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Featured | Buying used phones
How to check if a used phone is financed
A phone that is still being paid off can cause trouble for the next owner. Here is how to spot it before you buy, and what to ask the seller.
| 4 min read
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Buying used phones
How to check if a used phone is financed
A phone that is still being paid off can cause trouble for the next owner. Here is how to spot it before you buy, and what to ask the seller.
| 4 min read
Travel
Unlocking before traveling abroad: a checklist and timeline
When to start, what to check and what to pack, so your phone works with a local SIM or eSIM when you land.
| 4 min read
Unlocking
What happens to my phone when I unlock it?
What a carrier unlock changes, what it leaves alone, and what you might notice afterwards. Plain answers from the repair bench.
| 4 min read
Carriers
Cricket unlock requirements explained
What Cricket Wireless usually asks for before it unlocks a phone, how to request it, and what to do if your request is turned down.
| 3 min read
Travel
eSIM vs physical SIM after unlocking
Your phone is unlocked. Should you use an eSIM or a physical SIM card? How each one works, the pros and cons, and how to switch.
| 3 min read
Carriers
Boost Mobile unlock requirements explained
What Boost Mobile usually needs before it unlocks a phone, how to ask, and what to do when the request does not go through.
| 3 min read
Buying used phones
Unlocked vs locked phones: what it means for used prices
Why unlocked used phones usually cost more, when a locked phone can still be a fair buy, and how to work out the real price before you pay.
| 4 min read
Buying used phones
How to read your phone's IMEI report
What each part of an IMEI report usually means, which results are a warning sign, and what to do next.
| 4 min read
Repair tips
How to prepare a phone before selling it
Back up, sign out, unlock, reset and clean. A step by step list so your data stays yours and the buyer gets a phone that works.
| 3 min read
Carriers
What to do if your carrier refuses to unlock your phone
Your unlock request was turned down. Here is how to find out why, fix what you can, push back politely, and know when to try another route.
| 4 min read
Travel
Unlocking before travelling abroad: SIM and eSIM basics
How to use local SIM cards or an eSIM when you travel, why your phone needs to be unlocked, and what to check before you leave.
| 3 min read
Unlocking
What does carrier locked mean, and why do carriers lock phones?
A plain explanation of carrier locked phones, why carriers do it, what a lock does and does not do, and how to get out of it.
| 3 min read
Buying used phones
Buying a used phone: a checklist before you pay
A practical checklist for buying a used phone: IMEI, lock status, accounts, condition and payment, so you do not end up with a phone that cannot be used.
| 3 min read
Unlocking
How to find your IMEI on any phone
Every way to find the IMEI number on an iPhone, Android phone or tablet, even when the screen does not work.
| 3 min read
Unlocking
How to check if your phone is already unlocked
Three simple ways to find out if your phone is carrier unlocked: the settings, a SIM test, and an IMEI check.
| 3 min read
Carriers
Verizon unlock policy explained
How Verizon's device unlocking policy works in plain English, what you should check, and what to do if you need help.
| 3 min read
Carriers
AT&T unlock requirements explained
What AT&T usually requires before unlocking a phone, how to request it, and what to do if you are turned down.
| 3 min read
Unlocking
Is it legal to unlock your phone in the US?
Short answer: yes, unlocking a phone you own is legal. Here is what that means, what carriers can still require, and what is not legal.
| 3 min read
Carriers
T-Mobile unlock requirements explained
What T-Mobile usually asks for before it unlocks a phone, how to ask, and what to do when it says no.
| 3 min read
Buying used phones
How to tell if a used iPhone is blacklisted
A blacklisted iPhone cannot be activated on most networks. Here is how to check before you pay, and what to do if you already bought one.
| 3 min read
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