Can you permanently unlock your phone yourself and is it even legal?
So you've hopefully got to the end of your cell phone contract, you have finished paying for your pricey smart phone and you are obviously totally ready to search for a cheaper pre-paid deal. There is just one issue. Your handset is locked to your current network and unless you can remedy that, you are not going to be able to get a cheaper option provided by other network carriers. So, how can you get your mobile phone IMEI unlocked and get your pick of the Pay-As-You-Go promotions? Thankfully, it's essentially pretty straightforward.

Are you permitted to unlock a cell phone?
You'll find nothing illegal about unlocking your cellphone. It is your phone and you are obviously well within your legal rights to use it with any network you choose. Having said that, there is a chance that permanently unlocking your cellphone could void your warranty, so it may perhaps be best to hold off until you have completed your contract before you make a decision to abandon your existing network.

What possible choices are out there if my network provider refuses to unlock my cellphone?
You can make sure your device really needs IMEI unlocking by inserting a SIM card from a different network carrier in your cell. When it is locked, a message will pop-up on the phones home screen. The easiest way to IMEI unlock your phone is to call your network carrier and request a Network Unlock Code (NUC). Generally will offer you one and some even do it absolutely free once you have finished your contract. When you're provided with your code you should have the ability to input it into your mobile phone to remove the lock. This is the quickest and most common method of SIM unlocking.

How much can it actually cost to unlock a smartphone?
A few networks will not chargeyou for unlocking assistance while some others could charge up to $50. It is also worth considering that each providers has various policies relating to how long you have had your regular or pay-as-you-go plan for and how to get your smartphone unlocked. Just about all providers have online forms, but many will need you to call their helplines. The time it could take to unlock your phone once again ranges greatly between each carrier. In the UK, O2 for example, will unlock an iPhone in 3 days, while Tesco Mobile declare it can take up to 35 calendar days to unlock sim locked devices.


Who is the most reliable and cheapest independent unlocking company on the Internet?
If you're unsure who's a genuine company and who is not, I highly recommend Unlock.Zone. They offer unlocks for all major manufacturers and networks, give a guaranteed price match promise, and primarily, offer a 100% refund policy in the unlikely event they can't unlock your mobile. I have used them myself personally and was very happy with the service I received and ultimately that they successfully unlocked my cell phone.

If you want to find out more, here's a link to their site: Online Mobile Phone Unlocking Service