How you can Unlock Cellphones via IMEI

By Timika Spiotta

When you buy a mobile phone through a cellphone provider, its locked into that company's service. If the company provide you with a free or discounted cellphone, you ordinarily have to agree to a 1- or 2-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 code. By simply following the three simple steps below your mobile phone will be unlocked in permanently.

Step 1

Find the 15-digit IMEI code. This is usually written on the smartphone under the battery. You can also sometimes find it inside your cell phone's setting page or by entering a special code to get your cellphone to show the IMEI number on your screen. In many instances, this code is *#06#

Step 2

Once you have found the IMEI number of your phone, contact your current service provider and inquire if they are willing to offer you an unlock code. Based on your circumstances, they might possibly grant your request. Unfortunately, many carriers can have thier own conditions that need to be fulfilled before they are willing to supply you with an unlock code, and many will refuse. Typically, if you've completed your service contract, your mobile provider will most likely provide you directions on how to unlock your cell phone, but frequently they will insist you are the original owner of the mobile phone (the contract on thier system is in your name). In the event that you're not, for instance, you bought the smartphone second hand, you'll need to find an alternative unlocking technique to permanently unlock your smartphone.

Step 3

If you're not the orginal owner of the phone, you will have to get an unlock service from a 3rd party service provider. The good news is there are plenty of online providers offering services by merely giving them your cell phone's IMEI code, it's make and model and the network it is locked to. The cost of the service and the time it will take to IMEI unlock your phone depends upon these factors, and will vary quite significantly for more obscure mobiles or networks. Making use of a 3rd party unlocking provider is commonly the quickest and most convenient method to factory unlock your cell phone, as it is done remotely without your cellphone ever needing to leave your pocession. After your mobile phone's been sucessfully unlocked it can then be used with any carrier and in any country you decide.