If you purchase a phone from a Wireless Service Provide such as Boost Mobile, you relinquish some ownership rights. They usually lock the phone. Consequently, anytime you want to switch to a different service provider, you either buy a new phone or transfer it from your old service provider to your new service provider.
However, this article will explain how to unlock a Boost Mobile Phone yourself free of charge. This will help you avoid contacting the company and going through a tiring transfer process. Once you unlock your phone, you can use a wireless service provider in or outside America.
Many people have been in a situation where they are stuck with a locked phone and an unreliable service provider. Luckily, many sites can help you unlock your phone for free. Some sites give you codes for unlocking your Boost Mobile.
Things You Should Have In Mind Before Unlocking A Boost Mobile
Before you learn how to unlock a Boost Mobile phone yourself free of charge, there are a few things that you should know. All Boost Mobile phones are locked and limit you to using their services only. This is inconvenient but solvable. Several businesses offer phone unlocking services, but it usually comes at a steep price.
If you don’t want to spend any of your cash to unlock your Boost Mobile phone, you can explore some of the many free unlocking methods mentioned in this article.
First off, what is a locked phone? This is a phone that is only compatible with one service provider. If you try to insert the SIM card of a different service provider, you cannot use the phone for its crucial functions. For example, if you try to insert an Assurance wireless SIM card into a Boost Mobile phone, you can’t use it to call, text, or access the internet.
Many mobile virtual operators, including Boost Mobile, rely on phone locking techniques to make their phones unusable with other networks. The main ones are:
MSL Technique
In this method, phone companies use a master subsidy lock placed inside the phone when manufactured. This software will reject the SIM cards of other service providers unless a special unlocking code is used.
If you get a Boost Mobile phone, you should encounter this challenge. Phones like the iPhone 5 are very difficult to open since they use the Master Subsidy technique. If you get the unlock codes, it should work just fine.
However, you might not be able to use all functions of some phones since different service providers use their unique technologies for their network. In this case, an unlock code alone might not suffice; you may have to overhaul the whole system of your Boost Mobile phone.
SIM Technique
This technique was widely employed before the MSL technique came into the picture. There are similarities between the two techniques, but the SIM technique is geared towards the SIM card. The SIM card feature of the phone is designed to reject any SIM card from a different wireless service provider.
Like the previous technique, you can unlock your phone to accept different t SIMcards. How good your phone performs on a different network will rely on how similar the network technology of the service provider you are switching to Boost Mobile’s technology.
What Service Provider Is My Boost Mobile Compatible With
Before knowing what service provider your Boost Mobile phone is compatible with, it is important to understand the available types of networks. There are two major types of networks:
The first one in the GSM network. This network uses a SIM card that you can remove to distinguish between users. Due to this, they are preferred by many people as switching between phones is very easy.
For the second type, you have the CDMA network. This network embeds digital serial numbers in the phone. You cannot use a GSM network on a CDMA phone and vice versa because these networks are very different.
CDMA network is popular among service providers like US Cellular and Verizon. On the other hand, GSM is used by T-Mobile and AT&T. For Boost Mobile, which uses a CDMA network, you can only use SIM cards from service providers such as Verizon.
However, if the phone is unlocked, you can use a phone from any service provider. You’ll need to visit the Boost Mobile site to verify if your unlocked phone is compatible with Boost Mobile.
Does My Boost Mobile Meet The Criteria For Unlocking
If your Boost Mobile phone is locked and you want to switch to a different service provider, unlocking it will be necessary. There are guidelines that Boost Mobile has set for its consumers to meet before they can unlock their phones. It is your sole responsibility to check if you meet the guidelines.
Boost Mobile Unlock Policy
Below are some of the guidelines:
- You have actively been a member of the Boost network for the past year.
- You have settled all bills you might have had on the Boost Network.
- You have paid the required fee three months before the unlocking date.
- You possess the phone from Boost Mobile, not any other wireless service provider.
- If someone reports the phone as stolen, deactivated, or lost, you will lose your eligibility.
- The phone’s SIM card can be unlocked.
- Your device meets all the criteria required for unlocking.
Boost Mobile Military Personnel Unlocking Policy
Boost Mobile appreciates the sacrifices that the US Military crew makes. That is why it formulated a special policy for its members. Here are some of them:
- A subscriber is part of the military of the United States of America.
- The customer has to present documents proving your deployment overseas or at home.
- The person has to be a member of the Boost Mobile Network.
- The phone’s SIMcard can be unlocked internationally.
- You can only unlock two phones for a single phone number in a year.
- All the bills for your Boost Mobile network account have been settled.
Process of Unlocking for Customers Who Are Currently on The Boost Mobile Network
If you are actively a member of the Boost Network and are wondering how to unlock a boost mobile phone yourself free of charge, follow these simple steps:
- Contact Boost Mobile’s customer care.
- Ask for the unlocking code.
- Put the unlocking code in the phone as the customer service team will direct.
Patience is key when unlocking a Boost Mobile phone because the whole process may last close to 48 hours. If you want to hasten this process, the tips below should come in handy:
- Your SIMcard should be lodged in your phone throughout this process to avoid interrupting it.
- Your phone should have access to the Boost Mobile network throughout this process.
The process of unlocking a Boost Mobile phone would differ a bit if you didn’t buy it directly from them
How To Unlock A Boost Mobile Phone If You’re Not A Customer
Even if you’re not a current customer of Boost Mobile, you can still unlock your Boost Mobile phone. All this is on the assumption that the original buyer of the phone was eligible for unlocking. Here is the process:
Unlockitfree
- Go to the free Unlockitfree software website and retrieve your phone’s IMEI number if you don’t have it already. Alternatively, enter this code on your mobile phone: “*#06#”.
- Search for the model number of your phone on the site.
- Enter your IMEI number, model number, and country. Select Boost Mobile as your Wireless service provider and press “generate”.
- Input the unlock codes that have been generated into your phone. Restart your device to see if it worked.
Final Verdict
If you have keenly followed our guidelines, you have gotten the basics on how to unlock a Boost Mobile phone yourself free of charge. All of the methods we have mentioned above will not cost you anything. Most of them are very straightforward.
Depending on your situation, you can pick the method that suits you best. Finally, with your unlocked Boost Mobile phone, you can enjoy the services of any provider you wish.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The law doesn’t restrict anyone from unlocking their Boost Mobile phones. Some minor regulations have been placed to guide you on the process, but nothing explicitly says that you will be breaking the law if you unlock your phone. It is illegal for service providers to lock their mobile phones in other countries.
The device should display an unlocked sign. However, the best way to find out is by inserting a SIMcard from a different service provider. A functioning SIM card signals an unlocked phone, while an inactive SIMcard shows that it is still locked.
If the network type is the same, you can comfortably switch as we mentioned above. For example, you can switch to Verizon, which uses a CDMA network.