A Definative Guide On How To Unlock An iPhone 7

An Essential Guide On How To Unlock iPhone's

So, you have finally made the last payment on your iPhone and it's officially all yours. Which means you’re able to use it while traveling abroad with a local SIM card and are free to move networks as you want, right? Don’t start booking your flight to Asia or running to Verizon quite yet since, unfortunately, it’s not quite that straightforward.

In order to stop somebody from shifting to a competitor’s network before they’ve paid off their iPhone or satisfied their contract, plenty of carriers place a sim lock (also known as a carrier lock) on their smart phones. This ultimately makes sure that you, or whomever you sell your second-hand iPhone to, are saddled with them for the long haul. If you’re thinking this sounds like a rather dysfunctional arrangement, we're inclined to agree with you. Luckily, with a bit of legwork as well as an account in good order, you will be on the right path to a SIM-unlocked iPhone in no time!

Before we go on, just a quick note about the kind of unlocks that are available, and the one's you should avoid! There is software available that provide the capability to unlock a mobile phone yourself, but you need to jailbreak your iPhone, and this is a stupid idea, for a lot of reasons. You can do your own investigating into jail-breaking, but it's very risky, and not recommended. The best way to unlock your iPhone is actually speaking directly with your network provider. The journey to a carrier-unlocked iPhone hinges largely on your network, with the procedure being either comparatively quick and easy or painfully challenging. To get you one step closer to a life free of carrier-locked tyranny, we researched all the steps in order to obtain an iPhone unlock in this comprehensive guide. Please be aware that although this was written with iPhone owners in mind, a lot of the advice could be used with other smartphones.

What Is SIM Unlocking?

As noted previously, when you purchase an iPhone or any other smartphone from a network carrier, that device will only function on that specific network unless you either request to have your network unlock it or your carrier automatically unlocks it for you (more on that later). Also known as a SIM unlock, factory unlock, or network unlock, carrier unlocking means removing a network’s restrictions on a device, allowing you to use it with a different cellular provider.

Fortunately, not every iPhone have to be unlocked. For instance, should you buy your iPhone straight from Apple and pay for it in cash, it will already be unlocked and able to use on a variety of networks.

Please note, however, that not all phones bought outright from third-party retailers are automatically unlocked. For example, although sold as “unlocked”, smartphones purchased at Best Buy are actually considered universal. So, when you insert a SIM card for the first time, the cell phone will essentially lock itself to the network linked to the Sim. Then, since certain networks like T-Mobile may only unlock your iPhone if you bought it directly from them, you could end up having an eternally carrier-locked device. Quite simply, you find yourself paying factory-unlocked prices for a carrier-locked phone.

Why would I Unlock My iPhone?

Having a network-unlocked iPhone comes with a good number of rewards such as the freedom to use (practically) any network both in the US and in another country together with higher secondhand values.

Network-unlocking provides you the freedom to use your cell phone with the cellular provider of your choice, almost whenever and wherever you like (with several exceptions, as you’ll see later on). For instance, if you are currently using T-Mobile but are moving to a new area of the country with bad T-Mobile coverage, you'll be able to shift to AT&T in a heartbeat

A IMEI-unlocked iPhone makes international travel a cinch. Unlocking also gives you the flexibility to use your cell phone in another country. Global roaming fees, expensive international plans, and mad dashes for WiFi become a distant memory with an unlocked iPhone. Merely put in a SIM card from a local carrier and you’re in business.

Carrier-unlocked iPhones have far higher resale values.

Even when you don’t anticipate switching carriers or going internationally anytime soon, unlocking your iPhone is still a good idea. If you intend on trading in your old iPhone when you upgrade, you’ll generally get more cash for it if the iPhone is already network unlocked due to greater demand for them on the resale market.

Is it against the law to Network Unlock your mobile phone?

Definitely not! Due to the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, finalized into law by President Barack Obama in 2014, all US-based cellular providers must allow customers to unlock their phones. However, the conditions under which a carrier will unlock a smart phone vary greatly from provider to provider. For the most part, the majority of providers require you to complete your contract, cover your financial obligations fully, or otherwise have an account in good standing before they’ll let you unlock your iPhone.

