You should settle your device and other payments with Verizon before the 60-day lock-in period expires to have your phone automatically unlocked. This 60-day lock-in includes and will continue for those who’d canceled their Verizon service before the lock-in period ended, for those moving onto a different carrier, and for those who’d fully paid off their devices. The period starts from the day of the phone activation until the 60 days are over. This “lock-in” period covers all phones from Verizon and its retail partners. So, what are Verizon’s specific phone policies? As their Jpolicy update states, you need to keep an active mobile plan subscription for sixty days before your phone automatically unlocks. Verizon’s Phone Unlocking Policies Photo by artboySHF on Shutterstock We also have a more in-depth explanation of what an unlocked phone is you can read up on. Most carriers have “Bring Your Own Phone” initiatives. Aside from carrier freedom, you can also save money on an unlocked phone. Unlocking your Verizon phone also allows you to use it with international SIM cards. This includes having SIM cards from different carriers on one dual-SIM phone. You should unlock your phone to give you free access to whichever carrier or mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) you wish to sign onto. Why Should You Unlock Your Verizon Phone?Īs explained earlier, carrier-locked phones are tied to whatever service or carrier they were bought from. This necessitates unlocking your Verizon phone. Verizon’s statement on the matter is that it “helps prevent theft and protect customers from fraud.” They believe that a device “locked” to a carrier would be a deterrent to thieves by being less attractive to them. You may be wondering why these phone locks exist in the first place and you wouldn’t be the first. Why Are Phones Locked? Image by Mudassar Iqbal from Pixabay Unless there’s specific inclusion of an “unlocked phone” in your carrier’s contract or you bought the phone separately, most plan phones are delivered with a carrier lock. It also affects both prepaid and postpaid plans as well. This is regardless of whether you bought one from Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, or other carriers. These are “locked” to the carrier you’d bought them from. Now, for an obvious question, what is a locked phone? Locked phones are the same as any other Android or iPhone phone with one exception. What Networks Can Your Now Unlocked Phone Use?.Lock-In periods for Older Phones and 3G World Devices.Exception for Deployed Military Personnel.

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