:: What makes Unlocked Cell Phones so special ::

In a nutshell unlocked cell phones represent total freedom from the restrictions that carriers place on the phones they carry. Utilizing unlocked phones is a step toward taking technology into your own hands and making it personal. It doesn’t require a huge breadth of knowledge to understand because the science behind it can be broken down into easy definable categories.

Essentially the process of finding a compatible phone depends on matching up certain frequencies with the correct provider. There are four frequencies that are available to cell phone networks: 850, 900, 1800, and 1900. AT&T operates on a GSM band which is defined by Quad-Band frequencies and the frequency in this band is the 850 frequency. T-mobile operates on the Tri-Band and Quad-Band frequencies and their phones rely on the 1900 frequency. Verizon and Sprint phones are a bit different because they operate on the CDMA frequency and can’t be unlocked.

A locked phone is defined by its capacity to only recognize a SIM cards from that particular carrier, while an unlocked phone while recognize SIM cards from any carrier. There isn’t a hardware difference between locked and unlocked phones, instead there is a software setting that is used in locked phones. Sometimes a carrier will provide the proper code to unlock a phone for free, other times a small fee will be involved.

The benefit of purchasing and using an unlocked phone is that you aren’t limited to the phones that your provider releases. Typically a manufacturer will release a phone in a certain area of the world depending on how they well they think a phone sell. For example, Sony will only release a cell phone with great multimedia capabilities, like videoconferencing, in a country where the wireless technology can handle faster data transfer speeds.

To get an unlocked phone you need to buy it from a third-party vendor like Cellhut. From these companies you can buy the phone in the unlocked state. As long as the carrier supports SIM cards then the phone should work without a hitch. The key to buying unlocked phones is finding the right company to buy from. There are a lot of decisions to be made in this area such as which company has the best prices, largest selection, and most reasonable return policy. Thankfully there are companies in the unlocked cell phone business like Cellhut that offer unparalleled service and have been in the business for over 6 years.

If someone in another country wants to use this phone they would have to see if their provider runs wireless service through the frequency that the phone utilizes. Since cell phones are made to be used in a specific part of the world there is a chance that you won’t be able to use the phone where you live. This whole aspect of matching up the phone’s frequencies with that of your provider makes dealing with unlocked cell phones an educational and worthwhile affair.