If you don’t like your current cell phone provider, it can be quite a mess just to change companies. For example, some companies charge fees for canceling your plan early or locking your phone. When a device is locked, it means you can’t move on to another cell phone provider.
If you’re a current Verizon customer or are looking to change to Verizon, you might be asking, does Verizon unlock phones? I was curious about the same thing and researched the matter heavily. Here’s everything I found out!
Does Verizon Unlock Phones In [currentyear]?
Verizon unlocks phones you’ve purchased from the company, and the process requires you to keep your account in good standing and pay your bill on time as of [currentyear]. You must wait 60 days for Verizon to unlock phones. Then, Verizon won’t keep the phone locked after this time unless there’s an issue with your account.
Do you want to know more about Verizon and whether it unlocks phones from various providers and other details? Continue reading below to learn all you’ve ever wanted to know!
Does Verizon Unlock Phones For Free?
Fortunately, Verizon doesn’t charge to unlock phones. So, if you recently purchased a phone from Verizon, it will automatically unlock after 60 days.
With that, you can call *611 after the 60 days have passed to confirm that Verizon has unlocked your phone.
However, your phone won’t be unlocked after 60 days if there’s a flag on your accounts, such as suspected fraud or other issues.
If your phone is still locked after 60 days, it’s best to call customer service at 1-800-922-0204 to see the issue and see if Verizon can push the automatic unlock through.
Can I Ask Verizon To Unlock My Phone?
You’re always free to call and ask Verizon to unlock your phone, but it’s not going to do any good if you purchased your phone from Verizon and haven’t passed the 60-day mark.
Additionally, Verizon won’t unlock your phone early per the Verizon Device Unlock Policy unless you’re deployed military personnel and relocating outside of the Verizon coverage area.
If you’re military and relocating, Verizon will unlock your phone before the 60 days is up.
Still, you’ll have to call Verizon and explain the situation, and you may have to provide proof of some kind.
How Do I Know If My Verizon Phone Is Unlocked?
You can tell if your Verizon phone is unlocked simply by checking the settings, which will vary a little depending on if you have iOS or Android.
Further, if you have an Android device, the steps may vary since there are so many different manufacturers of Android devices. However, the following steps generally will help you:
- Go into “Settings”
- Click on “Connections”
- Tap “Mobile Networks”
- Click on “Network Operators”
- Click “Search Now”
After that, you’ll know if your phone has been unlocked, as you’ll see various carriers listed. But, if you only see one carrier listed, that means your phone is probably locked.
On top of that, while this method can help you determine whether or not your phone is unlocked, it may not be accurate 100% of the time.
In comparison, if you’re on an iOS device and you want to know if your device is unlocked, then follow the steps below to find out:
- Go into your “Settings”
- Click on “Cellular”
- Tap on “Cellular Data”
- Look for “Cellular Data Network”
However, if you can’t see the Cellular Data Network, then that means your phone is locked.
Also, there’s no guarantee that the method is 100% accurate, but it’s generally going to be correct.
Does Verizon Unlock Prepaid Verizon Phones?
Verizon does unlock the prepaid Verizon phones, which you can purchase through Verizon or other retail partners associated with Verizon.
Additionally, the unlock process will take place 60 days after you’ve activated the prepaid phone, and it’s automatic, so you don’t have to do anything.
Does Verizon Unlock Phone-In-Box Phones?
Phone-in-a-Box devices are 4G phones that you can purchase from retail partners. However, these phones may have a different time frame for Verizon to unlock them.
With that, you can look on the back of the box to see when Verizon will remove the lock from those devices and the process for those phones as they can be different from one another.
However, if you purchase one of the 3G Phone-in-a-Box devices, it can be unlocked after 12 months.
Unfortunately, Verizon removed the details about this from its website since it’s an old 3G device, and most people have moved on from 3G.
Does Verizon Unlock 3G World Device Phones?
You don’t need Verizon to unlock the 3G World Device phones since all you have to do is enter the unlock code 000000.
However, if you need help trying to unlock this particular device, you can call the customer service line to help you at 1-800-922-0204.
What Is The SIM Network Unlock PIN For Verizon?
The default PIN for SIM network devices is 1111. However, Verizon no longer supports VZAccessManager, which means that online support has been discontinued.
On top of that, hardly any of the older devices are still using VZAccess Manager, but some older laptops, mobile hotspots, and USB modems still connect to Verizon through this app.
If you have issues with the VZAccessManager app, it would be good to upgrade your devices, so you don’t need to use it to access Verizon.
To learn more, you can also see our posts on whether or not Verizon throttles data, does Verizon pay you to switch, and does Verizon offers prepaid plans.
Conclusion
Verizon does unlock phones but only 60 days after you’ve purchased the phone and it’s activated.
Furthermore, this is an automatic process, and you don’t need to do anything unless it hasn’t been unlocked after that time.
In that case, you can call Verizon customer service at 1-800-922-0204 for assistance.
