What is a unlocked cell phone?

Question

what the heck are they? i always see really cool ones.

Answer 1

it means that it will work with any simcard or any gsm carrier like the other dude said so if you dont wanna be stuck with atat with your iphone buy an unlocked one off ebay then insert any simcard and it will work with it

Answer 2

Unlocked phones means they are enabled to work with more than one company that uses  a sim card....

Like an at&t phone will work with t-mobile

you can make calls and text ...

but you cant use web  browsing or picture messaging from another company

Answer 3

its so you can buy it from one carrier and use it for a different one. but only certain carriers will work.

Answer 4

It means the phone will work with ANY GSM carrier.