Some carriers like Google Fi will even send you a SIM for free, and you aren't charged anything until you activate the card. And it doesn't have to be a SIM card connected to an active account - the phone will try to initiate a connection with any SIM card in place.

Skipping all of that, the easiest way to find out if your phone is unlocked is to just put in a SIM card from another carrier. It's worth a try if you don't have access to a SIM card from a different company, though.

You might not have any luck here, though, because the person answering the phone might not be able to give you that information - they either don't have access to it or aren't allowed to tell you over the phone. Companies keep a database of IMEI numbers that says which phones are compatible, unlocked, or blacklisted. Instead, you can call your carrier or the carrier or MVNO you're thinking of switching to. I'll come right out and say it: don't bother. While that might be true, these services cost money and are often incorrect. You'll see websites that claim you can check if your phone is unlocked online. All phones sold directly from Google are unlocked, and many phones from other manufacturers like Samsung, OnePlus, and even Apple are sold directly, and SIM unlocked.įor the rest of the phones out there, there's really only one fool-proof way to check: Try it. Of course, if you bought your phone directly from the manufacturer and listed it as unlocked, it would be. carriers, but you may not have access to all carrier bands. Be sure to choose the unlocked version for your region. If you bought your phone from Amazon or another online retailer, the phone would be listed as unlocked or carrier-specific. You can still get your phone unlocked down the line, but it can take a lot longer and may require account information you don't have handy. If you're switching to a new carrier, make sure to get your phone unlocked before you leave your old carrier. Once it's paid off, it will either unlock automatically, or you can request an unlock from the carrier. If you were paying it off over a series of payments, you'd need to make sure you have paid the full balance.

If you bought your phone from a carrier, the first thing to do is make sure it's paid off. The good news is that if you've paid off your phone, you can get it unlocked and bring it to another carrier.

This means that if you want to change carriers, you'll need to make sure your phone is unlocked or get ready to buy a new one. Carrier-locked phones are limited to using a SIM from just one carrier.

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