Sprint is one of the largest wireless providers in the US and has a decent selection of smartphones. It, like other carriers, will also occasionally offer an exclusive device that can’t be found elsewhere.
Similar to other operators, Sprint locks its phones so that those purchased through them will only work on their network. It’s a precautionary measure, but not something that you can’t get around fairly easy.
Why do carriers lock phones?
One of the main reasons that carriers lock phones down is to get customers to purchase device through them. In some cases you’ll find a particular model that’s exclusive to a network. In other words, you must buy the phone through that provider if you want to use it. Another reason for locking is to prevent fraud and mitigate theft.
READ: Where can I buy an unlocked phone?
The concept of exclusive phones was much bigger a few years back but it still happens from time to time with the top carriers. Either way, locking a device down prevents them from being activated on a competing carrier’s network.
Why unlock a Sprint phone?
Unlocking a Sprint phone gives you freedom to take it to prepaid and MVNO brands like Boost Mobile, Net10, Staight Talk, Twigby, and Unreal Mobile.
READ: Cheap phone plans that use Sprint’s network
Unlocking Sprint phones: Prerequisites
For postpaid customers with SIM unlock-capable devices, Sprint has chosen to simply unlock active eligible SIM unlock-capable devices without requiring our customers to initiate an unlock request. Once you meet the requirements outlined in the Unlock Policy, Sprint will automatically unlock your active eligible SIM unlock-capable device.
Sprint makes it surprisingly easy to unlock your phone as long as certain criteria is met. There are a few things you should know need to do first. Before unlocking, ensure the following is in order.
- Your phone must be fully paid off
- Your phone has been active on Sprint’s network for 50 days or more
- The phone must not be reported as stolen, lost, or associated with fraud
- Your Sprint account must be in good standing
How to unlock your Sprint phone
As long as you adhere to the aforementioned details, you should have no problem with getting your device unlocked. Simply contact Sprint at 888-211-4727. Make sure you have the following information handy.
- Your phone IMEI – Here’s how to find your IMEI
- Your Sprint account number
- Your account password, or the last four digits of your SSN
- The device’s phone number