When it comes to unlocking your mobile device, it has never been a very straight forward process an the rules change from carrier to carrier. That is all about to end because new unlocking standards approved by the CTIA back in 2013 must now be complied with by all major US carriers. These laws offer a degree of uniformity and this really is great news for anyone that wants to unlock their mobile device.

Up until now, you may have found that you came up against a brick wall when you were trying to get an unlock. The days of software unlocking are also gone for most of the high end handsets but the good news is that the carriers will now be much more compliant with your request. Not only will carriers unlock your device if you meet their explicitly stated terms, it is also completely free of charge. This means that you will be able to go ahead and use your smartphone or tablet with another network operator if you wish to so.

There are a few things that you need to note and these include:

you are eligible for an unlock once you've completed your contract term with your carrier.Unlocking is absolutely free and you don't have to spend a dime on it according to the new rules.Tablets can also be unlocked, provided they're locked to a carrier.it usually takes approximately 2 business days for your device to be unlocked.

Different carriers will be doing things differently. AT&T will be using a web form for unlocking requests so you have to do this from their website where you will find all the information you need also.

Sprint will be doing the unlock through a specific phone number which is available on their website also with the small print that you really should read through. With Verizon you also have to ring a specific telephone number and ask for a SIM unlock. Again the terms and conditions and everything else you need to know can be found on their website. With T-Mobile it will be a phone number also and all the information is available on their website.

This standardized process is in place from today and all you have to do is visit your carriers website to find out what you need to do to get your unlock if you qualify for one. Remember, you can only unlock your device once your service contract has run its course. If you are using a prepaid device you are eligible for an unlock exactly one year after purchasing your device and both types of unlock are free of charge on tablets and smartphones.