Often times with cell phones, people buy them from a particular network because they are inexpensive due to a special offer or something similar along those lines. The disadvantage to this is that when the cell phone is purchased, the network provider typically has a lock on the phone preventing the person from using it with any other service provider. Fortunately for the consumer, the copyright office has recently made it possible to unlock cell phones so that, if the person wants, they can hook it up to another network so it can be used elsewhere.

Although it is possible to unlock a cell phone, there are different techniques that work. Regardless of what technique is employed, it is important to have the following information ready:

• The mobile phone number
• The network where the phone is locked
• The country the phone is locked to
• The manufacturer and model number
• The phone’s IMEI number. To get this fifteen digit serial number, dial *#06# onto the phone’s keypad.

With this information, regardless of the technique that is used to change unlock the phone, you have what you need to unlock a cell phone. There are four different methods that can be used to unlock a cell phone.

Unlock the Phone Using a Third Party

There are a series of companies on the web and off the web that specialize in unlocking cell phones. Often times, all they will need is the above information and they’re able to get in and make the required changes so the phone is no longer connected to that specific network. This is advantageous because they are typically professionals and therefore, can get the job done easily. The disadvantage to this is that it can be a little expensive.

Unlock the Phone Using Equipment

Other companies don’t do the unlocking themselves, but have developed products that can get in and unlock the cell phone. When the iPhone came out, a lot of these pieces of software sprouted up on the web because everyone wanted to use the iPhone, but no one was willing to go to AT&T. There is software, though,  that can that unlock other phones as well, not just the iPhone. It just requires the consumer to go out and do the required research and zero in on the right tool.

Unlock the Phone with Help from the Network Provider

Contacting the network provider is always a possibility in unlocking the cell phone. Typically, they need a few weeks notice (which is their way of getting another month’s pay out of the consumer), but once that time is up, they’re usually willing to unlock the phone. Often times, though, they will either have an unlocking fee (to make more money) or, if the deal was for twelve months, the consumer will have to pay the fee for the remainder of the twelve months. Once they have received the money they want, they will provide a code that will instantaneously unlock the cell phone.

Unlock the Phone without the Network Provider’s Help

There are a lot of people that try to unlock their phone either without their network provider’s help, or because their network provider said no. To do this, they either use a third party software as mentioned above, or they will search the internet trying to find the code based on the cell phone’s model. Once they find the code, it’s as easy as punching it in and all is done.

What needs to be remembered when trying to unlock a cell phone is that it isn’t always possible. Some phones are completely locked and therefore, trying to find a way around it is an impossibility. Overall, though, it doesn’t hurt to try.