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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is a SIM and what
is unlocking
Ordinary cell phone service works so that the unique serial number in
your phone (its ESN) is used by the cell phone service provider to
identify who you are. The wireless service 'knows' that a particular
phone's serial number is your phone and knows to send phone calls to
that phone when someone dials your phone number.
A GSM phone is not directly linked to you. Instead, it has a removable
account card, called a SIM (subscriber information module) and this SIM
has a unique serial number on it. This is what identifies you to the
wireless provider.
The important difference about this is that you can put your SIM into
any compatible phone (and pretty much all modern GSM phones are
compatible with all modern SIMs) and that phone will now act as your
phone, because the wireless company sees your SIM inside it. It doesn't
care that you've changed phones, all it cares is where to find your SIM.
And now for the really exciting part of this. Just as, in theory, you
can put any SIM in any phone, the opposite is also true. Any phone can
work with any SIM. So, if you've already bought an expensive phone that
you like and have learned how to use, if you change from one GSM
wireless company to another one, you don't have to change phones. You
can keep the phone you've grown to like, and all you need to do is
replace the first company's SIM with your new service provider's SIM.
But, some wireless providers 'lock' their phones, meaning that their
phones have been programmed to only work with SIMs issued by their
company. Reversing that programming - unlocking your phone so it can
work with any SIM - is what this is all about.
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What is GSM? Is it different than normal cell phone service? How do I
know if I have GSM or not?
GSM is a type of digital mobile phone service. The more common type of
digital mobile phone service in the US is CDMA, but just about every
other country in the world uses primarily or only GSM.
For you as the user of your phone, there is no difference at all between
using a phone on a CDMA system or a phone on a GSM system.
Unfortunately, the two different systems are not compatible with each
other.
If you have a T-Mobile, Cingular, or recent new M-mode type service with
AT&T, then you have GSM service.
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Will my existing cell phone service provider know if I unlock my mobile
phone?
We're not sure about this. Certainly, if they physically have your
phone, they can get it to display its current lock status, but when you
have the phone, we're not sure. It might be possible, in theory, for
them to interrogate the phone through the cell service control signals,
and get the phone to advise of its status, but we've never heard of this
being done.
And, in any case, read the next two questions/answers for further
reassurance on this topic.
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Will my existing service provider care if I unlock my phone?
Probably not! That is one of the ridiculous things about unlocking which
makes the whole thing so unnecessary.
You have already signed a one or two year contract with your cell phone
service provider, you are committed to spending a monthly minimum amount
with them every month, whether you ever turn your phone on or not!
Indeed, in a way, it is probably good for them if you never use the free
minutes included in your plan - that way, their monthly fee becomes pure
profit!
So, why should they care if your phone is locked or unlocked? Apart from
hoping you'll use more than your free minutes, it is all the same to
them, one way or the other.
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Is it legal to unlock my
phone?
It is your phone, isn't it? Then surely it is as legal that you unlock
your phone as it is that you give it away, lose it, break it, leave it
turned off, or do just about anything else with it!
Unless your phone service contract says 'this phone remains the property
of us (the service provider) and you agree not to modify or alter it in
any way' then there would seem to be no reason why you can't legally do
anything you like with your phone, just so long as you're not attempting
to defraud anyone.
It is illegal, in some countries, to change the phone's IMEI (serial
number) - this is a type of what is called 'cloning' and, particularly
with non-GSM phones, could enable you to then pretend to be someone else
and have your airtime charged to someone else's account.
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Can my existing service provider relock my phone without telling me?
We used to think the answer to this was 'no, of course not'! But then a
reader wrote in to tell us how he bought a Treo, new and unlocked, and
after using it with T-Mobile, changed his service provider and started
using it with AT&T. To his surprise and horror, AT&T somehow then locked
his Treo and now are refusing to unlock it, even though he never bought
it from AT&T and never let them touch it.
Somehow they apparently sent a locking signal to the Treo that locked it
to their SIM. This understandably upset the owner of the Treo. It was
100% his Treo - he'd paid full price for it, buying it from a regular
store, not from a cell phone service provider, and then signed up for an
account with AT&T that had no special incentives associated with it.
