While there is an option of purchasing the phone that is already unlocked, most of us choose the other option to sign a two-year contract, and get a device. The main reason is the fact we do not have the immediate means to buy a device that is already unlocked. However a two-year contract is always a more expensive option, but there is more. After two years, when the contract is up, perhaps you will want to cut the costs, keep the phone you already have, but choose another carrier that has a better offer for you. But, that’s easier said than done, because most of the phones are carrier locked. That means you cannot use your device on the other network – you will have to unlock it first. If you are considering an option to take your device to a different carrier and take the offer with lower monthly costs, you must be wondering how to unlock the phone. That’s exactly what we are going to talk about here. It would be a good idea to unlock your device before you switch the carrier.

See also: How To Switch Phone Carriers

Before we move to the part on how to unlock a phone from one of the wireless carriers, it is essential to know required information. You will need your phone number, and also a name, account number, and social security number of the account holder. You will also need a finished contract and IMEI of the device. In case you are in the military, overseas deployment papers are also required.

How to unlock a phone

The top wireless carriers in the US are AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile, which is why we are going to discuss T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint and AT&T device unlock.

 

How to unlock AT&T phone

When it comes to AT&T device unlock, your phone should be paid off, and one of the most important requirements is that the device is not reported as lost or stolen. AT&T, one of the GSM carriers, made the procedure as simple as possible, because you can go to their official website, and fill out the Consumer Device Unlock Request, and after a couple of days, the code will be sent to your email. The other option is to contact their customer service.

For more information, visit AT&T official website.

How to unlock Sprint phone

The first thing that should be pointed out here is that iPhones cannot be unlocked. In case you have some other device, active account that is in the “good standing” is a must, and same as for AT&T, the device must not be lost or stolen. To unlock your device, you can call Sprint customer service, or you can chat with one of the company’s representatives.

For more information, visit Sprint official website.

How to unlock Verizon phone

If you got your device at Verizon, the recent devices will work well on other GSM carriers, because they come with the SIM card slot which is not locked. In case you need to unlock your device, you will have to call their customer support.

For more information, visit Verizon official website.

How to unlock T-Mobile phone

If you want to unlock T-Mobile phone, the device must not be reported as stolen or lost, and you need to have an account that is in the “good standing”. Also, T-Mobile allows two unlocks per year for each customer. To unlock your device, you can call the customer support, or you can chat with the company’s representative, and request the phone unlock.

For more information, visit T-Mobile official website.

 

Now you know how to unlock a phone, so you can choose another carrier, cut the costs, and keep your device.

Source: Digital Trends