Mobile unlocking

To find a working unlocking code for your handset, you need three pieces of info – its brand/model number, the network, and the International Mobile Equipment Identity, or IMEI, code. Here's how to find them:

• Brand and model number. The chances are you already know this, as it's likely to be written on the handset, its box, and any documentation you got when you bought it, so we'll move on.

• The network. This is simply the network the phone's currently locked to, not the one you want to move to.

• The IMEI. The International Mobile Equipment Identity is a unique number given to all mobiles, which gets marked as invalid when phones are reported lost or stolen. To find your IMEI, simply type *#06# into the dialling screen of your handset (as if you're making a call), and note down the number that appears.

The sites above will generate a code based on the info you provided, so double-check it's right first. The code will look something like this: #pw+2746763089+1# (Nokia phones), or *2767*637# (other makes).

To unlock the handset, take the Sim card out of the phone and put in a different network's Sim. Now you can put the code in.

How to enter the code 

This can be fiddly – for some phones, rather than using the regular text keys, you need to use the * key if you want to produce letters as opposed to numbers. For example, to produce a 'p', press the * button three times within two seconds; to produce a 'w', press the * button four times within two seconds; to produce a '+', press the * button twice within two seconds.

You should now get a message saying 'phone restriction off' (or words to that effect). You generally only have five attempts to enter the correct code, so be careful. If none are successful, the phone will still work, but you'll have to go to the network or a retailer to get it unlocked instead.

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