unlocked phones vs. locked phones

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unlocked smartphone

Lifewire

•

Technology

What is an unlocked phone? Here's what you need to know

Summary

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61% Informative

An unlocked smartphone is a phone that can work with any cell phone carrier.

Some phones are not unlocked and so they can only be used on one provider like Verizon , or with just AT&T , or T-Mobile, etc. An unlocked phone doesn't have that limitation.

Not every phone needs to be unlocked in order to take it with you to another carrier.

An unlocked cell phone can work on any mobile carrier's network.

Unlocking a phone does not switch it between radio communication technologies like GSM or CDMA.

If you have a SIM card from another carrier lying around, try putting it in the phone and see if it works.

Activating an unlocked phone should work the same way as activating a locked one.

VR Score

Informative language

Neutral language

Article tone

informal

Language

English