Facts

According to Express Unlock, cell phone providers use a phone's serial number and a card known as a subscriber information module (SIM) to identify customers. To prevent customers from using their cell phones with other carriers, providers lock the phones to only work with their SIM cards. Unlocking a phone allows a customer to use their phone with any SIM card.

Significance

Once a cell phone is unlocked, the user no longer needs to use the SIM card from the original service provider. This allows the customer to continue using the cell phone they purchased without being tied to a particular provider.

Methods

According to Phone Scoop, a cell phone can be unlocked by entering a special code or numeric password. The code or password can be provided by the carrier from which the cell phone was purchased. If the original carrier will not provide the code or password, there are third-party companies that sell these codes or provide unlocking services.

Benefits

Having an unlocked cell phone allows a customer to use their phone outside the service provider's coverage area.

Considerations

According to The Travel Insider, it is possible for a carrier to relock a cell phone that has been unlocked. While this is rare, it is important to consider some carriers do not want the cell phones they provide to their customers to be unlocked.

Source:

Phone Scoop

The Travel Insider