Your provider can unlock your device. Check your providers unlock guidelines. Purchase of a unlocked variant is the best option to avoid this in the future
Your provider can unlock your device. Check your providers unlock guidelines. Purchase of a unlocked variant is the best option to avoid this in the future
Purchasing an unlocked phone is not always the best advice. If you're planning to use the device on AT&T or Verizon not all features are available without their carrier firmware, so an AT&T or Verizon locked phone is better.
Once the phone is paid off, simple go to your carrier's website and find their web page to unlock your phone using your IMEI number.
Honestly, you don't need an unlocked phone to use your phone while traveling abroad if you have a dual SIM or eSIM phone. Also, most carriers have reasonable international plans for travelers.
My wife & I both use unlocked S21+ phones on AT&T network. I'm not sure what features the carrier adds in firmware but I don't know what I am missing. We do have some AT&T apps which seem to work ok.
It is my understand that, it is possible to have an unlocked phone with Verizon firmware. It just means, should you put your device on another network, your phone may not be able to take advantage of all the features the new network offers without the phone being updated to the new networks fireware.
My S21 unlocked on its own when it was paid off. Check in settings->Connections->More Connection settings->Network Unlock. Here you should be able to request a permeant or temporary unlock on your own without the carrier help. The temporary unlock should always work and last 30 days, I think. Some carriers require a phone to be on the network for some time before unlocking. Super annoying.
