Are you wondering about shifting from one carrier to another? But you can’t do so unless your iPhone is unlocked by your carrier.
Yes, if you have purchased your iPhone from one of the carriers with a discounted price, chances are your iPhone is locked. And that means a lot of limitations. For example, when activating eSIM on your iPhone.
We know a good number of iPhone users are confused about their iPhones being locked by carriers. But don’t worry! Today, you’ll go through everything you need to understand iPhone carrier locking. Are you ready?
Key Takeaways:
- Most iPhones are purchased from carriers, with over 80% in the US purchasing from a carrier.
- Carrier lock means the iPhone cannot be moved to another carrier or mobile network.
- The carrier often offers a discount price and free customer services, but users must sign an agreement indicating their loyalty.
- To unlock the iPhone, contact the carrier and make a request.
- Once the carrier reviews the request, they will unlock the iPhone for a few days.
- The fees may vary depending on the carrier.
What Is Carrier Lock in an iPhone?
Not all people purchase iPhones from the official retailers. Moreover, most people purchase iPhones from a carrier (above 80% in the United States).
When you purchase your iPhone from a carrier, the carrier often poses a limitation that means you won’t be able to shift to another carrier from your iPhone.
What are you supposed to have in return, then? You can purchase the iPhone at a discounted price along with some other free customer services. While purchasing, users need to sign an agreement signifying their loyalty to use.
Carriers go with an advanced software to lock your iPhone then. Until you meet the purpose of the agreement, you have to stick to the carrier from whom you purchase your iPhone.
And this is what carrier lock means. Some also treat this as a loyalty program. If someone is looking for a more affordable option, going with the carrier-locked iPhone makes sense.
How Do You Know That Your iPhone Is Carrier Locked?
You don’t need to be tech-savvy to figure out whether your iPhone is carrier-locked. Rather, by simply going to the ‘Settings’ menu on your iPhone, you can figure it out.
Here’s what you need to do: Go to ‘Settings>General>About Phone’. Now, if you notice ‘No SIM restrictions’, your iPhone will be unlocked. You can then move to any carrier you want once the carrier lock is removed.
What Are the Limitations of iPhone Carrier Lock?
Yes, it is true that you can purchase a locked iPhone from your carrier at an affordable price. But at the same time, you need to go with some sort of limitations. And here is where you may want to unlock your iPhone. We’ll cover this in the blog section.
Restricted Network Choice
If your iPhone is restricted by your carrier, you can’t choose any mobile network. You need to stick to the voice, data, and other plans of the same network. Now, this can cause problems, especially when you are traveling.
The roaming packages of your current carrier may be that higher. If your iPhone is unlocked, you have nothing really to do as you need to stick with the existing carrier.
Thinking about convenience, a locked iPhone is not what you find helpful in all cases.
Inability to Use eSIM
eSIM denies the restrictions of physical SIM cards. The trend of using eSIM is gradually increasing around the world.
But if your iPhone is locked, you can also not activate eSIM from another carrier on your iPhone. In order to activate eSIM, you should know the IMEI number which is connected to eSIM.
But knowing the IMEI number also doesn’t work unless your iPhone is unlocked by the carrier. Yes, you can get the eSIM from your existing carrier but this will not be the cost efficient and cost effective option.
Well, are you looking for an eSIM from a reliable seller? You can check Pirate Mobile as we have consistent connectivity around the world. We’ll show you how to unlock your iPhone, not a big deal.
Difficulty Reselling
You may want to sell your iPhone. But if your iPhone is locked by the carrier, you may not have the reselling price that you’ve always wanted.
This is because the person whom you want to sell your iPhone to may have preferences other than your carrier.
More or less, this can be considered as an issue. And that’s the reason why the proper reselling price won’t be on the card for most of the time. Potential buyers may be less willing to pay the full price.
How Can I Unlock My Carrier-Locked iPhone?
If your iPhone is locked by your carrier, the best option is to contact your carrier in order to unlock the device. Now the process may not be that smooth because when you buy an iPhone from a carrier, there would be some sort of commitment that you need to maintain.
And one more fact is that, no one except your network provider or carrier can unlock your iPhone, regardless of the model you have.
All you should do is contact your carrier and make a request to unlock your iPhone. This step should come in when discussing carrier lock sim locked meaning. Once your carrier reviews your request, you will grant your appeal and unlock your iPhone so that you can shift to another mobile network when needed. But for this, you have to wait for a few days.
Can I Use an eSIM on a Carrier-Locked iPhone?
Unfortunately not. You can activate eSIM on your iPhone unless it is carrier unblocked. When an iPhone is locked by the carrier, it goes under the restrictions of not moving to another carrier or mobile network. So, in order to use eSIM on your iPhone, it becomes essential to unlock your iPhone by making a request to your carrier.
Are There Any Fees Associated With Unlocking an iPhone From a Carrier?
The exact amount of fees you need to bear might vary depending on the carrier you are contracted to. As you are supposed to be in the contract period, you may need to pay your carrier the remaining due amount for your phone.
Certain services might incur additional fees for unpaid contracts or blacklisted devices, potentially exceeding $200. Locked devices may require premium services. For accurate pricing and eligibility information, please contact your carrier directly.
Final Words
We highly recommend you not to go with an iPhone that is locked by your carrier. If you need maximum efficiency with a mobile network, an unlocked iPhone should be the way to go.
When you are on a vacation, you may need to choose a mobile network that can meet your unique demands. Therefore, if you want to unlock your iPhone, contact your carrier as early as possible.
