What are "UNLOCKED" cell phones?

Question

and where can i buy one?

Answer 1

a locked cell phone is locked to a specific provider.

keep in mind even if the phone is unlocked it cannot be used on all providers. ATT and Tmobile use GSM technology they can interchange the phones while the internet wont work you can call and do text messaging. Most carriers are GSM these days.

Sprint and Verizon use CDMA technology its different than GSM their phones dont take a sim card and can only be used on CDMA carriers.

You can buy unlocked phones just about anywhere anymore. Ebay, Amazon, direct from the manuf and you can call and ask the provider if the unlock code can be provided.

Answer 2

Unlocked cell phones are those that use GSM chips in the back, the benefit is that you can use them with any carrier versus having to go buy a phone from your carrier for a ridiculous contract extension or other erroneous fee. Sometimes, such as with the the latest and hottest phones the Unlocked versions can be much more expensive.

Some brands of phone, primarily motorola actually sell unlocked phones of their own website. I have purchased one previously but they are the MSRP price. You can also buy unlocked phones on the black market by people who know what they are doing. Check out eBay or Craigslist.

otherwise motorola.com was where I bought my phone.

good luck!

Answer 3

When someone buys a cell phone and the original user had a lock code on it, it is called a locked phone. But if they have the code to unlock it, it's called an unlocked phone. You can buy them on eBay or pretty much anywhere else online. It's basically a used cell phone.

Answer 4

Unlocked Phones are phones that are no longer stuck on one network. People unlock phones using programs on there computers and other software. People do it so that the coolest phones can be used on there network when there provider doesn't have any cool phones available to them.

Answer 5

Cell phones that are not reported lost/stolen or have an outstanding amount on the bill of the previous user. Ebay is a good place for a used one.

Answer 6

Locked - Cell Phone can only be used with a certain mobile network.

Unlocked - Cell Phone can be used with any mobile network of your choice.

Answer 7

The phone that you buy from your cell phone company locks certain features and certain network bandwidths out. With a unlocked phone you can do all kinds of neat stuff. Features vary from phone to phone. You can buy them on eBay. Every phone has different features and bandwiths they can run on. check out phonescoop.com to see what they are all about including reviews. Plus which bandwiths they run on.

Answer 8

an unlocked cell phone is one that can be used on a network other than the one it was original from. for example, using a verizon phone on sprint. you can get one on ebay.

Answer 9

This to all,
Please don't misunderstand "Unlocked" mobile phones as hacked mobile phones.

In India, particularly, mobile are sold by the mobile manufacturer directly like nokia, samsung, lg, Panasonic etc etc. These mobile are in unlocked mode i.e. one can use any service provider's sim card in the mobile.

Even when on trips to say: US/UK, I normally buy sims only in that country and use them in my mobile.

In US/UK, I've seen that mobiles are locked by service poviders as they are one who are selling the mobile, which anyways can be unlocked to be used else where.

Answer 10

some cell phones are locked by vender and provided by them, the unlocked can be used normally