How To Turn Your IPhone Into A Unlocked Wireless Device

If you purchased your iPhone from AT&T, there is a very good chance that your phone is what is considered a locked device. This means that your device will only work on the AT&T network. This typically does not cause any problems, as long as you remain with AT&T. The problem occurs when you consider changing mobile phone providers. Below is some vital information about why you might want to turn your iPhone into a unlocked wireless device and how to do it.

There are really four basic reasons why you may want to consider unlocking your iPhone. And they are,

Change Mobile Phone Carriers:

           The only way that you will be able to use your iPhone on another mobile phone company’s networks is to unlock the device. All AT&T phones that operate with a SIM card, require that the SIM card ID and the cell phone’s ID match. This means that if you change carriers and put their SIM card into your phone it will not work.

Increase the Value of Your Phone:

          If you have recently upgraded to the newest iPhone version, you may want to consider selling your old phone. You will be able to sell it for a lot more money if the phone is unlocked. This is because unlocked iPhones are in high demand, and you will be able to sell it to people with other mobile phone carriers.

Use Apps Outside of Apple App Store:

          If you have a locked iPhone, you will only be able to download apps to your phone that are found in the Apple Apps store. While Apple does have a large selection of apps for the phone, there still may be some apps that are only available on other networks.

If You Are Traveling Overseas:

          If you travel overseas with your current iPhone, you may be surprised when your next phone bill come in due to the huge amount of roaming charges. However, if you have an unlocked phone, you can take out the SIM card while you are in the other country and use one from that country. Europe offers SIM card that come with a set amount of minutes already on them, which is less expensive.

Steps for Unlocking Your Phone:

If you fit any of the four categories above and want to unlock your phone, you need to be very careful about how you go about it. There are some websites that offer to show you how to unlock your phone through a process called jailbreak. Not only is this process illegal, but is can also cause severe damage to your phone if not done properly. There are also several third party companies that offer this service for a set price. This also may not be the safest method for unlocking your phone.

Fortunately, AT&T offers their customers a way to unlock their iPhone right through their website. You are require to first fill out the online unlock request form, and within five days, they will send you the cod you need to unlock your phone. In order to qualify for this service you must be a current or past customer of AT&T and not be delinquent on any payments to AT&T. In addition, the phone must not have been reported lost or broken in the past and it must be an AT&T distributed phone.

If you feel that turning your phone into an unlocked wireless device is the best option for you, contacting AT&T directly is the best method to use. If they cannot help you, then you may want to explore other options. However, it is important to know that if you live in the United States it is actually considered illegal to unlock your phone on your own and you could face some stiff fines.