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MobiCity promotional video

Promotional video for http://www.mobilephoneshorts.com and the team at http://www.mobicity.com.au

When you purchase a mobile phone, you may have noticed that how limited your choices are. Most mobile phones are locked to a specific carrier, especially free or highly discounted phones. Using an unlocked mobile phone provides a greater amount of flexibility, allowing you to use the mobile phone of your choice without being restricted to the carrier’s phone choices. You can even move from one carrier to another while using the same phone. And in the long run, using an unlocked mobile phone can be cheaper, since you do not have to purchase another phone if you move to another mobile phone provider.

What Phones Can Be Unlocked?
Mobile phones operating on the GSM network standard are generally considered being the easiest to unlock, since these phones use Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards. These compact cards store subscriber data from a selected service carrier. When a phone is “locked”, that means it will only recognize a SIM card from a particular carrier. Firmware within the phone ensures that it remains programmed for only that carrier. When SIM cards belonging to other carriers are used, the phone will not recognize the information within, thus rendering the phone useless until the proper SIM card is inserted.

How Mobile Phones Are Unlocked
The most popular method for unlocking mobile phones comes from third-party solutions created by mobile phone enthusiasts. The methods and software used generally vary from phone to phone and come with inherent risks. While you may be able to unlock your phone, you also run the risk of “bricking” or making the phone inoperable. Some mobile phone service carriers will unlock a phone for a fee, although this practice is somewhat uncommon.

An easier way to unlock a mobile phone is to simply get a phone that is already unlocked. Most of these phones are available directly from the manufacturers or from third-party vendors. The only disadvantage to purchasing an unlocked phone is the sometimes prohibitive cost, since these phones can, on occasion cost up to four times the price offered by mobile phone carriers when combined with a phone plan. This is largely due to the fact that the phones offered by carriers are heavily subsidized in cost, using the proceeds from mobile phone plans to cover the costs of the phone itself. A big advantage is that you get a phone that reliably works with any carrier’s SIM card.