Unlocked Lumia 521

[Saed Shawwa]

Hello
I have a lumia 521
I got the unlock code from T-Mobile ' did not use it yet'

my question is if u unlock the phone using that code ? is it going to be unlocked for all carriers? and if I reset the phone will it get locked again?

for example I have a Verizon sim , I put in then I unlocked the phone using the code I got from T-Mobile , then a week later I removed that Verizon sim and put in att sim ? will that work ? or do I have to request a new code?
also is there a way to unlock it without a sim card?

 

[xandros9]

Hello
I have a lumia 521
I got the unlock code from T-Mobile ' did not use it yet'

my question is if u unlock the phone using that code ? is it going to be unlocked for all carriers? and if I reset the phone will it get locked again?

for example I have a Verizon sim , I put in then I unlocked the phone using the code I got from T-Mobile , then a week later I removed that Verizon sim and put in att sim ? will that work ? or do I have to request a new code?
also is there a way to unlock it without a sim card?

It will be unlocked for all carriers THAT ARE COMPATIBLE WITH THE HARDWARE. The 521 is a GSM phone, not CDMA, meaning it will only work on GSM networks. T-Mobile and AT&T are the major GSM carriers in the US. Verizon and Sprint are the two major CDMA carriers. One does not simply use a GSM phone on CDMA networks.
But anyways, you can take it to AT&T, yes, I believe it should be unlocked for the life of the device.

can't say about the sim card though.

 

[RumoredNow]

Once unlocked, always unlocked is the general maxim... I don't know of a phone that violates that rule.

I concur with xandros9 that it won't work with a Verizon SIM due to network incompatibility.

Yes - you have to insert a "foreign" SIM to prompt the phone into requesting the unlock code.

 

[heelo]

How did you get the unlock code?

Did they give it to you right away?

 

[T Moore]

You go through T-Mobile and make the request. You have to meet their requirements.
SIM Unlock your phone | T-Mobile Support
When it is approved they send you the unlock code in an email. Took about two days.

 

[KitN]

I requested an unlock code from T-Mobile. They emailed the unlock code within 24 hours. I unlocked the phone with the provided code and used it with an ATT SIM. Everything worked absolutely fine.



Sent from my Nokia Lumia 521

 

[WeAreNotAlone]

Hello
I have a lumia 521
I got the unlock code from T-Mobile ' did not use it yet'

my question is if u unlock the phone using that code ? is it going to be unlocked for all carriers? and if I reset the phone will it get locked again?

for example I have a Verizon sim , I put in then I unlocked the phone using the code I got from T-Mobile , then a week later I removed that Verizon sim and put in att sim ? will that work ? or do I have to request a new code?
also is there a way to unlock it without a sim card?

Browser locked up in prior post - here is the corrected version:
To add to or clarify the term "Unlocked", Unlocking....

1: Carriers to keep you from buying a phone from one carrier and using it on another "SIM LOCK" the phone so it will only work via the carrier you purchased it from.

2: "Unlocking" the phone, or buying a Unlocked phone means you can use the SIM chip from one GSM carrier on another (GSM) carrier.

3: GSM carriers around the world "vary" the frequencies used between carriers slightly to again keep you from using a competitors phone.
As a general rule on phones deemed as "QUAD-BAND, or a "WORLD" phone when using the phone on another carrier you will have VOICE.
Most of the time the Voice mail indicator will not work, or work properly. Ditto on "Data" as that's on a SEPARATE frequency, or set of frequencies.

As a example T-Mobile USA uses (850?) 1700 for data, AT&T uses the (900?) 2100 band for data IIRC.

4: Once a phone has been "Unlocked" can it get "relocked" or locked again?
In normal everyday use, or when you're "updating" the phone over "official" channels applying the update (Also referred to a FLASH) will NOT relock the phone.


The only time relocking the phone would come about is:
A: Using a set of software which specifically has such feature.
B: Sending it in for service.
C: NOTE: This is from many, many,many years ago:
Using a "FLASH" file that came from a service center, in which their policy was when flashing to restore everything to "As-Shipped" condition including device be locked back to carrier.

Note: As a rule once such a flash became known the community would flag a flash that relocked the phone.