Intro to unlocked phones
When you purchase a mobile phone directly from a telco, there’s a good chance it is locked to their network. This means you won’t be able to use your phone with another telco’s SIM, even if you find a great deal on a SIM-only plan from a different phone company.
And if you purchased your mobile phone on a monthly instalment contract, your phone won’t automatically unlock after that contract expires. The same goes if you buy the phone outright in most cases – it will remain locked to that telco’s network even if you stop using their SIM plans.
To unlock your phone, you would have to take the initiative yourself. There are different ways to do this – you can contact your telco and go from there, do it yourself with some software and cables, or take it to a shop that unlocks phones.
If you plan on unlocking your phone yourself, it’s relatively easy with most telcos if you follow their instructions, but some technical know-how is needed if you go at it alone with software. Either way, you’ll probably need a code to unlock your phone.
In this post, we’ll walk you through how to unlock your mobile phone from the Optus network and the pros and cons of using phones from Optus.
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Pros and Cons of using phones from Optus
Optus is Australia’s largest telco. They have the second largest mobile network coverage in the country, so you’ll be able to get service in the vast majority of the country.
Optus also gives you a lot of options for SIM-only plans. They offer over 21 prepaid plans ranging from daily expiry to 1-year expiry plans and everything in between. You’ll also find four postpaid month-to-month plans, and you can even purchase your device on a monthly installment payment plan.
Optus also has a high-speed 5G network that offers mobile and fixed home wireless plans. Their 5G network is the second widest in the country right now, and a recent test found their 5G network to be the fastest in certain areas.
But Optus isn’t the cheapest telco out there. Like other major telcos in Australia, Optus SIM-only plans can be described as premium. This makes them more pricey than smaller telcos – Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) that resell the larger telcos’ networks. So if you’re looking for a cheap mobile plan, you’re better off with one from an MVNO.
Ways to unlock phones
Like most other major telcos, if you purchase a mobile device from Optus, your phone will likely be locked to their network until you unlock it.
- The first step is to retrieve your IMEI number. You can retrieve your IMEI number by dialing *#06# on your phone and hitting send. If your phone has a removable battery, you can also find the IMEI number behind the battery.
- You can begin the unlock process by visiting optus.com.au/unlock
- Keep in mind that unlocking your Optus device might incur a fee. Optus’ unlock pricing structure is the same for both mobile and broadband devices.
Unlock fees for Optus prepaid mobile and broadband devices
If you’ve recharged your Optus prepaid plan for an accumulated amount of $80 or more since you purchased the plan, the telco will unlock your Optus phone for free.
But if you haven’t recharged $80 or more, there will be an $80 unlock fee if your service has been active for less than six months or a $25 fee for more than six months.
Postpaid phones and broadband devices
Customers with Optus postpaid mobile and broadband devices can unlock their devices for free.
Apple iPhone
- iPhones purchased from Optus that are running iOS 7 or higher are not locked to the Optus network.
- If your device has a lower version, you can upgrade to iOS 7 or higher or run your phone’s backup and restore feature to unlock it.
Final words
Once you’ve unlocked your Optus phone, we advise you to consider your options for a few minutes. If you’re outside your contract term with Optus (usually 24 months from the point and time you purchased the device – that’s the bit you’ll remember!), you can now insert a SIM from any phone company in the country.
Make sure you check with Optus first; additional fees might be due if you want to leave the agreement you signed with them. But after that, usually two years from the point you signed up, the world and its SIM-Only plans are your oysters.