As of Wednesday, smartphone users in the U.S. will be allowed to unlock their devices, as long as they are fully paid for.
As part of a pact agreed to by the big four carriers last year, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon, will be notifying active customers who have eligible devices. If you’ve purchased a used, carrier-locked device, you can have those unlocked for a “reasonable fee.”
Carriers will respond to unlock requests within two business days, although the actual time it takes to perform the unlock procedure may take longer.
You’ll need to check with your carrier on what their requirements and unlock policies are, because they vary from carrier to carrier. (Of course they do.)
Generally, you’ll need an account in good standing, and the device must be paid for in full. So, you’ll need to pay the full price for the device, or have completed your two-year subsidized contract.
If you are on a pre-paid plan, you’re not left out in the cold, as pre-paid customers can have their devices unlocked “no later than one year after initial activation, consistent with reasonable time, payment or usage requirements.”
If you’re in the military, have an account in good standing, and are being deployed overseas, you can have your device unlocked at any time by showing your carrier your deployment papers.
The unlock process should be available to wireless customers for no charge, but again, check with your carrier.
The following links will tell you the policies of the four major wireless carriers:
You can also find out more details about cell phone unlocking at this FCC link
(Via BGR)
