An unlocked cell phone is a great technology asset. But what does it really mean to have an unlocked cell phone? I am going to try to explain reasoning behind the unlocked phone and the benefits of having one.

What is Unlocking and SIM?

When you purchase a cell phone from a specific provider, your phone has a unique serial number that is used by your cell phone provider to link your phone to you. The wireless service knows the phone’s serial number is connected to you, therefore they can send phone calls to your phone when someone tries to call you. It is basically a “tracking” purpose for your phone which allows the wireless service to send and receive calls as necessary. GSM phones have something called a SIM (subscriber information module) which is a small electronic chip that stores all of your contacts and is interchangeable with other GSM phones, provided the phones are “unlocked”. Simply put, take your SIM chip out of your current phone, put it into an unlocked GSM phone and your phone number and all contact information transfers to the new phone.

What Carriers Offer GSM Phones?

Currently in the United States, there are two national carriers that provide this service: AT&T and T-Mobile.

Benefits of Having an Unlocked Phone

Having an unlocked phone can benefit you in many capacities. GSM phones are the standard type of phone in the rest of the world, so finding a compatible SIM card for your phone will not be hard to do. Maybe you travel internationally for work and you want your phone to work for you when you step off U.S. soil. This might sound tricky, but in actuality, it is very simple. This is where your SIM card comes into play. Remember, your SIM card is removable and can be put into any phone. The same is true with your phone. It can have any SIM card put into it. Therefore, all you would have to do to make your phone “internationally friendly”, is to purchase an SIM card from a local GSM service in the country of your choice. The best way to go about this is to purchase a prepaid service so you will have a designated amount of time on your phone.And how about this scenario. You are at work and you drop your phone and then step on it … on accident of course. Your phone is busted but your SIM is still compatible. All you have to do is buy an unlocked phone, slip your SIM card into it and away you go. All of your information on your new, pristine phone. No more stomping though.One more benefit of this whole SIM thing. Say you have the burning desire to upgrade to the newest GSM phone before your contract is up without having to extend your service agreement. Just purchase an unlocked phone of your choice, insert your SIM card and that’s it. Really, that’s it!

What About Frequency Band?

Many international service providers now operate on GSM phones. The only problem with this is that they are not all on the same frequency band. Therefore, if you try to use your U.S. GSM phone that is 1900 MHz or 850 MHz (standards for U.S.), they will not operate in countries that use a 900 MHz or 1800 MHz. The best option for this is to look into a Tri-band phone or a Quad-band GSM phone. This will enable all frequency bands to work with your GSM phone.

Details You’ll Want to Know

-GSM is a type of digital mobile service

-Service providers may not care if you unlock your phone. After all, it is YOUR phone.

-It is not illegal to unlock your phone unless a contract says “this is our property”

-GSM service is offered in over 200 countries

The whole idea of an “unlocked cell phone” is to enable the consumer to use their phone anywhere, at anytime. By switching SIM cards in your GSM phone, you should theoretically be able to use your phone internationally. You can now purchase a select line of unlocked phones from Gammoth, where we provide you with all of your accessory needs. If you are an international traveler, the unlocked phone is definitely the route to go.

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This entry was posted on Friday, March 7th, 2008 at 9:24 am and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.