What are unlocked phones?

Question

I want to know when people say go on ebay and buy a unlocked iphone. What does that mean???????

Answer 1

Some cell phones are designed to use a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card, or microchip that stores subscriber data. The SIM card is issued by a carrier and provides cell service by activating any phone into which it is inserted. A locked phone, however, will only recognize a SIM card from a particular carrier. If the cell phone is unlocked, it will recognize a SIM card from any carrier. The "lock" is a software setting that keeps the cell phone "loyal" to one carrier.

Answer 2

They work with any provider - you just need to put your sim card in.

Answer 3

Unlocked phones are phones that have hadd the factory barrier removed, so that they can be used with any carrier that uses a sim card. But if you are interested in buying an an unlocked iphone...dont.

With the origional iphone they unlocked ones were detected with in itunes update, and were bricked. Rendering them totally useless.

And since apple already has experience with that, it wouldnt be a problem doing the same for the 3G's either.

Answer 4

that means you can use it without subscribing to cell service(but you wont  be able to call or text) so with an iphone, it will just be an ipod touch basically