Carriers, providers and networks lock phones so customers have to use their network at their rates. This means that you cannot use other SIM cards in your phone and thus cannot change over to better providers who have cheaper rates. An unlocked phone is also subject to roaming charges making calls and SMS messages abroad very expensive. By unlocking your phone you are free of all restrictions. You can choose which network carrier you want to go with without having restrictions placed on your phone.

Once you have unlocked your phone you will be free to choose any network and any SIM card you like. This means that if you are abroad you can purchase a SIM card that has better rates for SMS messaging and calls. You will be able to switch between networks/carriers and you will not have to pay roaming charges.

Another advantage of unlocking your phone is that it will increase the value of your phone, so if you come to sell it, it will be worth more.

Mobile phone unlocking is legal. In the UK, USA and Canada it is not only legal, but very much accepted. When you buy your phone it becomes your property and you can with it whatever you like.

We do advise that you check your paper work and the implications involved if you were given a free phone by your network provider. It is unlikely that your network provider will know your have unlocked your phone as unlocking doesn't harm the phone, so if you uphold your agreement with the network provider you shouldn't have a problem.

If your phone is with the list of phones we unlock on our site then we can guarantee to unlock your phone. In the very unlikely event that your phone cannot be unlocked we will give you a complete refund. Please check out our guarantee page.

SIM stands for ‘Subscriber Information Module’. It is the chip which is inserted into the GSM phone handset and allows the phone to work on a certain network.

It is different for non-GSM phones. They work on an ESN basis. This means they have a unique serial number supplied to it by the provider. The number identifies who you are; it also knows to send calls to you when your number is dialled. It controls your calling rates in conjunction with your contract or your pay as you go plan you have with your carrier.

GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) is what most people have. Around 82% of the global mobile market uses GSM. The GSM standard is common in most countries except the USA, although AT&T and T-Mobile do have them in the U.S.A now. There are a lot of phone in the U.S.A. which do not take SIM cards as they are CDMA phones.

It is very unlikely your provider would know if you unlocked your phone.

Again it is unlikely that they will mind. If you have signed a contract with a provider you will probably have to spend a set amount each month with them whether or not you use your minutes with them.

Absolutely not. You can only relock your phone by plugging in a cable and reprogramming the phone.

All you have to do to check is borrow someone's SIM card from another network and insert it into your phone. If the phone works then your phone is already unlocked. If there is an error message then your phone is locked.

GSM phones can be unlocked, but if your phone us a CMDA the chances of unlocking it are slim.

No, once you have unlocked your phone then it will be unlocked for good, unless you reprogram it.

Yes it will providing that the SIM card from your provider is still in the phone handset.

Yes, you can save money by unlocking your phone as you can use other SIM cards for different regions or countries if you are travelling. You can avoid roaming charges and have a look around for the best deals on rates. However, you will still pay your provider the normal monthly rate.

Generally the answer is yes. Some phones are limited to five unlock attempts and then the phone becomes hardlocked and then you will not be able to unlock your phone. However, our cable unlocking service should be able to unlock the phone still.

You don't need to know any technology for code unlocking. You will receive easy to follow instruction which will guide you through entering the code to unlock your phone. For cable unlocking you will need to be able to operate computers quite comfortably.

No it can't harm your phone. Unlocking just removes the network and SIM locks imposed by your network provider. We do advise that you check your contract to make sure that unlocking doesn't affect your warranty or break the terms and conditions of your contract.

AT&T and T-Mobile provide GSM phones along with a few others.