Unlock Straight Talk Phone: Straight Talk is a telecom service provided by TracFone Wireless Inc., which is America’s largest no-contract cell phone provider in the U.S., and has over 25 million subscribers.
While there is a confusion that since Straight Talk is now taken over by Verizon, which is known for its 4g & 5g wireless networks.
How do I know if my Phone is Unlocked or Not?
Since Straight Talk was brought over by TracFone Wireless and has collaborated with a few other Networks (MVNOs) and shares the same iPhone Unlocking Policy with all following Telecoms Networks: TracFone, NeT10 Wireless, Total Wireless, Telcel, SIMPLE Mobile, and SafeLink Wireless.
And as its parent company Verizon makes 4G LTE phones which are on post-paid plans, these phones are made unlocked by default.
So now that the confusion is sorted we know that the phones come locked & not unlocked.
Whatever may be the case, Straight Talk phones will need to unlock to use it on another network. Moreover, if not some, but at least one of the prerequisites needs to meet in order to unlock your phone.
Read More: How To Unlock Your iPhone on Verizon
Most Important Thing To Unlock Straight Talk Phones
- Straight Talk will unlock your phone post one year provided the services have been uninterrupted.
- The present & previous Straight Talk phones will be unlocked for customers without charge; however, if the phone has been purchased as a private seller (i.e. a non-former customer), straight talk phones unlock code may still be requested. Though Straight Talk can charge a nominal fee to get this done.
- The customers must be in possession of the Straight Talk phone which has not been reported stolen, lost, or associated with fraudulent activity (i.e. not blacklisted).
An exception is made for military personnel who may not be required to meet all the above requirements except that the phone should not be blacklisted. In these cases, only the deployment papers need to be provided & Straight Talk will honor the unlocking request.
Even though it can be observed that there aren’t a lot of requirements, still even these little requirements are pretty stringent. Only once all these prerequisites meet can the customer reach out to Straight Talk who will then give them, text them, or email them straight talk phones unlock code.
But before that, let’s see how to make a request to Straight Talk for the unlock code:
- Visit their website to make a request for an unlock
- Scroll down to the Serial Number field & feed in the IMEI number of your phone
- Give them the confidence that you are not a robot by using the “captcha” and click on the “VERIFY ELIGIBILITY” button
Within seconds it will be disclosed whether the phone will be unlocked free of cost from Straight Talk.
Here is Procedure to Unlock a Straight Talk Phone
Straight Talk has made the process of unlocking very easy. At the start ensure the straight talk phones unlock code is handy, and then proceed with the process.
- Switch off the phone
- Remove the Straight Talk SIM card, and replace this with SIM card of your choice of carrier.
- Switch on your phone.
- Feed-in the unlock code when prompted.
And this is how it’s done!
Which Carrier can a Straight Talk Phone be Used on?
Once the Straight Talk phone is unlocked, it can be taken to at least three carriers. Since Straight Talk is Verizon owned, it can be used on Verizon. If the phone has been manufactured in 2015 or beyond, it can be taken on GSM networks like AT&T and T-Mobile as well. Though Sprint & its subsidiaries may not be of great help here.
However, if the phones are of prior 2015 make then to use them on GSM carriers. Make sure that they have the necessary radios and hardware support for calling, text messages, and 4G LTE data.
Check Also: Which U.S. iPhone Carrier and Plan Should You Get?
Usage of a Third-party Carrier Service
Just like other carriers out there, Straight Talk has set up some bureaucratic procedures in order to protect their sovereignty. This shall enhance their security features & make it difficult for the customer to unlock the phone.
When one does not meet the pre-mentioned requirements, then the request to unlock the phone is denied.
As a generous measure though there is a last resort. There is a provision to use third-party service to unlock any Straight Talk smartphones. With the use of a third-party unlocking company. Phone can get operative in no time, on another network, minus the fuss of the red tape from your carrier. This though has some cost accrued to it.
Before going for any kind of collaboration with a third party though, do a thorough background check and make sure their reputation is clean and credible, otherwise this can take a hit on the cash flow in exchange for the transaction.
Once you purchase code, it’s usually sent directly to the provided email, and then a step-by-step instruction guide to unlocking the phone is provided.
The Final Words
While the requirements put forth by Straight Talk are few in number, still these are quite rigid. For example, to have a straight pay-as-you-go service at a stretch of 12 months is difficult to put up with as a prepaid service since prepaid plans are not preferring by many.
But take heart as you are still not out of luck despite not fulfilling the requirements of unlocking a smartphone. As has been reported, a third party service is a great last resort. Though these Straight Talk Phones unlock code may come at a nominal cost. This will at least enable you to bypass the barriers that have been put forth by Straight Talk.
You Also Like To Read Related articles:
