What is actually involved with "unlocking"

[gordonwd]

My AT&T contract is up in a few days and I'd like to get the phone unlocked so I can use it for other things in the future. So what is actually involved in getting an "unlock code" and how does it get entered into the phone? Even if I end up going to an AT&T store and have them do it, what is it that they actually do on the phone? I've also seen on att.com that you can put in an unlock request online. How does that work?

One issue with this is that I no longer use this phone and there is no SIM card in it. In fact, I removed the SIM card and cut it down to a microSIM and am using it (with my current contract) in a Nexus 5. So if I have to have cell connectivity in order to unlock my S2, I'm sort of screwed unless I get a SIM card adapter to be able to put my original SIM back into the S2.

I definitely want the S2 unlocked so I can use it as my out-of-the-country travel phone, or if I decide to sell it.

 

[KJohns]

---> https://www.att.com/deviceunlock/client/en_US/?

There's a link to the eligibility requirements. You shouldn't need the device to be currently active on your account so cutting your SIM up shouldn't be an issue in the process at all.

Basically what the AT&T store would do for this is insert a SIM card into the device from another carrier and enter in the unlock code that you get for the device.

This is whats referred to as a SIM unlock which allows the phone to be used with other carriers. What this means for you is that your device can be used with other GSM providers such as T-Mobile, Simple Mobile, Family Mobile, etc instead of AT&T. (or overseas with a compatible provider.)

 

[gordonwd]

Thanks. I was interested in the technical details since I couldn't recall anything in the Settings app that was related to this. So now I see that inserting a "foreign" SIM card triggers a prompt that allows you to enter your unlock code.