How to unlock a Boost Mobile phone and use it with other carriers

• To unlock a Boost Mobile phone, you'll need to call the Boost Mobile Customer Care line at 1-888-266-7848.
• Before you can unlock your phone, it needs to have been connected to your Boost Mobile account for at least a year.
• Military personnel who are deployed overseas can unlock their Boost Mobile phones without waiting a year.

When you buy a phone directly from a cell phone carrier - for example, Boost Mobile - they partially own the device. This means that if you ever want to leave that company for another, you'll either need to give up the phone, or go through an annoying transfer process.

However, you can skip that process and gain full ownership of your phone by unlocking it. Unlocking a phone from a carrier makes it so you can switch companies and keep the same phone.

If you're a Boost Mobile customer, unlocking your phone just takes a phone call. Here's how to unlock your Boost Mobile phone.

How to unlock a Boost Mobile phone

Before anything, you need to make sure that you meet Boost Mobile's unlocking requirements. These are:

• The phone has been active on your Boost Mobile account for at least a year.
• Your Boost Mobile account is in "good standing," with no past-due balances.
• The phone hasn't been reported as lost or stolen.

Additionally, the phone needs to be "SIM unlock capable." You should ask about your specific phone's capabilities when you call Boost Mobile, but in general, if the phone was made in 2015 or later it should be fine.

If your phone isn't SIM unlock capable, Boost Mobile can provide you with an "MSL Code" which may work to unlock it instead.

Quick tip: The only exception to these rules is for active military personnel who are deployed overseas. Overseas military personnel can unlock their phones without having them active for a year, and each phone number on the account is allowed to unlock up to two devices per year.

If you meet all the requirements, call Boost Mobile's customer support number at 1-888-266-7848. When you connect to a representative, ask for your phone to be unlocked. If you're active overseas military personnel, you'll also have to provide proof of your overseas deployment papers.

The unlock request can take up to two business days to process. Keep your SIM card inside of the phone until you get an email or notification that the unlock went through properly.