Unlocking your cell phone: a primer

You've probably heard the term "unlocked phone" floating around, but you may not know precisely what that means. An unlocked cell phone is one that's not tied to a specific carrier or long-term contract; in fact, you can use it on multiple carriers at home and abroad, making it a flexible travel companion. You can buy an unlocked phone at retail or, with some exceptions, unlock a cell phone that you've purchased through a carrier. There are pros and cons to unlocking a phone. It really comes down to how you plan to use your cell phone, as not everyone will benefit from an unlocked phone. And it's important to remember that even an unlocked phone has restrictions.

There's a lot of information out there -- we've waded through the best of it and created a primer on unlocked cell phones. We discuss how unlocked phones and SIM cards work, and how to save money on phone calls overseas with an unlocked phone. We also have reviews of over 200 cell phones - both locked and unlocked.