Hi:
Not a stupid question at all. This is usually associated with GSM phones. Essentially, branded phones are usually "locked" to that carrier meaning they can't be used with any other provider/network. Often this is necessary because phones are sold at a steep discount (aka subsidized) and the buyer is required to sign up for two or more years of service and the carrier sells at the discounted price because they will get their investment back over the term of the contract.
Unlocking is accomplished through an unlock code.
An "unlocked" phone is one that a user can insert a SIM card from any provider and begin making and receiving calls. When an unlocked phone is purchased it is usually at a premium price, with no discount, if purchased from a service provider. Note that this is usually associated with cellular services, not data, which is sold as a separate service at additional cost.
Keep in mind the term locked is also used when talking about keyboards and screens, but that is a function of the phone to prevent against accidentally dialing a number or unauthorized use of a cell phone by someone other than the owner.
I am not sure if there is an unlock procedure for CDMA phones as they are usually only permitted to be used on one network. However, I believe many CDMA carriers like Verizon and Sprint have agreed to permit unbranded phones on their networks, but they have to be approved by them....whatever that means. I'm not sure where that process is at and if it really is implemented.
I hope this helps,
SteveTaz
Quote:
Originally Posted by azcampingdude  This might sound really stupid, but what does unlocking mean. |