The best way to verify that your iPhone is Unlocked

Before beginning the iPhone-unlocking process, you’ll first want to determine if your iPhone is already unlocked (no need in under-going the hassle if you don’t absolutely need to). All you have to do is make sure that you’re connected with WiFi and insert a brand new SIM card from a different network provider and your smartphone will do everything else automatically. This authentication check normally takes less than a minute to finish after a new SIM has been inserted.

Through the verification process, you’ll see that your iPhone will boot to a white screen and attempt to authenticate that it has been unlocked with your service provider. If Apple confirm that your iPhone is carrier-unlocked, it will return to the home screen and signal bars should appear from the new network. However, if a white screen appears that says SIM Not Supported, your cell phone has not been unlocked.

How to Unlock iPhones from any Service provider

Once you verify that your smartphone is definitely locked to your current network provider, next you'll need to look at your provider’s unlocking eligibility prerequisites. If your iPhone meets those unlocking guidelines, you can then request that the handset can be unlocked from their network. As recommended earlier, both the eligibility requirements and the unlocking process vary from network to network. Each has been outlined below for the major carriers including T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint.

Please note that, provided you have met the unlock requirements and therefore are completing the network-unlocking directly with your carrier, requesting that your iPhone be unlocked may possibly be completely free. If you decide to work through a 3rd party unlocking service, you need to pay for the service, but using a third party service is going to be your only option if you bought the phone second hand. So, before you spend any money, try using the directions below beforehand.

How To Locate Your iPhone’s IMEI Number

When IMEI-unlocking your iPhone, you will need to supply your service provider your mobiles IMEI number. This unique, 15-digit identifier is essentially your smartphone’s VIN or social security number. To locate your IMEI, on your phone, select Settings > General > About and search to the bottom of the list where you will see it displayed next to IMEI.

You could also look for the IMEI number on the mobile phone casing itself. For earlier iPhone's (1st-generation SE, 5s, 5c, 5, 6, 6 Plus), the IMEI number may also be written on the back or the SIM tray.

After you’ve found the IMEI, we strongly recommend that you store it somewhere for safekeeping.

Unlock an iPhone on AT&T

Unlocking your iPhone from the AT&T network is about as uncomplicated as a, b, c. Just run on over to the AT&T site, answer a few questions, and you’re well on your way to carrier-unlocked freedom.

When you submit your request, use your IMEI and request reference numbers to check on your AT&T unlock status. After you receive your confirmation text or email, simply open it up and click on the verification link. That’s it! AT&T will unlock your iPhone in just a couple of working days.

For an iPhone to get unlocked from AT&T, it has to meet the following requirements:

Must not be reported as lost, stolen, or blocked
Must not have a past-due balance
Must not be active on a different AT&T account
If it is a work phone, you must have your employer’s permission to unlock it
If it is an AT&T PREPAID phone, it must be active for at least six months

When the iPhone is included in term agreement or installment plan, it has to also meet these requirements:

The device must be active on the AT&T network for at least 60 days
The installment plan must be paid off
The term agreement must be complete

For in-depth eligibility prerequisites, click here.

Unlock an iPhone on Sprint

Dependent on when you purchased your phone and if it has got SIM-unlock capabilities, there are a several different unlock choices. In the event you purchased a new iPhone from Sprint after February 2015 (it should be SIM-unlock capable) and it is currently being used on their network, Sprint can unlock it automatically after it meets their qualifications requirements. So, you actually don’t have to do anything besides keep your account in good order. Even so, if your iPhone is inactive or was purchased prior to February 2015, you’ll have to speak to Sprint Customer Service directly to ask for an unlock (either dial *2 on your Sprint phone or ring 888-211-4727).

There has been reports from some Sprint customers that the auto-unlock program does not always perform as it should, so it’s undoubtedly a very good idea to verify that your iPhone has been unlocked before trying to switch to another network or advertising your iPhone as unlocked, if you plan to sell it to a buyback business or on craigs list.

