US Copyright offices rules cell phones must be able to be unlocked!!

Unlock Your Phone



By Sascha Segan
Unlock your cell phone—not just for yourself, but for all of us. A recent Copyright Office ruling gave the thumbs-up to unlocking cell phones, including the GSM phones that are used by Cingular, T-Mobile, and most of the rest of the world outside the U.S.

Unlocking phones lets you use phones bought from anyone with any GSM carrier, including foreign ones. It opens up a huge market for used phones. And just as important, it sends a message to wireless carriers that we're tired of having them control our phone choices.


Sadly, this ruling doesn't affect Alltel, Sprint, or Verizon customers, whose phones must be approved by their networks—and the networks don't approve phones they didn't sell. But if you''re with Cingular or T-Mobile, go for it. SLIDESHOW (5)

Slideshow | All Shots


Unlock By Request
If you've had a T-Mobile phone for 90 days, or you've run out of time on a Cingular contract, you can get an unlocking code just by calling your carrier. Tell your carrier's customer service representative that you're traveling abroad and want to use a foreign carrier's SIM card. If the rep doesn't give you the code, stick to your guns and ask for a manager.

Unlock By Free Code
If you're lucky enough to have an older or basic Nokia model, including the N-Gage, 1100, 3650, 5100, or 6310i, you can use an online calculator to generate a free unlocking code. Check out the instructions at nokiafree.org/forums/t64045/s.html and then use the calculator at unlock.nokiafree.org to unlock your phone. Owners of a few GSM Pocket PC smartphones, including the Cingular 8125 and 8525 and the T-Mobile MDA, can use another tool, found at forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=240784.

Unlock by Post
For some phones, including many Motorola models, the most cost-effective method is to mail your phone to an unlocking shop that uses special hardware to extract the subsidy code and unlock the phone. The shop can also upgrade or change your phone's firmware on request. This service usually costs $20 to $30.

Unlock By Cable
Many phones (including BlackBerrys and Treos, as well as models from HTC, Nextel, Sony Ericsson, and some LG phones) can be unlocked using special software and a cable. You might already have the cable; otherwise, you can buy it along with the software from an unlocking shop. CellCorner.com, iUnlock.com, and GSMLiberty.net are all well-known shops. Expect to pay $15 to $60 for the cable and license to unlock one phone. GSMLiberty also sells unlocking codes for many phones, but they often cost more than the cable-and-software solution.

Hard-Core Unlocking
You can also buy specialized hardware from retailers (such as CellCorner.com) that let you unlock any number of phones, just as a pro would do. But the cost is high: The Motorola Smart Clip, which unlocks dozens of Motorola phones, costs $300. Service professionals and cell-phone shops are the major markets for this kind of hardware

Now What?
Your cell phone can now accept any GSM SIM card on the planet. So what are you going to do with it?

Buy or sell
You can buy an inexpensive used phone on eBay and unlock it to use with your carrier, or sell your own phone on eBay to one of the more than 75 million GSM users in the United States. Or you can buy or sell an exotic foreign phone. SLIDESHOW (3)

Slideshow | All Shots



Take it with you You can convert a prepaid phone to postpaid, keep your Cingular phone with you when you move to T-Mobile, or decide you're sick of TracFone and want to move to a different prepaid carrier with the same phone.

Go on a trip
Traveling overseas, you can plug in foreign SIM cards and get much, much lower rates than the $1 to $2 per minute you'd be charged roaming with a U.S. carrier, and you'll often get free incoming calls. Check out www.telestial.com for more details on foreign SIMs.


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Unlock Your Phone By Sascha Segan Unlock your cell phone—not just for yourself, but for all of us. A recent Copyright Office ruling gave the thumbs-up to unlocking cell phones, including the GSM phones that are used by Cingular, T-Mobile, and most of the rest of the world outside the U.S. Unlocking phones lets you use phones bought from anyone with any GSM carrier, including foreign ones. It opens up a huge market for used phones. And just as important, it sends a message to wireless carriers that we're tired of having them control our phone choices. Sadly, this ruling doesn't affect Alltel, Sprint, or Verizon customers, whose phones must be approved by their networks—and the networks don't approve phones they didn't sell. But if you''re with Cingular or T-Mobile, go for it. SLIDESHOW (5) Slideshow All Shots Unlock By Request If you've had a T-Mobile phone for 90 days, or you've run out of time on a Cingular contract, you can get an unlocking code...