What is GSM?
GSM is short for Global System for Mobile Communication. The current GSM frequencies available are 850MHz, 900MHz, 1800MHz and 1900MHz. If you have a Digicel and Cingular service, then you have GSM service.
Is it legal to unlock my phone?
It is your phone, isn't it? Then surely it is as legal that you unlock your phone as it is that you give it away, lose it, break it, leave it turned off, or do just about anything else with it!
Unless your phone service contract says 'this phone remains the property of us (the service provider) and you agree not to modify or alter it in any way' then there would seem to be no reason why you can't legally do anything you like with your phone, just so long as you're not attempting to defraud anyone.
It is illegal, in some countries, to change the phone's IMEI (serial number) - this is a type of what is called 'cloning' and, particularly with non-GSM phones, could enable you to then pretend to be someone else and have your airtime charged to someone else's account.
How do I know if my phone is already unlocked or not?
Easy. Borrow a SIM from a friend who has an account with a different wireless service provider and see if it works in your phone or not. If it works, and your phone thinks it is his (or her) phone with that phone's number, then your phone is already unlocked.
But if it creates some sort of error message and doesn't work, then your phone is locked.
How do I unlock my phone?
There are two ways that a phone can be unlocked.
If you are lucky, you have a phone that can be unlocked simply by keying a secret code into it. The code is usually a unique number only for that particular phone, based on its serial number (what is called its IMEI) and the service provider who locked it. .
Other types of phone need their 'firmware' - their operating system software - to be rewritten to remove the lock. This requires connecting the phone via a special data cable to a special programming unit.
I've unlocked my phone, but when I turn it on, it still shows the name of the previous wireless service.
This logo (called a 'splash screen') has been programmed into your phone by the company that sold it to you. It doesn't mean anything about which company now provides you phone service.
Unlocking your phone removes the electronic restriction that prevents your phone from working with other SIMs from other wireless services. It doesn't change your splash screen.
The good news is you can get rid of the splash screen without needing to unlock your phone. See if you can find in your phone's manual how to change the splash screen.
Which countries will my unlocked phone work in?
(See the next question as well).
GSM service is offered in 207 countries.
Check this website to see if the country you are interested in has GSM service, and, if it does, what frequency the GSM service(s) operate on.
Will I have to unlock my phone every time I change SIMs?
No. Once your phone is unlocked, it remains permanently unlocked, no matter what you do to it, unless you specially program back the lock code into it.
Will my existing service still work with my unlocked phone?
Yes, your existing service will work perfectly with no change, as long as you leave your present SIM in your phone.
Will I be able to get better reception and roam with an unlocked phone?
No. Unlocking does not make any difference to how your phone works with its present wireless service provider. It still uses the same transmitters on the same towers as before, and does everything the same. The only difference is that you can take its SIM out and replace it with a different SIM for a different wireless company
Will I save money with an unlocked phone?
Maybe, your current wireless provider will still charge you exactly the same as before for all your calls.
But because your phone is now unlocked, you can use a different SIM from a different provider whenever this might give you better rates - for example, when traveling overseas.
Why should I unlock my phone?
There are three main reasons why you might want to unlock your phone.
• Because you want to change the wireless company you get service from, and want to keep your present phone.
• You've changed to a different service provider and got a new phone, but you want to unlock your old phone so you can use it in an emergency just by swapping the SIM over if your main phone gives problems
• Because you want to travel internationally and don't want to have to pay the very expensive international rates your present wireless company would charge you while internationally roaming.
What is an IMEI number and why do you need it?
Every handset is identified by a unique 15 digit IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number. To retrieve your IMEI number simply type *#06# into your handset. |
