If you're bringing your phone to Xfinity Mobile, you might be asked to unlock your phone from your previous carrier. If you're wondering what that really means and how to do it, you've come to the right place.
What does unlocking mean?
Many phones are locked to the carrier they were originally purchased from. You can't bring your phone to a new carrier until it's unlocked. There are a few reasons a phone might be locked:
- It's still financed with your carrier. In other words, you owe device payments each month. Usually, carriers will only unlock your phone once it's fully paid off.
- It's a prepaid phone. Carriers sometimes treat these kinds of phones differently, so you'll have to talk to your carrier about their specific policy.
- Carrier policies in general. Some carriers will automatically unlock their customers' phones after a period of time. Some carriers will only unlock your phone if you ask them to.
How do I unlock from my specific carrier?
First, if you still owe money on your phone, you'll have to pay it off completely before your carrier will complete your unlock request. Then, you can follow your carrier's process.
Verizon
Ask Verizon to unlock your phone by calling them at (888) 294-6804 or dialing *611 from your Verizon phone.
AT&T
Ask AT&T to unlock your phone by following the instructions here.
T-Mobile
Call T-Mobile at (877) 453-1304 and ask them to unlock your phone.
Sprint
Call Sprint at (888) 211-4727 and ask them to unlock your phone.
Other carriers
Call your carrier's customer service number and ask them to unlock your phone.
Let us help
Get help from an Xfinity Mobile Specialist in a store or over the phone at (888) 936-4968. A specialist can help you call your carrier and join the conversation with them to make sure the unlock request is successful. The unlock request may or may not be instant; it could take a couple days to complete, depending on your carrier.