For almost two years, it was illegal to unlock your new smartphone. Now carriers’ grip on users’ smartphones has been loosened by several key pieces of legislation. As of February 11, no carrier can ...

Your phone might already be unlocked, meaning you can use it on different carriers, so before you try to unlock it, make sure it is locked to begin with. Here’s a quick look at few dos and don’ts for ...

Use these codes to forward calls, pay your bill, check balances, etc. Some of the codes work only on certain carriers or devices. One of the codes also might erase your data, so use with caution. I've ...

Coders have a storied tradition of creating back doors in programs (or sometimes just fun little Easter eggs) that can only be accessed with a special "key." This has happened for almost as long as ...

Learn how to check if your phone is unlocked and, if it isn't, how you go about making an unlock request with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon. Matt Elliott Senior Editor Matt Elliott is a senior ...

Switching to a new cell phone service provider can save you hundreds of dollars per year—and there’s no need to ditch your current phone to do so. To make the move, though, you may have to first ...

Citing frustration with mobile carriers enforcing different phone-unlocking policies that are bad for consumers, the Federal Communications Commission is proposing a 60-day unlocking requirement that ...

Obama signs a bill into law that makes unlocking a cell phone legal again, making it easier for some consumers to take their phones with them when they change wireless operators. Marguerite Reardon ...

Legislation to allow people to "unlock" their cell phones won unanimous support on Capitol Hill and is about to become law. But the bill won't have much practical effect for most people. Cell-phone ...

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 04: U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at an event announcing the nominations of Sylvia Mathews Burwell, the President of the Walmart Foundation, as his budget chief, Gina ...