Improve the FixYa experience for everyone by voting. I want you to let me know if the solution(s) suggested were of any value. Constructive criticism is welcomed.Hi,I'm Ben and -- hopefully -- I can provide some meaningful assistance.Unfortunately, you have not stated whether your SIM card or; the actual phone is blocked (also commonly known as a locked phone) . Additionally, you haven't provided your carrier.SIM CARD:If you enter a wrong PIN code too many times, usually three, your SIM will lock itself. This protects you from someone using your personal information or making calls if your cell phone is lost or stolen. You may see "PIN blocked" or Enter PUK code" on your cell phone display. The PUK code stands for PIN Unblocking Key. In the U.S., the PUK code is rarely provided when you get your subscription.If you do not have your PUK code, contact the Customer Care customer again. Give them your phone number and once they are sure it is really you, they will give you the PUK code.You will then be asked to set a new PIN code. Once you have your PUK be sure to keep it in a safe place. Note that if you enter a wrong PUK 10 times in a row, the SIM will be permanently blocked, and you'll need to purchase a new SIM card.LOCKED PHONEIf you purchased your handset directly from your network on either Pay As You Go or Pay Monthly, there is a reasonably good chance it'll be locked. There are some tell-tale signs of a locked phone: The phone packaging/box has your operator's logo on The phone itself is branded with the operator's logo You see your operator's logo every time you turn on your phone There are items relating to your operator in the main menu (e.g. Vodafone 360, Orange World)... although sometimes you'll see the branding even on a phone which isn't lockedThe best way to definitively test if your phone is locked is to grab yourself a free Pay As You Go SIM card from a network apart from your own. If your phone is unlocked the phone should start up as normal, display the name of your new network and allow you to make calls. If your phone is locked, it'll will display an error message or ask you to enter a "subsidy PIN".If you purchased your phone as "SIM-free", "handset only" or "unlocked" then you should find that your phone is unlocked.Why are phones locked?In the USA, service providers often offer free phones that can only be used own their networks. They lock out other service providers should you decide to give away the free phone for use by anotheron a different network.In the UK, the networks operators often subsidize their phones. They do this in an attempt to attract customers to their network - consumers, particularly Pay As You Go customers, tend to be fairly network agnostic: they choose a phone that they want and then they find the network which offers the phone for the least amount of money. In order to attract these customers, networks subsidize the phones and often sell them as a "loss leader" hoping to make back the money through selling airtime. So that you can't simply buy a subsidized phone from Network A (which loses money on the phone) and then instantly use it on Network B (which makes the profit from the airtime), the phone would be sold to you "locked" to Network A so you could only use it on that network.Am I allowed to unlock my phone? Is it legal?Yes, it is totally legal to unlock your phone so that you can use it on a different network. This is different from unblocking (modifying a phone so it works after the networks have blocked it because it has been lost or stolen) which is illegal.How do I unlock my phone?The "official" way of unlocking your phone is to call up your network and to ask for a "subsidy PIN". This is a code which you'll need to enter on your phone to unlock it. Your network should be able to give you a quote to how much it'll cost to unlock your phone and provide instructions on how you use your phone. The cost of obtaining a subsidy PIN is typically around $10-$15 but it could be a lot more for newer phones.If you've got an iPhone, the process of unlocking differs. See our detailed guide to unlocking your iPhone.There are some "unofficial" ways to unlock your phone - for example by jailbreaking or rooting. These will almost certainly invalidate your warranty, can damage your phone if carried out incorrectly and may require you to unlock the phone again each time a software update is released. Personally, I would recommend paying the fee to unlock your phone properly.Is my network legally obliged to unlock my phone for me?No. They are under no legal obligation to unlock your phone. However, most networks should unlock your phone for a small fee (around $10-$25). The exact amount will depend on which phone you have and occasionally how long you've had it.Unlock To Talk will unlock your phone for a modest fee.
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