How to unlock your smartphone from a specific network
In the Noughties, it was common for a new smartphone to have a discreet logo somewhere on its chassis, identifying the mobile network it had been supplied by.
The presence of this network logo politely but firmly told you that the phone couldn’t be used on another network without engaging in some fairly unintuitive remedial work.
More recently, those network logos have disappeared, but the principle has remained.
And while some mobile networks have started selling phones which can be used on rival networks with a new SIM, the likes of BT/EE and Vodafone have resisted.
They will have been disappointed by last month’s announcement that Ofcom will ban mobile phone companies from selling locked handsets from December 2021.
Until then, it’s still possible to buy a brand-new phone which can’t be migrated to another network.
A high percentage of existing handsets have the same problem, particularly older devices.
If you’re happy with your current network and have no plans to replace your phone, that’s not an issue.
However, it may be troublesome in a number of other scenarios, from getting the best trade-in price for your phone to trying to save money while abroad by using a local SIM.
There is a way to unlock your smartphone, but it’s not an option you may be aware of.
SIM difference
First of all, it’s important to note that phones bought SIM-free aren’t locked. It’s one of the reasons this website champions SIM-only contracts.
For people who bought a handset as part of an ongoing handset-and-data contract, the process of unlocking it represents something of a legal grey area.
If the original contract has been paid in full, you should be able to unlock your smartphone at any time without incurring any issues.
If part of the contract remains outstanding, you technically don’t own the device yet. Most mobile contracts combine separate payments for calls and data with a payment for the handset itself.
As such, you may need to check your carrier’s terms and conditions to ensure it’s acceptable to switch provider before the upfront cost has been fully repaid.
Having confirmed this is actually the case, try inserting a SIM card from a network different to your normal one.
If it works straight away, the handset is unlocked already.
If no signal is reported even after the device is restarted, or if a message displays on-screen requesting a SIM unlock code, the handset is locked.
Unlock and load
The process of unlocking a handset is generally as simple as contacting your current provider and asking them to do so.
There may be a cost of up to £10 involved if the handset is still in contract, and it could take up to ten working days for this process to be completed.
You may not be able to unlock a phone if it’s less than six months old, or if there are any overdue payments associated with your account.
Once you’re notified that the unlock has taken place, power the handset down. Take out your existing SIM card, put in one from a different network, and turn it back on.
Third-party unlocking companies will complete this process on your behalf, though given the modest cost and time investment involved in doing it yourself, these costs may seem hard to justify.