phone. In most cases, a phone is blacklisted when reported stolen. If you are not the original owner of the phone, there is nothing much you can do to activate it. Not even calling the carrier because, to them, the phone is under someone else’s account.
If you are the original owner of the phone, there is a possibility of getting the phone back to work. However, be ready to go through a tedious, lengthy process. You may have to escalate the issue several times with the carrier to get it sorted. The reason is that a blacklist is meant to be a permanent blockage of a phone to render it useless.
Is it a must to use an unlocked iPhone when traveling internationally?
No. It’s not a must but an option. People are encouraged to use unlocked phones to lower their expenses. This is because using a locked phone while traveling internationally is one expensive endeavor. The roaming charges for both voice and data are costly. To cut this unnecessary cost, you can go for an unlocked phone. This will allow you to use a local network of the country you are headed to.
Is it good to use a third party to unlock my iPhone?
No. this is a very risky endeavor and unless you have exhausted all the avenues, you should never try it. Some of these sites are not legit and are full of malware that can destroy your device or worse steal your data. Even after hitting a dead end with your iPhone unlocking, research properly. Ensure that you identify a legitimate and trustworthy site to avoid further damaging your iPhone.
Is unlocking iPhones illegal?
Not at all! Thanks to Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act. This process is not illegal. The bill was signed into law by then United States president Barack Obama. It compels the carriers to allow their customers to unlock their phones. However, every carrier has the freedom to set its own unlock requirements. So, as long as you have cleared your payments and your account is in good standing, unlocking your phone is legally accepted.
Is unlocking permanent or temporal?
Once you have unlocked your iPhone, the process is permanent. Whether you reset, format, or update your phone software, the unlocking will remain.
Conclusion
Unlocking your iPhone will give you full control and increased value over your phone. You’ll also enjoy the maximum value of the money you spent on the gadget, which is fulfilling. Another advantage is that you don’t need to be traveling as most people associate phone unlocking with traveling.
You can decide to unlock your phone just to increase its monetary value. In essence, unlocked iPhones are more expensive than locked ones. So, if you want to resale your phone, unlocking it first will boost its price tag. There are various ways you can follow to unlock your iPhone. Lucky enough is that in this guide, we have highlighted some of the best techniques you can follow to ensure safe unlocking of any iPhone model.
Among them, using your carrier to unlock your phone is the best of them all. This is because it is safe and assuring. If you are planning to unlock yours, consider reaching out to your carrier customer care for help. If all fails then, you can try the third-party sites at a reasonable cost.
