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Fresh iPhones and Androids you purchase directly from the distributor will have information regarding their lock or unlock status. The late 90’s Digital Millennium Copyright Act made it illegal to break digital management rights and obtain off-market material.
If you bought your phone second-hand, it may be unlockable. This guide will show you tips on how to tell if your phone is unlocked.
Unlock Your Phone
There are two major types of unlock states. The first is known as GSM and CDMA. Most phones are under the GSM unlock which provides certain carriers. You can research ways to determine the differences between GSM and CDMA.
But, a full unlock includes both GSM and CDMA carriers. These phones usually allow users to have access to international carriers. But, these are usually more expensive options.
Mainline distributors are cracking down on purchasing stolen phones. This crackdown is providing simpler methods of detecting unlockable phones.
The first way to detect an iPhone in an unlocked state is through the software. iOS 14, if you do not upgrade to the latest update, includes a unique feature.
Open the settings page and enter the general section. From there you must enter the about page. Under this page, you’ll an option that says, Carrier Lock. If this says No SIM restrictions it means the phone is free of any specific carriers.
SIM Card Carriers
The next method involves using any kind of SIM card that is compatible with your phone. Use the SIM ejector to pop the SIM card out of the device.
Once you replace the card, a carrier notice will appear. This will list the type of carrier on the phone.
If the phone can recognize various carriers then this means it is free to move between carriers. If you lock a phone, it will require activation once you insert a new SIM card.
The third method involves copying the IMEI number. Go to a website that checks the status of an IMEI number.
Copy the SIM’s physical IMEI number and paste it into the checker. This works well if you are missing the actual SIM card and want to check if you can unlock the phone.
Samsung Phones
There are various ways to check if your Samsung phone is unlockable. One way is through the settings application.
Once you open the settings application you can find the mobile networks section. Once you reach this page open the network operators menu.
From that menu click on the Search Now option. If the phone is unlockable, it will show you various available networks to join.
There should be many carriers like At&t as well as a few carriers that only show numbers. These options will appear as a set of numbers like 11101.
There is another technique in case this method does not work. It also requires a separate SIM card from an H2O network.
Remove the current SIM card and replace it with the SIM card from the H2O network. Once you switch, make a quick phone call. If this call connects, then this proves that you have an unlockable phone.
How to Tell if Your Phone is Unlocked
These are a few methods of knowing how to tell if your phone is unlocked or not. This is important if you purchase a discount phone through a third-party seller or website. If you unlock the phone, it breaks the warranty which does not allow certain distributors to fix the item. Follow our technology blog on our website to determine whether or not you have an unlockable phone!
