Unlocking your Telstra phone can open the door to a world of flexibility and savings, if you know how to shop around for a bargain.
If you’re a Telstra customer, getting an unlock should be easy, but it may not be free; read on for everything you need to know about unlocking your smartphone.
Unlocking on Telstra: postpaid and prepaid
These days, the only Telstra smartphones which should need unlocking are prepaid devices. If you've bought a phone on a contract any time in the last couple of years, it should be unlocked out of the box.
Prepaid phones are a bit different. Telcos typically sell these phones with significant discounts, but will lock them to their network. If you buy a prepaid handset from an Aussie telco, you won't be able to use it on a competitor's network until you unlock it.
Step-by-step guide to unlock Telstra phones
- Retrieve the International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI) number from your phone.
- Call Telstra.
- Pay your unlock fee using your prepaid credit or your credit card.
- Wait up to 72 hours for the unlock to take effect.
- When you pay your unlock fee you may get a network unlock code, once you put your new SIM card in your unlocked phone you may be prompted to enter this unlock code.
Where to find your IMEI number
Before you do anything, you will need to know the International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI) number for your phone. This is a unique code specific to your phone, and you can find it on the box your phone came in or by calling:
*#06# (star - hash - zero - six - hash) from your handset.
When you make the call you should see your IMEI and serial numbers appear on the screen. Write down the IMEI number you see on screen - It should be about 17 digits long.
How to unlock a Telstra Phone
When you have your IMEI you are ready to unlock your phone. Simply call Telstra:
- From a Telstra phone - 125 8887
- From a non-Telstra phone - 13 22 00
- From overseas - +61 439 125 888 (international charges apply)
The operator will talk you through the process, and at the end, you will be asked to nominate how to pay the unlocking fee. You have the option to use your prepaid credit or to pay via credit card. The cost is determined by how long you've had the phone for.
- Less than 6 months - $80
- More than 6 months, but less than 2 years - $25
- More than 2 years - Free
Once you've paid your fee you may receive a network unlock code (although in some cases this step might be skipped). Note down the code - when you insert your new SIM you may be prompted to enter your network unlock code in order to free the device from Telstra.
How to unlock a Telstra iPhone
If you have bought an iPhone on prepaid plan or an older iPhone (iPhone 4s or older) on a postpaid plan back in the day, the process is basically the same, but it takes a bit longer. Follow the process above, and wait until you receive instructions from Apple.
There is a shortcut to discovering your IMEI number on an iPhone though. Simply go to Settings > General > About, then scroll down to the IMEI entry on the page.
Why unlock your Telstra phone?
The main reason to unlock a phone is you want to change providers. Unlock your Telstra phone, and you're free to take it to Optus, Vodafone, amaysim, or basically any telco that offers SIM-only / BYO phone plans. If you're not ready to pay for a brand new device, unlocking your handset means you can switch plans and still keep the phone you own and love.
For instance, if you love the strong coverage your Telstra plan provides, but want to cut down on your monthly mobile spending, there are several smaller providers (Mobile Virtual Network Operators, or MVNOs) who use Telstra's 3G and 4G networks.
The good news? Taking your phone to one of the below telcos means you'll likely save hundreds of dollars every year in mobile plan costs. The downside is that these plans don't offer service on Telstra's ultra-fast 4GX network, but standard 4G coverage is readily available (and definitely fast enough for most of your mobile use). For a sense of your options, check out the widget below for a snapshot of the most popular SIM-only mobile plans under $30 that use the Telstra network.
If you're looking to save even more, you'll find great value plans from smaller providers using Optus and Vodafone's networks. These include known and trusted brands such as amaysim, Vaya, Dodo, Lebara, Coles Mobile, and more.
For a sense of your options, check out the widget below for a snapshot of the most popular SIM-only mobile plans under $30 that use the Optus and Vodafone networks.
Another big plus to unlocking your phone? If you're heading overseas and want to buy a local SIM to save on roaming prices - or plan to buy a travel SIM before you fly - you also need to have an unlocked smartphone. If a phone is locked to a network, it prevents every other SIM card from working, not just ones from local competitors - so unlocking your Telstra device means you can save money on overseas roaming.
Having problems unlocking a Telstra phone?
If you get stuck at any place in this process, or the whole thing seems too difficult, there's an easy fix. Simply head into a Telstra store, and one of the sales assistants will be able to unlock your phone on the spot.
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Joseph Hanlon
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