The simplest reason to unlock your phone is to use it on another network. Carriers will often only unlock phones associated with accounts in 'good standing,' which means the person selling you the phone needs to request the unlock before canceling their service or selling it to you.

If you're buying a used phone, make sure it is unlocked first. All iPhones back to the iPhone 5s generation, and all Samsung Galaxy phones back to the Galaxy S6 generation, should at least somewhat work on all the US carriers, as long as they have been unlocked. From the carriers' perspective, it's mostly a way to stop customers from leaving before they've paid out their installment plan.Īs the importance of 2G and 3G networks has faded in favor of 4G LTE, US phones have become more compatible with multiple networks. Most of the phones sold by carriers in the US are 'locked,' meaning they can't be taken to another carrier without being unlocked. Mobile phone carriers don't want you to leave, especially if they helped pay for your phone. How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication.How to Record the Screen on Your Windows PC or Mac.How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Files.How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill.How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad.How to Block Robotexts and Spam Messages.

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