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Do you want to unlock your phone but aren’t sure how? Read about a few surefire ways to unlock your Samsung.
Buying a brand-spanking’ new phone is expensive. And with new models coming out faster than you can say Samsung Galaxy Note 10+, it becomes easier to buy a second-hand phone. Or, you can opt-in for a two-year contract with a network carrier and actually get a brand new one. What a loop-hole.
After those 2 or so years in the networks’ shackles, you become the proud owner of a 2 generation old Samsung phone. At this point, you may want to change your network provider, and have every legal right to do so. But, the phone is locked. So what now?
Network restrictions can be a serious annoyance. When the phone is carrier-specific, you aren’t able to change your carrier and have to bear high roaming fees when traveling. And you’re stuck with them – that thought alone is dreadful.
Before getting started with the ways to unlock your Samsung phone, you need to figure out whether your phone is locked or not. Luckily there are legitimate websites that can do this for you.
Is Your Samsung Phone SIM Locked?
SIM lock is a built-in feature to prevent users from using any other SIM on the phone other than that of the original cell phone provider. The way to find out if you’re in this boat is simple. Simply insert another SIM card from a different network service provider. Your phone will then ask you to enter an unlock code – if so, you have your answer.
Unlocking a phone is legal but sometimes carriers make the process difficult – for obvious reasons. Let’s talk in detail about how to unlock your phone to break the icy grip of your carrier.
The Prerequisites Of Unlocking Your Samsung Phone
The difficulty of unlocking a Samsung phone varies from carrier to carrier. Depending on who you’re talking to and the model of your Samsung phone. Unlocking it can be a laborious process that requires a lot of calls and might take a few hours. No matter how complex and difficult the procedure of unlocking a phone is, you should get it done before leaving your current carrier because the process can become even worse after your contract has ended and you’ve left their service.
While the procedures vary widely, there is a list of the commonly required information to unlock your phone. You should ensure as much of the below-mentioned information is at hand when you get started.
- The account number and name of the account holder
- The social security number or password of the account holder
- IMEI number of your Samsung device
- The completed contract or payment plan
- Your phone number
Ways Of Unlocking Your Samsung Phone
So many reasons why phones get unlocked. Some are very legitimate, others…not so much. If you’ve stolen a phone or are trying to get out of paying your bills – tsk tsk tsk. But if you bought a second-hand phone that turned out to be locked, your contract is over with your carrier, or maybe you lost it and reported it only to find it in your jacket pocket. Either way, there are options out there. Here are three.
The three approaches to unlocking your Samsung phone are:
- Ask your current carrier or service provider for help
- Search for phone unlocking websites
- Unlock your Samsung phone by using software
1: Carrier Unlock
As phone unlocking is declared to be legal, your carrier can do this for you with a quick phone call and at no cost. However, at the time of making the request, your account should be in good standing condition, financing and terms should be met, and the phone should be from the carrier you are contacting for the unlock. An exception to this is military deployment as many carriers will unlock the phone after providing proof of deployment.
Some carriers allow a temporary unlock in case of your international trip but most probably they will suggest you opt for international roaming. Most prepaid providers adhere to the policy of the company providing the network service. They require between 90 days to 12 months before unlocking your phone as a specific term of service.
If you have bought a second-hand phone, then this can pose a problem as carriers will ask for account information to unlock the phone. But not to worry – there is an alternate solution to this.
2: Paid Unlock
If you don’t fulfill the requirements of carrier unlock, then you can go for paid unlocking services. But you should be very careful while selecting the phone unlocking service. Reader beware, there are many cons and scammers out there. You will have to pay for services but the costs are mostly reasonable and you will be guaranteed an unlocked phone – and fast. If you are planning to sell your phone, an unlocked phone has more resale value than that of a locked one.
Check the reliability of the phone unlocking websites and look for reviews to know whether the website is safe or not. A money-back guarantee is a factor that ensures a safe unlock. Some of the most trusted and reliable websites are Cellunlocker.net, DoctorSIM, Unlockbase, Unlockmonster, Unlocking.com, etc.
3: Software Unlock
Installing specialized apps or flashing custom ROMS might help you to unlock your Samsung phone. However, this is an advanced procedure and requires special skills to be carried out properly.
Steps for unlocking a phone differ from model to model. As this particular method is quite complex, describing the procedure in this blog won’t be possible.
Unlocking your Samsung phone is quite easy in this technologically advanced era. You should have the proper knowledge now and are good to go. Follow the instructions of the method you choose and carefully follow the step by step procedures.