So, maybe it is indeed possible for your phone to be relocked. So keep
your unlocking codes in case you need to use them again!
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How do
I know if my phone is already unlocked or not?
Easy. Borrow a SIM from a friend who has an account with a different
wireless service provider and see if it works in your phone or not. If
it works, and your phone thinks it is his (or her) phone with that
phone's number, then your phone is already unlocked.
But if it creates some sort of error message and doesn't work, then your
phone is locked.
How do I know if
my phone can be unlocked?
As far as we are aware, all GSM phones can be unlocked. But if your
phone is not a GSM phone, then it probably can't be unlocked; indeed,
the whole idea of locking/unlocking phones doesn't really apply to non
GSM phones, because your phone number and account is tied to your phone,
not to the movable/replaceable SIM chip that is inside it.
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Which companies have
GSM in the USA?
There are two main companies that offer GSM service in the USA. AT&T and
Cingular are now merged into one company, and the second company is
T-Mobile.
If your service is with, eg, Sprint, Nextel, Verizon, or just about any
other US wireless company, then you do not have GSM service and your
phone can't be unlocked.
I don't have a GSM phone, but will be traveling internationally so need
one. Can I just buy an unlocked phone without signing up for service?
Yes, there are several ways to buy an unlocked phone without needing to
sign up for a year or two of service that you mightn't need. You can
simply buy a used GSM phone on eBay or somewhere like that, but this is
not without potential problems inherent in buying any used electronic
equipment.
If you do buy a used phone this way, check to confirm it truly is
unlocked (to be kind to sellers, many sellers don't understand exactly
what locking is and so incorrectly describe their phones as unlocked)
and check it will support the frequency bands used in the countries
you're likely to visit. Also consider buying a new battery, because
batteries do wear out.
You can also buy new unlocked phones. Telestial have a broad range of
new unlocked phones.
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How do I unlock my phone?
There are two ways that a phone can be unlocked.
If you are lucky, you have a phone that can be unlocked simply by keying
a secret code into it. The code is usually a unique number only for that
particular phone, based on its serial number (what is called its IMEI)
and the service provider who locked it.
The Travel Insider can sell you this secret code for most models of
Nokia phones and some other types of phones, too. It costs only $5 and
is easy for you to enter into your phone.
Other types of phone need their 'firmware' - their operating system
software - to be rewritten to remove the lock. This requires connecting
the phone via a special data cable to a special programming unit.
The Travel Insider
provides this service for various models of Motorola, Siemens, and Sony
Ericsson phones, plus the Treo 600 phone/PDA.
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How do I know that my phone has been successfully unlocked?
Usually, after entering the unlock codes, the phone will say something
that sounds sort of encouraging.
Do the test in the question two above. Borrow a SIM from a friend who
has an account with a different wireless service provider and see if it
works in your phone or not. If it works, then your phone is already
unlocked, but if it creates some sort of error message and doesn't work,
then your phone is still locked.
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I've unlocked my phone, but when I turn it on, it still shows the name
of the previous wireless service.
This logo (called a 'splash screen') has been programmed into your phone
by the company that sold it to you. It doesn't mean anything about which
company now provides you phone service.
Unlocking your phone removes the electronic restriction that prevents
your phone from working with other SIMs from other wireless services. It
doesn't change your splash screen.
The good news is you can get rid of the splash screen without needing to
unlock your phone. See if you can find in your phone's manual how to
change the splash screen, or consider calling the phone manufacturer and
have them walk you through it.
Which
countries will my unlocked phone work in?
(See the next question as well).
GSM service is offered in 207 countries.
Check this
website (GSM World) to see if the country you are interested in has GSM service,
and, if it does, what frequency the GSM service(s) operate on.
How do
I know if my phone will work internationally?
US GSM cell phones work on 1900 MHz (and sometimes also 850 MHz). Most
other countries have GSM networks on 900 or 1800 MHz.
