Unlocked smartphones – things that you need to know

You might have heard a lot about unlocked smartphones being sold in the market. There are lots of people who don’t know what it means. In this article I will tell you all about it. Unlocked handset is a phone which is not tied to any carrier’s network. You can use it with more than 1 service provider. A lot of phones sold in the US are tied to a particular carrier like Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. Also, the phone might be already tied to a carrier even if you haven’t purchased it from the service provider. For instance, devices bought from Best Buy stores.

Unlocked smartphones need SIM cards to get started. SIM is short for subscriber identity module and the slot for it is usually located beneath the battery cover. It gives a phone number to your cell phone and also data and voice service. A lot of people are buying unlocked smartphones and it is because these gadgets give you more freedom. But there are plethora of cell phones and service providers out there so there are chances that you might get confused.

Locked phones can be unlocked but not always. You may some need help to get it done. Carriers don’t recommend unlocking because it is in their best interest if the handset is locked to their network. You can ask for the carrier to get the phone unlocked but they might not do it especially if you are still under a contract. Another alternative is to get the phone unlocked from a third party but this will void all warranties.

Instead, I would recommend you to get purchase unlocked smartphones instead of buying a locked one and then unlocking it. This way, it is more reliable too. You will have to pay hundreds of dollars more but you won’t be tied to any network. Also, you won’t have to rely on anybody for getting the phone unlocked.

A lot of phones come only in locked version but there are plenty of devices that are sold in only unlocked versions – for instance – the Nokia N series ones. Such phones can be bought directly from the manufacturer or third party resellers. You will also find unlocked smartphones from cellular carriers