Any handset · Network of origin

Which Network Sold This Phone?

A “This SIM is not supported” message tells you the handset is locked. It does not tell you who to ask. This lookup names the operator the phone was first sold through and the market it was sold in, which is the one fact you need before anyone can unlock it.

15-digit IMEI

Dial *#06# on the handset to display its IMEI.

This check runs against a live device database. Create a free account to run it.

Takes a moment, and your results are saved to your account.

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Why the network matters

Only one operator can release the lock

A network lock is a restriction the selling operator applied to the handset so it would only accept their SIMs while the subsidy was being paid off. It is held by that operator alone. Asking the network whose SIM you are trying to use is the commonest wasted phone call in this whole subject — they have no way to release somebody else’s lock.

Which is why identifying the seller is the whole job. Once you know it was, say, a Vodafone UK handset rather than an EE one, the route is obvious and usually free: operators run an unlock request form, they verify the IMEI is theirs, and they release it. In the UK the sale of locked handsets was banned outright from December 2021, so anything sold new here since then should not be locked at all. In the US, unlocking eligibility is governed by each carrier’s own published policy — generally tied to the device being paid off and active for a set period.

The other thing the market tells you is whether the phone will actually work where you are. A handset built for one region can be missing the bands your network relies on, so it registers and then performs badly. That is a compatibility problem no unlock will fix.

What comes back

Selling operator Who to send the unlock request to

Market of sale Which country’s records apply

Lock state Where the record carries one

Not included No lost or stolen verdict

Records are strongest for handsets sold through a major operator. A phone bought unlocked from a retailer or direct from the manufacturer may return no operator at all — which is itself the answer you wanted.

Asked often

Network lock questions

I know the network now. What do I actually do?

Go to that operator’s own unlock page and submit the IMEI through their form. They will check it belongs to them and, where their conditions are met, release it — usually at no charge, and usually within a few days. You do not need a third party for this, and you should be suspicious of anyone charging you for something the operator does for free. Keep the reference number they give you.

Will the original network unlock a phone I bought second-hand?

Often yes, because the request is assessed against the handset rather than against you — the usual conditions are that the device is not reported lost or stolen and that any contract it was sold on has been settled. Where an operator refuses, the reason is normally an outstanding balance or an open theft report, and neither of those is something an unlock service can or should work around.

Can I use a locked phone on another network at all?

Not for calls or data on a different operator’s SIM — that is precisely what the lock prevents. Wi-Fi still works, so a locked handset is usable as a tablet, and it will still dial emergency services. If the phone matters to you, get it unlocked properly rather than working around it.

The lookup found no operator. Does that mean it is unlocked?

It usually means the handset was sold unlocked, direct from the manufacturer or through a retailer that does not lock stock — which is good news. It can also mean the record is thin for that market. The definitive test costs nothing: put a SIM from another network in and see whether it registers.

Is a network lock the same as being blacklisted?

No, and the difference is stark. A locked phone works perfectly on the network that sold it; a blacklisted one is barred from cellular service everywhere that honours the report. One is a commercial restriction with an official route out; the other is a theft or fraud flag. Check the lost and stolen registry separately before buying anything used.

Does unlocking void the warranty?

An unlock obtained from the operator is an official change to their records and affects nothing about the manufacturer’s cover. What does cause damage is the unofficial route — flashing modified firmware to defeat a lock can trip a manufacturer security flag, and on Samsung handsets that particular flag never resets.