What is an unlocked cell phone?

Most phones that you buy from your provider are locked to their service. This means that, unless and/or until it is unlocked, it will only work for that one provider.

You can purchase unlocked phones directly from the manufacturer (such as Nokia, etc.) and you can also unlock a phone that has been purchased from the provider-they HAVE to unlock it at your request, though they can charge a fee for doing so. Once it is unlocked, you can use the phone with another provider.

For instance, I had a SunCom phone with a SunCom SIM card. T-Mobile and SunCom merged, and when I needed a new SIM, my phone had to be unlocked before I could put a T-Mobile SIM card in the phone and it work. It is now unlocked, so I could use the phone with any GSM provider. Phones from companies with other technology that do not use SIM cards can also be unlocked.

An unlocked phone means you can use that phone with ANY service provider...i.e Verizon, AT&T, T-mobile, etc...(not sure about Nextel). All you need to do is take the SIM card from your old phone and install it in the unlocked phone. You'll still have service with Midwest Wireless but now you have a different phone. The "locked" phones will only work with the provider you got your service with but in some cases, you can call the provider and ask them to unlock your phone for you. They're usually more agreeable to do this for you if you've been with them for over a year.

It generally means the cell phone has been enabled to switched from one provider to another. So going from Sprint to AT&T with the same phone, rather than being locked in with only one provider.

Unlocked cell phone means that it's a phone that is not exclusive to a phone company. For example, if you had an iPhone, then it's exclusive to AT&T, but if you got that phone unlocked, you could use it with any phone company that uses sim cards. (little microchips that go into you phone upon activation, usually located under the battery) Just make sure you have a phone company that uses sim cards, and that the unlocked phone you buy has a sim card port.

You can use it on any network. Locked phones cannot be used unless you contact your service provider. For example I buy unlocked phones for AT&T and all i have to do to transpher my number is switch the SIM Card from phone to phone.

It means that the cell phone does not have a contract with a cell phone service provider. For example Apple iPhone comes with AT&T and its locked with that. Once the Apple iPhone is unlocked it can be used for any Cell Phone Service Providers or contracts.