Many mobile phone companies lock cell phones bought through them to their phone service. The locking process can disable various features in a phone or may provide features that are disabled if unlocked. Locked phones can be unlocked but frequently the cost is high and the unlocking procedure disables features.  SIMable has come up with a new method of unlocking cell phones that leaves all features working. 

The rationale of the carriers is that by subsidizing the phones, the company has the right to control your phone.  The mobile phone companies using GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), have small cards called SIMs (Subscriber Identification Module) that you must have in your phone for the phone to work.  Without the SIM, you cannot connect to a phone signal and locked phones will only work with certain SIM cards.

The SIMable process is simple.  You order the SIMable card that comes with a special cutter.  A small hole is cut in your SIM card using the provided cutter.  Then the SIMable card is slipped into the hole and lined up with the SIM card.  Then the modified SIM card is replaced in the phone.   SIMable allows phones to be unlocked without the danger of disabling features.  By using the SIMable chip,unlocking your phone is easy and doesn’t invalidate the warranty.

SIMable doesn’t work with every handset but the SIMable website does provide a list of handsets that are compatible with the chip.  If you have a compatible  handset and really need for the handset to be unlocked, it may be worth the 16.99 GBP (about $34) plus shipping cost of the SIMable chip.

Unlocking phones has been a big issue for many people.  I have never really had that problem because my phones never seem to stay around long enough for that to really matter. 

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Entry was posted on Monday, May 5th, 2008 at 7:48 pm under Cell phones, Technology, Tutorials.

Read more entries by Susan Wilson.
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