When it comes to buying a brand new smartphone, you have two big options: you either buy a SIM-free variant, from a retailer (make sure it’s an authorized one) or you either get it from a carrier, after you sign a two-year contract.
Of course, we all know that a SIM-free one is the best option, since you can use it with any carrier you want, but it’s also way more expensive, so most people opt for a contract, in order to get it for a better price.
Take the new Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, for example. It’s one amazing device, but if you want a SIM-free one, you need to have over $700 ready, which is far from being affordable. But, on the other side, you can get a carrier locked model as well and use it on any network you want. This can be done in two ways: unlocking the phone through your carrier or using a third party service, like UnlockUnit or UnlockScope.
But hey, we’re not here just for recommending things, as we will also guide you through the entire unlocking process, for both of the above-mentioned methods.
Obtaining the phone’s IMEI
No matter which of these two methods you decide to use in order to unlock your Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, you need to get something called International Mobile Equipment Identifier. Or, simply put, IMEI. This is your phone’s unique code, which can be found by simply dialing *#06#.
Make sure you note it somewhere, because you will need it later.
Unlocking your Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus
So, let’s break down both methods we were talking about, in order to help you which one is the best for you….
Using a third party service
Currently, you can find quite a few website offering this, including eBay, but our recommendation is to use a trustworthy unlocking service, in order to get your code. Because yes, this type of unlocking is done using a code. UnlockUnit and UnlockScope are some great options for this, but you can also use a similar site for this, it’s up to you.
No matter the service you use, you need to provide a few details about the phone, in a checkout form, as it follows:
- Your phone’s IMEI, about which we just talked.
- The name of the network on which the phone is currently locked.
- A valid email address.
Make sure you introduce all this data correctly, since it will be used to generate the unlocking code.
Note: If you decide to use the services mentioned above, you should know that you can place an order directly from your phone, using the UnlockScope app.
In about an hour or even less, you will receive an email, with the code, as well as additional instructions on how to use it. To be more specific, here’s what you need to do.
- Insert a SIM from an unsupported network, other than the one you’re currently using.
- Power on the phone and wait until the ‘SIM Network Unlock PIN’ message appears.
- Type the unlock code in the designated field.
- Hit the “Unlock” button.
You’re done! This is how you can unlock Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus in just a few quick moves, using a code.
Note: The process is a bit different if you have a T-Mobile phone with the release date after 1st of June, 2015, since these don’t use unlock codes, as the Magenta carrier has its own Device Unlock app. We’re talking about the Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus now, so if it’s a T-Mobile model, this is what you have to do:
The unlocking process is different, since your device needs to be registered as Unlocked/Eligible in the carrier’s database, so you can open the app and unlock it.
After placing your order on a website of your choice, you will receive an email confirmation, telling you that the status of the phone was changed. After this, insert a T-Mobile SIM into the phone, turn on Wi-Fi and open the Device Unlock app, press Continue, then hit Permanent Unlock. Your phone will reboot and it will be unlocked.
If you’re facing any issues with the Device Unlock app, you can check out T-Mobile’s troubleshooting section.
Asking your carrier to do it
Another very used variant for unlocking a Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus (as well as other phones) is through your carrier. However, you must find out if you’re qualified for this first.
In order for your carrier to agree with your request, your account must be in good standing and, most important, the device should be paid off. Considering that the Galaxy S8 Plus is out for just a few months, it’s less likely to receive their accept.
However, if you manage to pay your phone in full, you can give them a call. You can find here the contact numbers for the major US carriers. If it’s not listed, you should look in your contacts, since it’s usually preloaded.
If they agree to give you the code, you can follow the steps presented above, since it’s exactly the same process.
And this wraps it up! Hopefully, you will find here all the information you need on how to unlock Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, allowing you to use it with any carrier around the world.
EDITOR NOTE: Featured image from Samsung.com.
