How to Unlock a Carrier-Locked Phone: Your Guide to Mobile Freedom Is your phone unlocked? Sure you might know the passcode, and it may be rooted or jailbroken.But does your carrier prevent you from inserting a SIM card from one of its rivals? Is your smartphone (or mobile internet-capable tablet) locked to one single carrier?gsm fwt fixed wireless terminal If so, it’s carrier-locked. But what if you want to use a SIM card from another carrier (or network)? The answer is that you’ll need to unlock your phone. Here’s what you need to know.Until 2014, that is, when President Barack Obama signed into law the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act. Following this short-term action (which itself followed a declaration of the illegality of phone unlocking in 2013), a decision was eventually made by the FCC to put the power to decide in the hands of the consumer. As such, it is now legal to unlock your smartphone. This brings certain benefits to you, not least the option to switch providers as soon as your contract allows it. Just remember that you cannot overcome the GSM/CDMA limitations of your device. A SIM card from one GSM network can replace another, but such a SIM can’t be used on a device that sits on a CDMA network. However, it is a good idea to get this done before you leave your carrier. Trying to unlock it after your contract has expired (it doesn’t happen automatically), when your carrier no longer cares about retaining your custom, might just leave you high and dry.If you’re in the US, you’ll also need a completed contract/payment plan. In the UK, you don’t need to have finished your contract, but you’ll still be paying for it. All three options are simple enough, but note that you should put time aside for this task. Whether you’re speaking to the carrier directly, or using a third part approach, unlocking your smartphone can take a while.