What does unlocking a phone mean?

Kronkston_2

I don't know much about this.

Can you also say why you would want to unlock it.

MattHawkins

Some phones are "locked" to the network who supplied it. That means the phone can only be used on that network.

The reason you would want to "unlock" it is so that it could be used on another network.

Note 1 : Not all phones are locked so it is worth finding out before paying someone to unlock it !
Note 2 : You don't always need to pay to get a phone unlocked as networks will give you the unlock code as long as you have been with them for a decent amount of time.

flyingscotno1

Equally, some networks run on other operators networks (Virgin on T-Mobile) and thus it is not necessary to unlock some T-mobile phones to use a Virgin Sim.

Kronkston_2

So basically it is to use a cheaper network?

So it is unlocked can you use different networks by swopping the simm card?

For example some calls on the same network are free so if mine was unlocked and i got a simm cad for that network I could get free calls to phones on that network?

flyingscotno1

Kronkston wrote: »

So basically it is to use a cheaper network?

So it is unlocked can you use different networks by swopping the simm card?

For example some calls on the same network are free so if mine was unlocked and i got a simm cad for that network I could get free calls to phones on that network?

Correct. I have a phone, originally Orange, I can use any one of the sims we have in the family, Asda, Virgin, Three, T-Mobile, O2, as well as the Orange one no problems. You then get the benefits of being on the particular networks.

Like I said before where a mobile network simply uses space from one of the main operators you don't often need to get it unlocked as it still thinks it is 'alright'. On T-Mobile you can go to Virgin on most phones by removing the T-Mobile sim out and putting a Virgin one in. As they share the same network it is fine, but the phone will refuse an Orange sim still. This works for Vodafone/Asda and O2/Tesco/Giff Gaff as far as I am aware.

seaniboy

Tesco are provider locked not o2 network locked.