Can Windows Phones be unlocked, so that I can buy a used phone?

[moeburn]

Hey folks!  My old Motorola Atrix has a dead zone on the touchscreen all of the sudden, and I need to replace it, but I don't have the money to buy a new phone.  A friend of mine has a Nokia Lumia 900 that they are willing to give to me, but he says it is for Rogers, and I have a contract with Bell Canada.

 

Can I "unlock"/"jailbreak" or whatever this phone so that I can just stick my SIM card in it, or take it to a Bell Store, so that I can use it?  Apparently the Lumia 900 is a Windows phone, and from what I understand, Microsoft has done everything in their power to prevent people from "jailbreaking" their phones, but I dont understand if that refers to using it on a different carrier, or having the ability to install 3rd-party pirated apps?  I can do without the pirated apps, and I'm even willing to sell my soul to Microsoft to have this free phone, but is it even possible?

[primexx]

Google says you can.

[jimkraz]

I have a "unlocked" lumia 820, here in UK it's easy to get phone unlocked, though it usually costs about ten pounds to get carrier to unlock, it has nothing to do with Microsoft if your phone is "unlocked", it's jailbreaking that's frowned upon, ask at Bell if they will unlock for you. Jim

[Stoffel]

I bought the $99 Lumia 520 in the USA on ATT

Bought an unlock code online and now I'm using it on the Claro network in Honduras no problem

 

So I would say YES, you can, and it's also very easy to do

 

I used UnlockThatPhone.com

[fusi0n]

Yes, you can. 

[moeburn]

Google says you can.

 

 

I have a "unlocked" lumia 820, here in UK it's easy to get phone unlocked, though it usually costs about ten pounds to get carrier to unlock, it has nothing to do with Microsoft if your phone is "unlocked", it's jailbreaking that's frowned upon, ask at Bell if they will unlock for you. Jim

 

 

I bought the $99 Lumia 520 in the USA on ATT

Bought an unlock code online and now I'm using it on the Claro network in Honduras no problem

 

So I would say YES, you can, and it's also very easy to do

 

I used UnlockThatPhone.com

 

Thanks folks!  I would have searched for it myself on google, but I didn't really understand the difference between unlocking and jailbreaking.  So if I understand correctly, "unlocking" is a high-level action that allows you to use the phone on a different carrier, nothing else, whereas "jailbreaking" is a much lower-level action that allows root access to the hardware, for installing pirated apps or Linux or something, correct?  I don't need Jailbreaking (though I would do everything in my power to do it), all I really need to use this phone is to unlock it on a different carrier.

 

Does it have to be done at one of those mall kiosks that charge $10 that litter Yorkdale?  Or can I do it myself with some special programs and a USB cable?

[Stoffel]

I did mine online

Went to UnlockThatPhone.com

 

gave original provider and IMEI (or something) nr

Within a few hours they send me the code, just type it in and you are good to go

[Boolanger]

Thanks folks!  I would have searched for it myself on google, but I didn't really understand the difference between unlocking and jailbreaking.  So if I understand correctly, "unlocking" is a high-level action that allows you to use the phone on a different carrier, nothing else, whereas "jailbreaking" is a much lower-level action that allows root access to the hardware, for installing pirated apps or Linux or something, correct?  I don't need Jailbreaking (though I would do everything in my power to do it), all I really need to use this phone is to unlock it on a different carrier.

 

Does it have to be done at one of those mall kiosks that charge $10 that litter Yorkdale?  Or can I do it myself with some special programs and a USB cable?

 

 

If you got koisk that do unlocking then sure, but you cannot do it with any programs that i'm aware of think that went away with the dumb phones. i used cellunlocker.net to get my 920 unlocked form Rogers.