Your phone is carrier locked when the original carrier is the only service/ signal your phone is capable of receiving
Your phone in and of itself may have the ability to be carrier unlocked and compatible with other wireless networks, but wireless companies such as Sprint, Verizon, T Mobile, Metro PCS, and AT&T, to name a few, sell locked phones so that its customers are locked into the service they originally purchased along with the smartphone or device.
Wireless carriers do not manufacture or create phones such as Samsung or Apple. They benefit very marginally from the phone sale itself.
Their interest is the service they sell which is carried and accessed via the smartphone tablet or other device that they may offer to their customers. Therefore, certain terms and standards often have to be met in order for them to grand the unlocking of their issued or sold smartphone or device. These terms include but are not limited to the full payment of the device rendered to the wireless company.
A minimum period of time the service must be active, the phone being in good standing and not reported lost or claimed on insurance. After these terms are met, often the carrier will release an unlock code, or unlock your phone through the apple server. There are many other types of locks as well, FRP lock, Screen Lock, icloud, etc which we will also cover at a later time. There are also other ways via third party to unlock and bypass each of the above locks. Just keep in mind if your looking to sell your device in the near future there is usually a price difference in what the device is worth if it unlocked or locked to a carrier. As always, contact us for all of your smartphone needs. We appreciate your business. Have a great week!
