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On America's Largest
and Most Reliable Network
To ensure you'll have adequate network coverage with this device and plan selection, please enter the zip code below where you'll use this phone the most.
For years, carriers have locked phones to their networks to make it more difficult for customers to switch carriers. Starting February 1 2015, Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility, Sprint and T-Mobile US agreed to let customers who have fulfilled their contracts unlock their phones and tablets and move to another carrier. Once postpaid customers finish their service contracts on postpaid plans, carriers, upon request, must unlock customers' phones within two business days. In terms of prepaid phones, carriers, upon request, must unlock prepaid phones no later than one year after activation. Carriers can also charge non-customers a "reasonable" fee to unlock phones.
Carriers must notify postpaid customers when their devices are eligible for unlocking, but prepaid customers must only be told at the time they purchase their phone.
Carriers typically use different frequencies and air interface technologies to provide wireless network access. Accordingly, a device that works on one carrier’s network may not be technologically compatible with another carrier’s network. “Unlocking” a device refers only to disabling software that would prevent a consumer from attempting to activate a device designed for one carrier’s network on another carrier’s network, even if that network is technologically compatible. In other words, “unlocking” a device will not necessarily make a device interoperable with other networks – a device designed for one network is not made technologically compatible with another network merely by “unlocking” it. Additionally, unlocking a device may enable some functionality of the device but not all (e.g., an unlocked device may support voice services but not data services when activated on a different network).
Verizon locks non-iPhone Global Ready 3G phones and will unlock upon request. Prepaid devices are restricted for Verizon’s Prepaid service for 6m after activation (removed automatically), and are locked to Verizon Wireless network for 12m after activation (upon request)
General Requirements for All Unlock Requests:
AT&T will send unlock instructions upon request within two business days. If the customer performed an early upgrade, he must wait the 14-day buyer’s remorse period before he can request to unlock the previous device. The account must be active for at least 60 days, with no past due or unpaid balance. AT&T reserves the right to deny any unlock request that it concludes would result in an abuse of this policy or is part of an effort to defraud AT&T or its customers. AT&T reserves the right to alter unlocking policy at its discretion without advance notice.
Prepaid devices must be active for at least six months of paid service before unlocking.
Sprint will unlock a device from Sprint's network under the following circumstances:
Devices that were launched prior to February 2015 and are capable of being unlocked, Sprint will provide a bill notification and/or text message when the customer is eligible to have the device unlocked. The bill notification will direct the customer to Sprint Customer Care who can assist in efforts to unlock the device. There are generally two scenarios for locking / unlocking:
Prepaid devices must be active for at least six months of paid service before unlocking.
For certain devices which are engineered to include a SIM slot, Sprint may be able to unlock the device SIM slot for a foreign carrier's SIM card to be inserted. Customers must contact Sprint and must meet the following conditions:
Requesting an international unlock will not unlock a DSU-capable device for use with domestic (U.S.) SIMs. International SIM unlock is done through Sprint Worldwide Care 1-888-226-7212.
The chart below explains the policies and capabilities of popular devices:
Domestic Unlock | International Unlock | ||
---|---|---|---|
Device | Master Subsidy Lock (MSL) Code Unlock | Domestic SIM Unlock (DSU) | International SIM Unlock (ISU) |
Apple iPhone 4S | X | X | |
Apple iPhone 5 | X | X | |
Apple iPhone 5S1 | X | X | |
Apple iPhone 5C1 | X | X | |
Apple iPhone 61 | X | X | |
Apple iPhone 6 Plus1 | X | X | |
Samsung GS3 | X | ||
Samsung GS4 | X | X | |
Samsung GS5 | X | X | |
Samsung GS5 Sport | X | X | |
Samsung Note 3 | X | X | |
Samsung Note 4 | X | X | |
Samsung Edge | X | X | |
LG 3 | X | X | |
LG Flex | X | X | |
HTC One | X | X |
1Domestic SIM Unlock capable as of 2/19/15
Device eligibility is determined as follows:
Unlocking a phone lets it work on any compatible network, regardless of carrier. An unlocked phone can be moved to another network, though that does not mean that it will work exactly the same way on another network due to differences in the spectrum bands used by carriers and the corresponding radios and chipsets in devices.
The Matrix below describes the rules and restrictions each carrier has defined. NA means the carrier didn’t mention it in their website.
Verizon | AT&T | Sprint | T-Mobile | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Device must not be reported lost or stolen | NA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Device is not associated with fraudulent activity | NA | Yes | Yes | NA |
Account is in good standing | NA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
All payments paid in full | NA | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Not active on a different account | NA | Yes | NA | NA |
Device is eligible # days after upgrade | NA | 14d | NA | NA |
Device is eligible # days after account is active | NA | 60d | NA | 40d |
Max # of unlock codes per LOS in the last 12 months | NA | NA | NA | 2 |
If line under contract term, # of monthly payments | NA | NA | NA | 18m |
Prepaid: # of months account is active | 12m | 6m | 6m | 12m2 |
2If less 12m, the account associated with the device must have had more than $25 in refills for basic phones or $100 in refills for smart phones or tablet since device first use date.
The matrix below describes the required codes and customer care for each carrier.
Carrier | Lock Devices? | Code Needed?3 | Programming Help |
---|---|---|---|
Verizon | Lock only non-iPhone Global Ready 3G phones | 000000 or 123456 | *611 or 1-800-922-0204 Unlock 1-800-711-8300 |
AT&T | Yes | Yes | send unlock instructions upon request Web Form |
Sprint - device was launched prior to February 2015 | Yes | Yes | Contact Customer Care 1-888-211-4727 |
Sprint - device was launched Lock after February 2015 | Yes | No - automatically when device becomes eligible | Contact Customer Care 1-888-211-4727 |
T-Mobile | Yes | Yes | Contact T-Mobile Customer Service or download "Device Unlock" from Google Play - for Android devices only. Unlock 1-877-746-0909 |
3Code will be sent in bill message and/or text message.
AT&T will unlock an AT&T wireless device for an active and deployed member of the military who meets the following requirements:
Sprint has established a favorable unlocking policy:
T-Mobile allows unlocking for deployed military personnel who are customers in good standing are eligible to have their devices unlocked upon provision of deployment papers. Exceptions to some or all requirements may apply in other circumstances for Business and Government Accounts. T-Mobile did not provide additional information on their website and referred customers to Customer Care.