If you've encountered the "No SIM restrictions" message while going through your phone and probably wondering what it is, then you're not alone. The "No SIM restrictions" message is actually the one message that every iPhone user would like to see.
In this article, you'll learn what the message means, and what to do if you don't see it on your phone.
What Does "No Sim Restrictions" Mean on an iPhone?
The message "No SIM restrictions" simply means that your iPhone is factory unlocked and can work on almost all cellular networks; AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile U.S., Verizon, etc. You are probably wondering why this is a big deal.
Most of the time when someone buys an iPhone (or any other phone brand), they normally get it from a network carrier, for example Verizon. Such phones are programmed to only use these networks until the contract period elapses or until the owner fully pays it off. The contract period usually lasts from a few months to years, and the full amount is not little either.
If you're seeing the "No SIM restrictions" message then you're lucky because you won't be restricted to one cellular network, or pay a crazy sum to get out of the contract. You can jump from carrier to carrier, and your phone won't have a problem.
Can't Find the "No Sim Restrictions" Message? Here's What You Can Do
If you can't see the "No SIM restrictions" message then it means your phone is still locked to the carrier it was bought from. However, this does not mean that you have to live with this restriction for the entire contract period.
All you need to do is unlock your iPhone and the carrier lock will be gone. There are solutions you can use to unlock your phone to accept any cellular network, and the good news is, the solutions I'm going to share with you have been tested and confirmed as working.
How then can you unlock your carrier-locked iPhone? The 2 best solutions to this problem are:
- To use an unlocking service
- Through the carrier
Remove Carrier-Lock Using an Unlocking Service
Of course the official solutions/advice from the manufacturers are usually the best but they always come at a long process or with some unreasonable terms and conditions. That's where DirectUnlocks' iPhone unlock service come in.
Some features making DirectUnlocks the best unlocking service include:
- It's 100% legal
- It's affordable
- Unlock your phone instantly with IMEI number.
- Does not void your iPhone's warranty.
- Work remotely, you'll have your phone the entire time.
- Supported carriers include ATT, Sprint, T-Mobile, StraightTalk and many more.
Unlocking your iPhone using DirectUnlocks is an instant process. Follow the steps below to remove carrier-lock from any phone using DirectUnlocks.
Step 1. Get Your iPhone's IMEI Number
DirectUnlocks needs to specifically identify your iPhone, and the IMEI number is the only unique phone identification. You can get your iPhone's IMEI number using the following options:
- Dial *#06#. Your iPhone's information, IMEI number included, will be displayed on the screen.
- Go to your iPhone's Settings > General > About then scroll down. You'll find your iPhone's IMEI number listed.
Write down the number then proceed to the next part.
Step 2. Unlock Your iPhone
Now that you have your iPhone's IMEI number ready, you can submit your IMEI number here to unlock your phone.
Submit the IMEI to Unlock Your iPhone
Once you've completed the above steps, DirectUnlocks technicians will process your order and your iPhone will be unlocked right there in your hand. You can insert another carrier's SIM card and your iPhone will automatically activate it.
Unlock an iPhone via the Carrier
If you prefer official solutions, then contacting your carrier should do the job. Different carriers have different terms and conditions for unlocking their phones. For example, ATT's terms for unlocking a phone includes:
- The phone has a paid-off installment plan
- Hasn't been reported as lost, stolen, or involved with fraud and doesn't have a past-due account balance
- Is an AT&T Prepaid® phone with a Prepaid SIM and six months of service on the AT&T network
- You must wait 60 days from your purchase date to submit an unlock request.
After you've contacted your carrier and they have confirmed that your iPhone is unlocked, you can remove their SIM card and insert a new one. It will automatically activate.
Disadvantages of This Way
- Time consuming - following the network unlocking process takes a lot of time. This might take up to 15 working days for your phone to be unlocked.
- Eligibility - All carriers have requirements e.g duration after purchase, that have to be met before a phone can be unlocked.
- Unlocking second-hand phones may be a problem. Carriers do not unlock phones that have been marked lost, stolen or fraudulent. Assuming you genuinely buy a used phone, you will definitely have a difficult time unlocking it via the carrier if the phone's records are not clean.
How to Check if Your iPhone Is Carrier Locked
You now know how to remove carrier lock from your iPhone, but do you know how to check if it has been unlocked, or if it was locked in the first place? It's quite simple. You can check your iPhone's carrier-lock status:
- By checking the Settings
- With another SIM card
- By using an IMEI lookup
From the Settings
This is one of the easiest methods you can use to check if your iPhone is locked or not. All information you need is in the phone's settings as long as you can access it (the iPhone is unlocked). To check if your iPhone is locked using this method;
Step 1: Tap the Settings icon to open your phone's settings.
Step 2: On the Settings menu, tap General.
Step 3: Scroll down to the bottom of the page. Tap About menu.
Step 4: On the About menu, scroll down until you find Carrier Lock. If you see "No SIM restrictions" next to it, then your iPhone is unlocked. Anything else means your iPhone is locked to a carrier.
Using Another SIM Card
Another simple method you can use is by trying another SIM card. You can do this by:
Step 1: Turn off the phone
Step 2: Use an ejector pin to remove the SIM tray.
Step 3: Insert a new SIM card. Make sure it is from a different carrier.
Step 4: Turn on the phone again.
If you can make calls, send text messages and turn cellular data on then your iPhone is unlocked, otherwise it's locked to a carrier.
Using an IMEI Checker
This method is perfect when your iPhone is locked and you can't access the settings. An IMEI checker presents you with information about your device. These include carrier information, blacklist status, warranty date, iCloud status, serial number, etc.
Why You Should Unlock Your iPhone?
One advantage that you've now noticed of using an unlocked iPhone is the freedom to switch carriers as you wish. However, the benefits don't stop there. If you need more convincing, here are a few more advantages:
Use 2 SIM Cards on One Phone (Dual Sim)
Latest iPhones (and other phone brands) support dual SIM these days. Unlocked iPhones allow you to use 2 SIM cards from different carriers, on the same phone, at the same time. With locked iPhones, the most you'll get out of your iPhones's dual SIM capability is to use 2 SIM cards from the same carrier (your phone's carrier).
Less Roaming Costs When Traveling
No one wants those outrageous roaming charges, or to get another phone when traveling to other countries. With a carrier-locked iPhone, you'll have to enable roaming or get a second one.
An unlocked iPhone on the other hand is quite convenient. Just buy a SIM card from the local carriers, pop it in and you're good to go.
Better Resale Prices
We all love upgrading our phones when a new model is rolled out. For most people however, they first have to sell their old iPhones before they can get a new one. Having an unlocked iPhone in this case is better because:
- They sell faster compared to locked ones.
- You don't have to worry about finding a buyer using the same carrier as you.
- They generally sell at higher prices compared to locked ones.
No Need to Switch Phones to Use Different Carriers.
Until your contract period elapses, or you fully pay for the phone, the only way to use another carrier's SIM card is to get another phone. Which means you are stuck with the carrier even if their packages are not affordable.
An unlocked iPhone gives the freedom to switch to another carrier with better packages without worrying about getting a second phone.
Final Thoughts
"No SIM restrictions" plainly means you can use any SIM card other than the one you got from the carrier when you bought the phone. If it's really unlocked then any SIM card you insert should be activated and ready to use.
If you don't see the "No SIM restrictions" message, then there's a restricting software making sure that you can't use another carrier's SIM card.