Is my mobile phone locked?

It’s simple to find out if your phone is locked. Simply insert a SIM card from another carrier (you’ll be able to get one free from a phone shop or by ordering one online) and see if the name of the network appears on your handset.

If it does and you’re able to use your phone, it’s unlocked.

Sony Xperia advice:

If you can please double check your device can be unlocked with the following commands:

  1. On the device, dial *#*#7378423#*#* (*#*#SERVICE#*#*) to launch the service menu.
  2. Go to service info > configuration and check rooting status – you can only continue if it says Bootloader unlock allowed: Yes

I'm going to unlock my phone via my network. How does it work?

When you contact your network to unlock your phone by phone, they’ll ask you for your IMEI number. This is an identifier that’s unique to your phone and enables your network to discern make and model, as well as its serial number.

You can get the number in a variety of ways. But perhaps the easiest is by opening phone app, then entering *#06# using the keyboard. The IMEI number will flash up on the screen instantly for you to take down with a piece of paper. Or with your phone’s Notes app.

Alternatively, if you’ve got an iPhone you can find it via your Settings app. First open up settings, then press ‘General’, followed by ‘About’. You’ll find it towards the bottom of the screen.

Got an Android phone? You can also get your IMEI through the Settings part of your phone. Once you’ve opened Settings, go to ‘About Device’ and thence to ‘Status’. And there you’ll find it.

Once you’ve provided your network with your IMEI they can start the unlocking process.

How long it’ll actually take and whether a charge applies depends principally on your network’s policy. However, it’s also affected by whether you’re a pay monthly or pay as you go customer and by the make and model of your phone.

We examine each of the major networks’ policy on phone unlocking further down the page.

Why should I unlock my phone?

Uswitch studies show the the most common reason for unlocking a phone is to take advantage of well priced SIM only deals.

When your phone’s unlocked, you’re not limited to tariffs offered by the network you bought your phone from. You can take your pick from the whole market.

Just as important is that really good SIM only deals tend to be up for grabs for a limited period only.

Having a SIM only deal gives you the freedom you need to chop and change and snap up the best offers while they’re still around.

Many people unlock their phone when they want to sell it. Generally unlocked phones command higher prices and sell faster than those that are still tied to a network.

If you’re a frequent traveler and want to save money on roaming charges by using SIMs from overseas networks, you’ll need a phone that’s unlocked.