What does the term "an unlocked phone" mean?
1530224
An "Unlocked" phone can use a SIM card from any provider. The phones you get for a discounted price from providers like AT&T, Sprint etc. are "Locked" so they will not accept a SIM card from any other cellular company. The reason this is done is so you do not take the free phone that the cellular company is providing you at a loss, terminate the contract and use the phone on a competing cellular company. Even after getting the early termination fees from you, the cellular company will still be out of pocket for the cost of the phone. An "Unlocked" phone has no such restrictions. You pay the full price for the phone and use it with any cellular service provider you like.
1126757
Unlocked means it is open to go onto any cellphone network that is not closed to just the phones the carrier sells such as U S Cellular is a closed network.
1305847
its unlock. You can use with any carrier that uses a sim card. I have use one with T-mobile and one with sprint.
2148319
I can say its unlocked phone. I used it in my country and my operator's sım card. No problem.
1086448
Unlocked means that it not lock to a particular mobile carrier, so you will be able to use a sim card from any mobile provider to access data services
2057440
Cell phones are typically tied to a particular carrier, ATT, Vz, etc. This forces users to subscribe to a plan with that carrier in return for a discount on the price - $199 for an iPhone vs $600, for example. Unlocked means that the phone can be used with any carrier, as long as it is compatible with that carrier's network. On a side note, I've had this phone for 5 years, both of my children teethed on it, and it's still going strong. Its original batter will only hold a charge for a few days vs the initial 2 weeks+, but it's the best phone I've ever owned.
964282
Amazon doesn't seem to have any formal definition of what new means. Ebay defines it as "unused, unopened, undamaged", so opening a phone's packaging to unlock it would seem to violate that definition. A related question is where these phones actually come from, seeing as they were never for sale to anyone without an AT&T contract. Presumably they were owned previously by someone who got the phone from AT&T then returned it or sold it on for whatever reason. Thus, there would be no way of telling if the phone is actually unused or not, as it would be up to the original owner's (dis)honesty. I'm just theorizing here as I have no evidence to go on, but this would probably explain why some of these phones aren't as new as they should be.
131552
unlocked means that theoreticly it can be used with any provider in fact this phone uses a SIM card which is compatible with many systems att and canadian etc but NOT with verizon
479893
locked phones have to be used with a specific carrier, while unlocked phones usually are compatible with multiple carriers and or may have dual sim card capability.
302873
It has a regular size sim card slot. Unlocked means diffefent things for different people. Usually it means activated on its network . Should mean network free. Might need to buy unlock code to be network freeThat happend with my phone. I had to complain to seller that it was not unlocked and they sent me a code. Now worka fine with Tmobile.
911972
It means it is not locked on to A T and T, Verizon, etc. that refers to an I Pad which is capable of installing a Micro. SIM card for Wi Fi. The kind of Wi Fi that enables you to utilize data a nd email on your smart phone. Each provider has its ow n 4G system. Unlocked means that you can select YOUR own provider of your choice . For example, if I had purchased an I Pad at Verizon with Wi Fi, it would come with and be limited to Verizon. Does this help? If you don't need Wi Fi the n buy it at Apple for they are very helpful. When I took mine in for help, they were not happy th at I bought mine online! Oh well, I need the Wi Fi and did not w ant A T and T. Peggy It means it is not locked on to A T and T, Verizon, etc. that refers to an I Pad which is capable of installing a Micro. SIM card for Wi Fi. The kind of Wi Fi that enables you to utilize data a nd email on your smart phone. Each provider has its ow n 4G system. Unlocked means that you can select YOUR own provider of your choice . For example, if I had purchased an I Pad at Verizon with Wi Fi, it would come with and be limited to Verizon. Does this help? If you don't need Wi Fi the n buy it at Apple for they are very helpful. When I took mine in for help, they were not happy th at I... » Read More It means it is not locked on to A T and T, Verizon, etc. that refers to an I Pad which is capable of installing a Micro. SIM card for Wi Fi. The kind of Wi Fi that enables you to utilize data a nd email on your smart phone. Each provider has its ow n 4G system. Unlocked means that you can select YOUR own provider of your choice . For example, if I had purchased an I Pad at Verizon with Wi Fi, it would come with and be limited to Verizon. Does this help? If you don't need Wi Fi the n buy it at Apple for they are very helpful. When I took mine in for help, they were not happy th at I bought mine online! Oh well, I need the Wi Fi and did not w ant A T and T. Peggy « Show Less
1584978
It means that this model will not work with Vonage as the supplier/provider of Voice over IP (VoIP). It does work with many VoIP providers including mine which is Nextiva. The term "Unlocked" refers to software settings in the box (phone etc) that are normally not available to the consumer. If such a box is "unlocked" it can possibly be modified to work with a service it is not normally intended to work with. Making modifications to an unlocked product generally voids its warranty, may cause it to work improperly if the modification is incorrect or the product can fail all together and not be recoverable. It means that this model will not work with Vonage as the supplier/provider of Voice over IP (VoIP). It does work with many VoIP providers including mine which is Nextiva. The term "Unlocked" refers to software settings in the box (phone etc) that are normally not available to the consumer. If such a box is "unlocked" it can possibly be modified to work with a service it is not normally intended to work with. Making modifications to an unlocked product generally voids its warranty, may cause it to work improperly if the modification is incorrect or the product can fail... » Read More It means that this model will not work with Vonage as the supplier/provider of Voice over IP (VoIP). It does work with many VoIP providers including mine which is Nextiva. The term "Unlocked" refers to software settings in the box (phone etc) that are normally not available to the consumer. If such a box is "unlocked" it can possibly be modified to work with a service it is not normally intended to work with. Making modifications to an unlocked product generally voids its warranty, may cause it to work improperly if the modification is incorrect or the product can fail all together and not be recoverable. « Show Less
1735634
Most phones will not be unlocked unless it says so specifically in the description.
2120870
Yes, if the phone is unlocked then it is unlocked everywhere. There is no company or country that can claim it for its own ubscription. Unlocking simply means freeing the phone.
250338
It is an Unlocked SIMcard phone... the SIMcard is what dictates the service you get with most phones (unless their locked to a specific carrier, and don't use a removable SIMcard.) Unlocked means, that it will work with any compatible SIMcard, from any carrier worldwide, and will utilize whatever service plan is associated with said SIMcard
1463657
Unlocked means that you can put any GSM sim card from cellphone companies on the phone and it will work correctly.
2175873
I have no idea what your question means. I do know that I am very satisfied with this phone.