For an iPhone to get unlocked from the Sprint network, it's got to satisfy the following conditions:

Must be on an account in good standing
Must not be reported as lost, stolen, or associated with fraud
Must have SIM-unlock capabilities (if it doesn’t, it is MSL (Master Subsidy Lock) locked and you will need to call Sprint for the MSL code)
Must be active on the Sprint network for at least 40 days

If the iPhone is part of a service agreement, lease agreement, or installment plan, it has to also satisfy these requirements:

If leased, the end-of-lease purchase option must be fully paid
Any early-termination fees must be fully paid
Any lease or installment payments must be fully paid

For in-depth eligibility conditions, click here.

Unlock an iPhone on T-Mobile

If you’re an Android cell phone owner reading this and your handset satisfies the eligibility prerequisites, consider yourself in luck: You can actually unlock it easily from the handset itself. For the iPhone owners out there, you’ll have to speak to T-Mobile’s Group of Experts directly (either dial 611 from a T-Mobile iPhone, call 877-746-0909.

To have an iPhone unlocked from the T-Mobile network, it needs to adhere to the following conditions:

Must have been purchased directly from T-Mobile
Must be paid for in full
Must not have been reported as lost, stolen, or blocked
For prepaid accounts, it must have been active on the account for at least 12 months

If your iPhone is part of a pre-paid account, it has to also adhere to these prerequisites:

The account must be in good standing
Must have been active on the account for at least 40 days

For in depth eligibility conditions, click here.

Unlock an iPhone on Verizon

Verizon is, without a doubt, the leading service provider to work with for unlocking an iPhone. Why? Because Verizon will automatically unlock your phone 60 days after the purchase of the handset. If you purchased your iPhone at a retail partner, it'll be unlocked automatically 60 days after device activation.

There are no catches. You don’t have to pay off your phone, fulfill any unique requirements, or even get in touch with them to request to unlock your phone from their network. Provided that your iPhone hasn’t been reported stolen or lost, just wait 60 days following purchase or activation and your phone will be a-ok.

Hard to believe? Just click here.

Once I've Unlocked my iPhone — what now?

Back many years ago, you’d have to connect your iPhone up to iTunes and conduct a software restore to finish the unlock process. Fortunately, it’s much simpler these days. All you have to do is stick to the same steps you followed earlier to verify whether your phone is unlocked to start with.

If you don’t have access to a SIM card from an alternative carrier, you may still verify that your iPhone has been unlocked using an iTunes software restore. Just connect your iPhone with a computer running iTunes and click the “restore” option. When the restoration process has completed, you should see a message that says “Congratulations, your iPhone has been unlocked.”

Congratulations! You successfully carrier-unlocked your iPhone! Which means your able to use whatever carrier you want to now, true? We hate to tell you this, but sadly not. Due to the two different kinds of technologies employed in the US, GSM and CDMA, your choice of mobile providers depends on the type of your iPhone as well as the original network it's locked to. Primarily, Verizon and Sprint are CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) networks, while AT&T, T-Mobile, and most service providers in other countries are GSM (Global System for Mobiles) networks.

As you may have guessed, these two different network types will not talk to each other (because that's too logical). Thankfully, as we move closer to global 5G access and as older networks are phased out, it will hopefully cease to be a challenge.

To determine which networks you have access to based on both these factors, keep on reading.

AT&T

GSM networks only (AT&T, T-Mobile, international GSM carriers): Original iPhone, iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X

Any carrier worldwide: iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max

Sprint

International networks only: iPhone 4s and iPhone 5

Any carrier worldwide: iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max

T-Mobile

GSM networks only (AT&T, T-Mobile, international GSM carriers): Original iPhone, iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X

Verizon

Compatible with any carrier in the world, but with limitations when using GSM networks: iPhone 4s, iPhone 5

Any carrier worldwide: iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone SE, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max

Is the Unlock permanent?

Yes indeed! Once your phone has been factory-unlocked, it will remain that way for the life span of the handset. You are able to restore your iPhone or up-date applications without having to worry about your unlock disappearing afterwards.

About This Author

Hurst Bradshaw
Joined: February 26th, 2021

Article Directory /

Arts, Business, Computers, Finance, Games, Health, Home, Internet, News, Other, Reference, Shopping, Society, Sports