Should I buy an unlocked phone?
In a recent study by NPD, about 28 million people use Unlocked phones across the US. The number is also quite large Globally especially for countries with a growing trend in technology. Unlocked phones come with a lot of benefits and most of all you get the freedom to choose a service provider of your choice. It is estimated by 2030 that the number of Unlocked phone users may skyrocket up to 100 million. You now may be asking yourself, should I buy the unlocked phone?
What are unlocked phones? These are phones not tied to any service provider. This means that the phone can be used on any network as long as it is compatible with their network technology. The unlocked phones have their downfalls which we will later discuss in the article.
If you are aspiring target an unlocked phone, there are things to take note before buying the device. This article will help you demystify all information regarding the unlocked phones, where to buy them, how to know if the phone is unlocked, and any other information relating to the phones.
How do Unlocked phones work?
Unlocked phones have similar properties to locked phones. The only major difference is that they are not tied to any service provider. Unlocked phones have no technical restrictions set on the device which is mostly done by a certain carrier. With the technical restriction, only one carrier can be used on the phone and there is no restriction at all.
How to know a phone is Unlocked?
If you have bought a phone from an unauthorized dealer, you are likely to have bought a locked or an unlocked phone. Luckily, there is a simple way in which you can check whether the device is unlocked. You can do this by trying out different types of sim cards on the phone.
If the device will only accept to show a network bar with a single sim card, then the phone is unlocked. However, if you receive a prompt telling you to enter the network security code, then the phone is locked.
What to know before buying an unlocked phone?
Before buying an unlocked phone, you need to ask yourself some questions which will help you with regard to buying the best and efficient phone for you.
Below are some of the questions you can evaluate on;
1) How fast do you get software updates?
Before buying an unlocked phone, ensure to choose one that offers faster software updates. The Motorola Unlocked phones are known to offer the fastest software updates compared to other phones.
The software updates are vital to prevent security threats on your phone and also enhance the phone performance. However, at some point, software updates may come with their vulnerabilities so before doing updates, read some reviews on what people say about the updates.
2) Which carriers are the best in your area?
You should buy an unlocked phone that is compatible with carriers within your area like Verizon unlocked compatible phone. If you travel a lot, then you need to buy an unlocked phone that can work with both GSM, CDMA, and LTE.
There are many phones which support all the three network technologies and later on in the article, we will discuss where to buy the phones.
3) What is the cost of your phone?
Consider buying a phone that is within your budget range. There are many unlocked phones in the market categorized into mid-range, low-range, and flagship. The phones can be quiet expensive compared to the locked once since you are doing a onetime purchase.
A low budget smartphone may range between $100-$200 while mid-range costs between $200-$300. If you are looking to spend big on devices like Samsung prepaid flagship phones or iPhones, ensure to have around $500+.
Should I buy an Unlocked phone?
The Unlocked phones come with the following benefits;
i) Easy to switch service providers
By having an unlocked phone, you can easily switch providers since you are not bound to any contracts. You will never worry about paying early termination fees to switch to another service provider.
ii) No contracts
Unlocked phones give you the power to choose between contract and no-contract plans. Most locked phones are locked to a service provider for up to 24 months until you clear all the payment for the device. This may come as a disadvantage in case the service provider may offer expensive plans and you cannot be able to switch.
iii) Efficient for travelers
Unlocked phones are very beneficial to travelers. It helps them save tons of money on roaming costs since you are able to buy a local sim card and enjoy talk, text, and data at a very affordable cost.
iv) Easy to set-up
The unlocked phones are easy to set-up since all you have to do is insert the sim card of your choice and you are good to go. However, for Locked phones, you will need to have a network security key or contact your service provider to unlock the device for you.
Where can I buy an Unlocked phone?
Unlocked phones can be bought anywhere nowadays from online to retail stores. However, you should ensure that you are buying the phone from an authorized dealer. Some of the five best places to find Unlocked cell phone deals include;
- Amazon
- Walmart
- eBay
- Wish.com
- Best buy
You can also find authorized dealers with good ratings from customers who have ever bought phones in their shops.
Bottom Line
From this article, having an unlocked phone comes with many great benefits compared to locked phones. There are many service providers in the US that will gladly allow you to bring the unlocked phone to their network with no biasing.
If you are convinced of getting the phone, make sure you put quality ahead of anything else. Having a quality phone will save you costs on repair and maintenance and you will be less vulnerable to security threats related to cybercrime.
