- Dec 17, 2012
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Please read the entirety of this post.
Unlocking falls into the category of cracking/hacking and is not allowed on these forums for more reasons than one.
To start with, if the phone happens to be on a contract and you so choose to unlock it; you are committing breach of a legally binding document by doing so.
If the phone is not on a contract, but happens to be running a custom version of an Android ROM such as the ones t-mobile frequently puts on their devices, unlocking it yourself falls into the category of copyright infringement as you are modifying copyrighted software. Same goes for Apple software and the iPhone.
Also, as of January 27 2013, unlocking phones in the United States is illegal. Regardless of carrier, contract, and phone. We can not tell where you are posting from.
Furthermore, we can not prove the device ownership, and will not help commit theft.
Because of the reasons outlined above, any post requesting a network unlock will be removed.
If you happen to own a handset that is not on a contract, and is running a stock Android ROM from Google like the Nexus and wish to unlock it; your options are as follows.
1. Call the carrier it is locked to and request an unlock code. If the phone is not on a contract they will supply this code to you for a small fee, typically around ten dollars. In order to use the code, insert a non-network SIM card (ie, the phone is locked to AT&T - insert a Verizon SIM), turn the phone on. It will read "restricted" or "SIM network locked" across the top. Enter the code supplied by the carrier and hit enter. It will now be unlocked.
2. Unlock it yourself at a software level. Remember that this is ONLY LEGAL if the phone is NOT on a contract and is running a STOCK version of the Android ROM from Google. Also, the slightest mistake during this procedure could result in turning your phone into a paperweight with a battery. If you are legally allowed to do this, and you are willing to absolve that risk, request help at the XDA forums here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/ This is considered cracking/hacking so I will not supply more help than that link, as discussing it further would be against the rules of Tom's.
-------2a. For iPhone users, the legality issues are the exact same. While you can use software tools to unlock your phone, it's only legal if you own the device, and are not on a contract. You can also order the iPhone direct from Apple without a lock to begin with. If however you happen to have purchased a phone from a carrier and are not on a contract, and you would like to unlock it, please seek the help doing so here: http://forum.iphone-developers.com/
Unlocking falls into the category of cracking/hacking and is not allowed on these forums for more reasons than one.
To start with, if the phone happens to be on a contract and you so choose to unlock it; you are committing breach of a legally binding document by doing so.
If the phone is not on a contract, but happens to be running a custom version of an Android ROM such as the ones t-mobile frequently puts on their devices, unlocking it yourself falls into the category of copyright infringement as you are modifying copyrighted software. Same goes for Apple software and the iPhone.
Also, as of January 27 2013, unlocking phones in the United States is illegal. Regardless of carrier, contract, and phone. We can not tell where you are posting from.
Furthermore, we can not prove the device ownership, and will not help commit theft.
Because of the reasons outlined above, any post requesting a network unlock will be removed.
If you happen to own a handset that is not on a contract, and is running a stock Android ROM from Google like the Nexus and wish to unlock it; your options are as follows.
1. Call the carrier it is locked to and request an unlock code. If the phone is not on a contract they will supply this code to you for a small fee, typically around ten dollars. In order to use the code, insert a non-network SIM card (ie, the phone is locked to AT&T - insert a Verizon SIM), turn the phone on. It will read "restricted" or "SIM network locked" across the top. Enter the code supplied by the carrier and hit enter. It will now be unlocked.
2. Unlock it yourself at a software level. Remember that this is ONLY LEGAL if the phone is NOT on a contract and is running a STOCK version of the Android ROM from Google. Also, the slightest mistake during this procedure could result in turning your phone into a paperweight with a battery. If you are legally allowed to do this, and you are willing to absolve that risk, request help at the XDA forums here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/ This is considered cracking/hacking so I will not supply more help than that link, as discussing it further would be against the rules of Tom's.
-------2a. For iPhone users, the legality issues are the exact same. While you can use software tools to unlock your phone, it's only legal if you own the device, and are not on a contract. You can also order the iPhone direct from Apple without a lock to begin with. If however you happen to have purchased a phone from a carrier and are not on a contract, and you would like to unlock it, please seek the help doing so here: http://forum.iphone-developers.com/
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