What is a SIM free mobile?

You are probably aware that usually, when you go to buy a mobile phone, this will typically come with a SIM card from the phone operator you have chosen to buy the phone from. This is normally what assigns your phone to a particular network so that you can access their services, make calls and texts, and enjoy any benefits that the provider might offer.

However, a mobile phone with a SIM in it usually requires you to sign up to a contract or commit to certain services for a period of time. If you are happy to make that commitment then you can often save money on the price of the handset, or even get it for free by signing up to a contract with a phone provider. An alternative type of phone, though, is the SIM free mobile phone.

sim free mobile

Freedom from Sim

This is exactly as the name suggests: it is a mobile phone that you buy without the SIM card. It has nothing to do with “jailbroken phones” which are illegally adapted smartphones, which allow users to install applications that have been created by developers unofficially, for free.

This means that they come without being attached to any particular phone network and do not commit you to a specific contract. As a result, you have to pay the full price for the handset, which you wouldn’t normally do if you got a mobile phone with a SIM card already included in it.

However, this also means that you can then shop around for the best SIM card deal you can find. Most of the big phone providers now do offers that are based on a SIM-only premise rather than including the phone as well. This means you can decide what you want from your phone contract and get different prices from the networks to compare before making your final choice. It also means you get exactly the phone you want, which isn’t always possible if you just go to one provider to look for a phone deal.

Another benefit for some people is that with a SIM free mobile, you are able to upgrade your handset whenever you want to rather than waiting for the end of your phone contract. Also, as your contract doesn’t have to build the price of the phone into the cost, it can help you to save money in the long run.

Overall, a SIM free mobile phone is an interesting alternative to traditional mobile phones and could be a useful option if you want maximum flexibility over which network you eventually choose to go with.

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30 Responses to “What is a SIM free mobile?”

  1. Tracyann0312

    Mar 19. 2012

    Honestly, I never thought that having a sim free mobile must be another way to save money. There are many country that uses sim card in there phones and they end up wasting so much money. Thanks for sharing this information it is very useful.

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  2. UnlockedMobilePhones

    Mar 19. 2012

    I’m glad you liked the post, Tracy Ann. It all depends how you feel about making a large payment every month, compared to paying for a phone in full upfront. Many people prefer to have extra disposable income each month.

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    • TechCrates

      Mar 19. 2012

      kindly use name @ your keyword instead of using only keyword !

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      • ip cameras

        Mar 19. 2012

        Will do! Thanks 🙂

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  3. shaan

    Mar 19. 2012

    i agree that locked phone sucks. They are pretty famous in US and all but for me I will never buy a locked phone

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  4. Amanda

    Mar 19. 2012

    If it really saves money, then I guess that it will become much popular all over the world

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  5. Puneet

    Mar 19. 2012

    Yes there were CDMA phones of reliance and tata which wasn’t having any SIM in the past.

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  6. Jane

    Mar 20. 2012

    Interesting post. But I want to say – in my native country I can usually people buy phones without SIM card. It is normal for us.

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  7. Nicholle

    Mar 20. 2012

    I never thought of this Sim-free mobile but it is sounds great for me. Is is truly money-saving? I will probably have this one if that so. Anyway, thanks for the information.

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  8. Peter

    Mar 21. 2012

    Actually it’s pretty common in some countries to purchase SIM free phones. Customers get to choose their own favorite phone network but will have to pay the full price for the phone.

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  9. John

    Mar 22. 2012

    Another concept helping the SIM free mobile to be popular is the SIM only contracts. This means you will only have to contract regarding the sim card and no mobile phone is considered in it. It’s an excellent way of shifting from one network to another whenever someone gives any exciting offer. As no mobile phone needs to be changed it is much easier for someone to shift just changing the SIM card. Generally there are varieties in the tariffs and charges among the different operators. Users now can choose any of them according to their preferences and likings.

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  10. spinxwebdesign

    Mar 23. 2012

    SIM free mobile is good for easy using mobile and be free from operator contract. Mostly, all CDMA operators provide SIM free mobile service which includes good strength of bandwidth and high quality voice system.

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  11. Rob

    Mar 23. 2012

    Interestingly in New Zealand (where I once lived) then all phones are SIM free. But this isn’t a good thing – they are all locked into a network and because it is such a small country there aren’t many networks (just two I think) so choice is extremely limited.

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  12. studentloan

    Mar 24. 2012

    What a good news. At first i came to know sim free mobile phone.I think it will give us huge benefit.Thanks for sharing

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  13. pratik

    Mar 24. 2012

    I don’t think it will reduce our expenses cause many operators are now giving a flexible plans for users to cash them.

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  14. Nishadha

    Mar 26. 2012

    The biggest advantage of SIM free phones is that you are not committed to any contracts. Which gives you a whole lot of options and the ability to switch anytime.

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  15. Alex

    Mar 27. 2012

    Sim free mobile?? i remember that there are many of them in Korea, most of them use CDMA band, and they have been produced since 2003.

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  16. saha

    Mar 28. 2012

    I think not an interesting idea. I don’t think it will reduce expenses.

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  17. Noc

    Mar 28. 2012

    Nice information first time i heard about this thing.

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  18. Cristina

    Mar 30. 2012

    I think it’s a lot cheaper to have a sim free phone even if you have to pay full price for the handset. The advantage is that you can use your phone according to your budget and not have to pay a fixed amount every month. Most of the time the phone networks overcharge you anyway and if you’re not a heavy phone user then this is the way to go.

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  19. Rishabh

    Mar 30. 2012

    Thanks for help admin !! keep on posting!! and helping noobs like me, thanks once more but can you give me some more info than it is written here !!

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  20. Marty

    Apr 01. 2012

    Most people will choose an unlocked phone if they can, but I guess if you find a good offer on a locked one that doesn’t matter anymore.

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  21. Eastergiftideas

    Apr 04. 2012

    In India, we always get mobile phones and SIM cards separately. So we can chose our mobile from any company and get a SIM from any telecom service providers. SIM free mobile concept will be good from a customer point of view for sure.

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  22. Neil

    Apr 05. 2012

    Another big benefit is when you are travelling. If you have a SIM free phone you can simply buy a pay as you go SIM in the country that you are travelling to rather than having to pay the outrageous roaming costs.

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  23. Pramod

    Apr 14. 2012

    I agree with you.Thanks for such a good article on sim free mobile.

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  24. andrewmicky

    Apr 17. 2012

    SIM free mobile is good for easy using mobile and be free from operator contract. Mostly, all CDMA operators provide SIM free mobile service

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  25. Rudra

    Apr 20. 2012

    Realy a great stuff about sim free mobile.

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  26. Rashmi

    May 04. 2012

    I had no idea that simfree mobiles existed. It is a good idea! Thanks for sharing these information with us!

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  27. arabic

    Jun 06. 2012

    SIM free mobile seems very interesting to use. great idea.

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