Here’s how to permanently SIM unlock Samsung Galaxy Note 4 or any other Android phone for that matter and use it on any carrier you want. For complete details, head past the jump.
Having a locked phone is never a good idea, at least not how I see it. Cellular companies definitely have a lot to gain from it – they offer you a phone that’s heavily subsidized – even free, in some cases – but in turn, bind you to use their services (often at premium charges) for a long period of time. Generally, we’d see this as a win-win situation for both parties, but what if you want to get out of your cellular provider’s shackles and use a different network? What if you’re going on an international tour and need to use a different operator’s SIM abroad? Situations like these usually merit unlocking your phone for use with a different cellular service provider.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 is one of the flagship Android smartphones right now, and one that has enjoyed massive success thanks to numerous enhancements over previous versions of the Note series. If you own a Galaxy Note 4 that is locked to a particular carrier, and you want to SIM unlock the device (which means that you can use it with any other provider’s SIM card), it’s fairly easy to do it (albeit not free). We’ll show you how. This guide also applies to any other Android device you may want to unlock.
Generally, with SIM unlocking, there are two possible routes that you can take. Sometimes, the cellular provider will be cooperative enough to provide you with an unlock code for your Galaxy Note 4 – or any other phone. Otherwise, there are third-party services that will do the same for you. It’s always better to check the first option before going for the latter, since your service provider will mostly not charge you anything for the unlock code, while the third-party services will.
First, you need to obtain the IMEI number for your Galaxy Note 4. This is essential to both the methods, and you can do that by dialing *#06# on your device.
Method 1 – Getting SIM Unlock Code from Carrier
Step 1: Give your cellular provider’s customer helpline a call, and ask them for an unlock code for your Galaxy Note 4 or any other Android device.
Step 2: The provider will ask you for your device’s IMEI number. Provide that, and you will receive an email with the unlock code within a couple of days.
Method 2 – Purchasing SIM Unlock Code
Step 1: Pick a third-party unlock service, and select the right tool for your device. Remember that there are multiple offerings depending on the service that you choose, so there’s no one-size-fits-all solution here.
Step 2: Provide the service with your phone’s IMEI number.
Step 3: The service will provide you the unlock code within anywhere between 2 days to 2 weeks, depending on the carrier the phone is locked to, and the service.
Common Steps
Once you have the unlock code through the method of your choice, it’s fairly simple.
Step 1: Power off your device.
Step 2: Remove your original SIM card, and insert the SIM that you want to use.
Step 3: Turn your phone on again, and enter the unlock code when prompted.
That’s it. Your Galaxy Note 4, or any other phone you wanted to unlock, has now been successfully unlocked and will work on any GSM network – forever.
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