Check on the website of your cell phone manufacturer to see which
frequencies your model phone supports. Here are sites for the most
common phones (let me know if your phone isn't included, and I'll then
add it to the list) :
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How/where can I get a SIM that will work internationally?
Well, the easiest way to get a SIM that works in a foreign country is in
the foreign country itself!
But, oftentimes, this is actually not the easiest way to get a foreign
SIM. When you're traveling, you don't want to have to find a cell phone
store, and try and sort out what you need, perhaps in a different
language, and potentially have things go wrong.
For this reason, many people choose to buy a pre-paid SIM for the
country or countries they'll be traveling to before they leave home.
Several companies will sell them to you; we recommend Telestial because
we've dealt with them ourselves, we know them, and find them helpful,
honest, responsive and reliable. They have a wide range of SIMs and fair
prices.
If you buy the SIM before you leave, you have a chance to make sure you
understand how it works, and will also know its phone number, which you
can then conveniently give to people so they know how to contact you.
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Do I need any credit checks or anything to get a foreign SIM?
Probably not. Most people buy a SIM that works on a prepaid type account
basis. That means you pay money into your phone account, and then use it
up as you make calls. When it is used up, the account stops working
until you pay more money into the account again (either by credit card
over the phone, or by purchasing a 'top-up' card that transfers money
into your phone account.
Because the wireless service provider isn't extending you any credit,
you don't need to pass any credit checks, and you don't need to have any
sort of proof of fixed address in the foreign country or anything. Most
of the time you just buy the prepaid account and SIM without any need
for any paperwork at all, put the SIM in the phone, perhaps dial a
number to activate it, and it is instantly then working.
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Is there any sort of minimum contract I have to sign for a foreign
prepaid SIM?
No. Because the wireless service provider isn't giving you a free phone
or any other sort of subsidy, you don't have to commit to a one or two
year term. You just buy the SIM, use it as much or as little as you
like, and stop using it whenever you choose.
Why should I get a different SIM for traveling internationally?
You should read our four part series on
international cell phone
service. This explains all the different issues and options you have as
to how best to keep in contact when traveling out of your home country.
Will I have to unlock my phone every time I change SIMs?
No. Once your phone is unlocked, it remains permanently unlocked, no
matter what you do to it, unless you specially program back the lock
code into it.
Will my existing service still work with my unlocked phone?
Yes, your existing service will work perfectly with no change, as long
as you leave your present SIM in your phone.
Will I be able to get better reception and roam more in the US with an
unlocked phone?
No. Unlocking does not make any difference to how your phone works with
its present wireless service provider. It still uses the same
transmitters on the same towers as before, and does everything the same.
The only difference is that you can take its SIM out and replace it with
a different SIM for a different wireless company.
Will I save money
with an unlocked phone?
Maybe. Your current wireless provider will still charge you exactly the
same as before for all your calls.
But because your phone is now unlocked, you can use a different SIM from
a different provider whenever this might give you better rates - for
example, when traveling overseas.
How do I get my phone
unlocked?
If you have a Nokia or selected other phones, then The Travel Insider can unlock it for
you remotely. Go to
The Travel Insider GSM unlock page, fill out the form, pay
the $5 fee, and they'll send you back your phone's unlock code and
complete instructions on how to unlock it.
If you have a Motorola, Siemens, or Sony Ericsson phones, plus the Treo
600 phone/PDA then the can probably unlock that phone too, but you'll
need to send the phone to us for unlocking.
If your phone is not on The Travel Insider current list of phones they
can unlock, ask them and maybe they can now unlock it, too.
Why should I unlock my phone?
There are three main reasons why you might want to unlock your phone.
- Because you want to change the wireless company you get
service from in the US, and want to keep your present phone.
- You've changed to a different service provider and got a
new phone, but you want to unlock your old phone so you can
use it in an emergency just by swapping the SIM over if your
main phone gives problems
- Because you want to travel internationally and don't
want to have to pay the very expensive international rates
your present wireless company would charge you while
internationally roaming.
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