If you are a lucky owner of the latest iPhone, at some point you might need to get it unlocked to use on a different network. As it turns out, there are many questions surrounding this topic. I am going to address them below.
What is iPhone unlock?
In simple terms, an iPhone unlock means the ability to use your handset with various carriers. If you purchased an iPhone for a full price, chances are your device is already unlocked and you can simply switch between carriers as you wish. In contrast, most in-contract iPhones are locked – you got it at a discount, saved some cash down the road, but now are stuck with the carrier till your contract expires. What makes this whole issue confusing is the fact that there are many different iPhone models tailored to different providers.
Let me give you a quick example.
If you just recently got your iPhone 5 at Verizon (CDMA network), it is CDMA-locked in U.S.: you won’t be able to switch over to another CDMA network, like Sprint. But its GSM radio is unlocked, so you will have no problem using it on any GSM network in U.S. and worldwide (mobile carriers in most countries use GSM technology). This does not apply in the same way to, say, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s models. You can use this quick widget to check if you can use your iPhone on other networks.
Do I need an iPhone unlock?
The above widget will also come handy if you want to check whether your iPhone is locked or unlocked and to which carrier. For example, if you currently have an iPhone 5 with AT&T and would like to use it abroad with a local carrier, you may need to order an official unlock before you will be able to do so.
How is it different from iPhone “jailbreak”?
iPhone unlocks are not the same as iPhone “jailbreaks”. In simple terms, a jailbreak means getting access to the iPhone’s iOS (Operating System) in order to remove the software lock that prevents users from running apps that are not officially approved by Apple and can’t be found in Apple store. There are hundreds of useful apps that can’t be downloaded from iTunes. A jailbreak allows one to install and run such apps without waiting for them to be approved by Apple.
Jailbreak should not be confused with unlock. Unlocking, when properly performed, does not require anything to be done to your iPhone. It is accomplished by remotely marking your device as “Unlocked” in Apple’s official IMEI database. Let me provide you with more details.
How it works and where to get one?
As I said, an official iPhone unlock is done remotely and no access to your handset is needed. There is no software to install and no programs to run on your computer like in the case of iPhone jailbreak. All you need to know is: which iPhone model you are using, to which carrier it is locked (if not sure, use the widget above to run a lock-in carrier lookup), and your handset’s IMEI number that you can find by using the Settings > General > About sequence.
All it takes is to supply this information to the official unlock service like Keys2iPhone.com and wait a few hours or days - depending on your carrier - for your device to be officially unlocked in Apple’s factory database. The final step usually requires logging on iTunes to complete a backup and restore of your handset.
I hope this clarifies some issues about iPhone unlocking. Feel free to post in comments with your questions and reactions.
