If you have an Android phone that you want to use on a different mobile network, you will need to make sure that it is unlocked before inserting a different SIM. Although many Android phones today will come to SIM free or SIM unlocked, some may be locked to the first network that they were used on.
Finding out whether or not your Android phone is unlocked or not is quite simple; all you'll need to do is insert a SIM card from a different mobile network into the handset.
Once you restart the phone, there will be a message displayed if it is locked to another network. If you can use it as normal, you will know that your handset is already unlocked. Note that inserting another SIM card should not damage your handset in any way.
How to Unlock Your Handset
Unlocking an Android handset is usually much easier than unlocking some other handsets, such as the iPhone. To unlock your Android phone, you will need to get an unlocking code. You can get this from a third-party provider such as Unlocking Smart, or from your mobile phone network.
Often, it's a good idea to try your cell phone network first as they may provide a free phone unlocking service. However, in most cases, mobile networks require for you to have had the handset for a certain amount of time, or pay a fee to unlock it to any network.
Is Unlocking My Handset Safe?
Many Android smartphone users wonder whether or not unlocking their handset to work on any network will be safe for the phone. Often, people may have been led to believe that unlocking their handset will mean that it is more susceptible to viruses or malicious attacks from hackers.
Thankfully, this should not be the case if your Android handset is unlocked correctly. If you do not choose to use the services offered by your mobile network provider when unlocking your Android phone, it's vital to ensure that you choose a third-party unlocking service which is professional and reputable.
Unlocking and Your Warranty
Before you go ahead and unlock your Android smartphone so that it can be used on any network, it's important to make sure that this won't void your manufacturer's warranty. The last thing that you want is for something to go wrong with your phone as a result of the unlocking, or another fault to develop after you have had it unlocked only to find out that the warranty no longer covers you.
Before you get your handset unlocked, it's a good idea to contact your manufacturer to determine whether or not the warranty will be affected. In some cases, there may be terms and conditions related to unlocking which you must adhere to ensure that your warranty remains valid.
Unlocking your Android smartphone to be used on any network is usually a straightforward and easy process. However, it's important to ensure that it's done professionally and doesn't void your warranty.
