<P> In Sweden, carriers are required to unlock handsets after 12 months since purchase . This applies both to on - contract and pay as you go phones . All carriers will charge a fee of 300 SEK (approximately $45) or 350 SEK (approximately $50), depending on carrier, to unlock the handset . However, as of 2016, most carriers have stopped locking phones altogether . </P> <P> Thailand is also another country that forbids outright SIM locking and as a result, no phones are sold in the market are subsidized by carriers . Up until recently mobile phone manufacturers have their own store fronts and mobile carriers are only the service providers . </P> <P> In the United Kingdom, mobile phone network providers are not obliged to provide unlocking, even after the end of the contract . Ofcom, UK's telecom regulator, allowed 3 UK to sell a mobile phone with the SIM card permanently superglued to the phone . Most operators offer some form of unlocking service, depending on the state of the contract and the model of phone, but usually for a charge . The full Oftel 2002 SIM - lock position paper specifies that there is no SIM - locking law in the UK; the regulator wants only "consumer awareness". The examples within the position paper are just "examples" of current carrier practices for illustration purposes, but do not reflect any official Oftel regulation . The main networks often agree to unlock handsets for a charge, either at the end of a contract or, for prepaid handsets, after several months . Some Blackberry handsets supplied by Vodafone (e.g., Storm) are examples of a UK carrier not offering unlocking codes . As of April 2011 O will unlock any of their pay - monthly phones for free, even if they're still in contract, with the exception of handsets made exclusively for them, such as their Palm devices . Carphone Warehouse, one of the largest UK phone retailers, offers unlocked phones with most PAYG deals . As of January 1st 2014 all phones sold by 3 UK are unlocked . Phones bought before this date will be unlocked for free . </P> <P> One of the two American GSM carriers, T - Mobile, will unlock handsets for those with active account in good standing for at least 40 days and no unlock code request in the last 90 days . The other, AT&T Mobility, is required to do so upon request (with some exceptions and requirements) after ninety days of active service under the terms of a class action settlement negotiated by Scott A Bursor's class action law firm . Prior to the settlement, AT&T would usually do so once one has concluded their contract, and in some other situations . AT&T had in the past stated that it would not unlock iPhones under any circumstances, regardless of the legality of doing so, even after customers are out of contract . However, AT&T has since announced that starting April 8, 2012, it will begin unlocking off - contract iPhones, provided that the customer's account is in good standing . AT&T also has an unannounced policy of unlocking iPhones for United States service members who are deployed overseas--even if they are still under contract . </P>

Do phone companies have to unlock your phone uk