Learn how to Unlock Cell Phones via IMEI (in 3 steps)

By Leslie Prosise

If you obtain a cell phone from a network provider, its locked to that network's service. If the company provide you with a free or reduced price cell phone, you commonly have to agree to a one- or two-year agreement as well. You can avoid this contract and freely switch between providers, and also travel overseas and roam on domestic networks, simply by unlocking your phone using the IMEI number. The three simple steps below are all that is needed to officially unlock your smartphone permanently.

Step 1

Find the 15-digit IMEI code. This is usually printed on the mobile phone under the battery. You can also typically locate it on your phone's setting page or by keying in a unique code to get your smartphone to show the number on the screen. Most often, the code is *#06#

Step 2

After you have located the IMEI number of your cellphone, call your existing network and ask if they can give you an unlock code. Based on the circumstances, they could very well grant your request. In spite of this, many network carriers will likely have thier own set of guidelines that need to be fulfilled before they are willing to give you with an unlock code, and many may refuse. Typically, if you've finished your contract, your cell phone provider could supply you instructions on how to factory unlock your phone, but in most cases they will insist you are the original owner of the cell phone (the contract on thier system is in your name). If you are not, for example, you purchased the smartphone pre-owned, you'll have to find an alternative unlocking strategy to unlock your cell phone.

Step 3

For anyone who is not the orginal owner of the phone, you are going to need to obtain an unlock service from a 3rd party provider. Fortunately there are lots of on line providers offering services simply by giving them your phone's IMEI code, it's make and model and the network it is locked to. The price of the service and the time it takes to unlock your phone will depend upon the above mentioned factors, and can vary quite significantly for more obscure handsets or networks. Utilizing a 3rd party unlocking service is often the quickest and most straightforward way to unlock your mobile phone, as it will be carried out remotely without your smartphone ever needing to leave your pocession. As soon as your phone has been sucessfully unlocked it can then be used with any carrier and in any country you want.