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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.
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.
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.
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.
We don't provide any cloning type service and don't approve of people that do. But we do help you simply unlock a phone that belongs to you so you have freedom of choice as to which service provider you use it with.
How do I know if my phone is already unlocked or not?
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.
Which companies have GSM in the USA?
There are three main companies that offer GSM service in the USA . AT&T and Cingular will soon merge into one company, and the third 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.
How do I know that my phone has been successfully unlocked?
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.
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.
Which countries will my unlocked phone work in?
GSM service is offered in 207 countries.
Check this website 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) :
• Motorola
• Siemens
• Ericsson
• Samsung
• LG
• NEC
• Kyocera
• Alcatel
Will I have to unlock my phone every time I change SIM Card?
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 Motorola, Siemens, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, LG, Sendo, Samsung, or Treo 600 phone/PDA we can unlock your phone but you'll need to send/bring the phone to us for unlocking.
If your phone is not on our current list of phones we can unlock, ask us and maybe we can now unlock it, too.
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.