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What is the difference between IMEI and SIM unlocked?

Started Oct 30, 2015 | Questions
ES5899 New Member • Posts: 3
What is the difference between IMEI and SIM unlocked?

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Trevor_S
Trevor_S Regular Member • Posts: 443
Re: What is the difference between IMEI and SIM unlocked?

The IMEI is the individual serial number ascribed to each phone and is individual to that phone. You can normally find your phones IMEI by typing *#06# in the dialer part of the phone.

In the case of GSM phones, SIM unlocked just means you can use any carriers SIM card in the phone assuming they support the same frequencies. Usually phones on contract will be SIM locked for onviois reasons. Often at the end of the contract you can have the carrier unlock the hone for you with a code.  Verizon for example in the USA use CDMA, which is completely incompatable with GSM

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Doug Pardee
Doug Pardee Veteran Member • Posts: 9,920
Re: What is the difference between IMEI and SIM unlocked?

Trevor_S wrote:

Often at the end of the contract you can have the carrier unlock the hone for you with a code. Verizon for example in the USA use CDMA, which is completely incompatable with GSM

Verizon's "smart phones" are all world-phones -- they come with unlocked GSM capability. Just insert a SIM card; no unlocking needed.

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Sactojim Veteran Member • Posts: 9,104
Re: What is the difference between IMEI and SIM unlocked?

Doug Pardee wrote:

Trevor_S wrote:

Often at the end of the contract you can have the carrier unlock the hone for you with a code. Verizon for example in the USA use CDMA, which is completely incompatable with GSM

Verizon's "smart phones" are all world-phones -- they come with unlocked GSM capability. Just insert a SIM card; no unlocking needed.

True Doug. But one caveat is that the Verizon 4G/LTE phone does not have T-Mobile's Band 12 which was released/implemented at the beginning of this year and is rolling out across the country. It's supposed to give one a better signal in buildings. For most this lack of Band 12 frequency is not really a big deal, but that said, it's a definite plus when in a building, mall, etc., with improved reception. Also know that certain phones grab and hold a signal (including GPS) better then others. The Motorola phones rank at the top with their strong radio signal grab vs iPhone usually ranked towards the bottom and from my experiences with both, it's accurate. What also needs to be done to the Verizon phone to get MMS (multimedia message like picture mail/video) is the APN needs to be set to match the GSM carrier. Not a big deal at all, but certainly not plug and play.

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