The Nexus S is an Android-based smartphone that was created jointly by Google and Samsung and released in 2010. This was the first of the Google Nexus phones to be created by Samsung, and was followed by the Galaxy Nexus. Depending on the country in which you purchased your Nexus S, it may contain hardware that prevents it from being locked to a specific carrier, so it can always be used with any GSM carrier.
If your Samsung Nexus S was shipped with a SIM lock, the lock will prevent you from being able to use your phone with carriers other than the one from which you purchased it. For unlocking a Samsung phone, you’ll need a Samsung-specific code to remove the SIM lock with which the phone was shipped. The Samsung unlock codes are 8 digits long.
You should be able to unlock a Samsung phone for free if you are a client in good standing with your current phone carrier and past the initial period of restriction according to their contract. Just tell them that you are going to be travelling out of the country and want to be able to use your phone with a local GSM provider while you are out of the country.
Your carrier can give you the required code you need for unlocking a Samsung phone if you call them and give them your phone details. Being able to unlock a Samsung phone for free is better than having to pay for Samsung unlocking codes, so it’s definitely worth giving your provider a call. They may even be willing to do the phone unlocking for you if you visit their store.
If your provider doesn’t want to give you the Samsung unlocking codes, turning off the SIM lock is still simple to do! You just have to buy a SIM card and one of the specific Nexus S unlock codes from a third party vendor. The SIM card needs to be associated with a phone carrier other than the one which is your phone carrier.
Once you receive the new SIM card and unlock code, you don’t need anything else to be able to unlock your Nexus S. Simply follow these steps.
1. Power off your phone.
2. Remove your existing SIM card, and replace it with the new SIM card for a carrier other than the one which is your current carrier.
3. Power on your phone.
4. The phone will ask you for either your SIM network unlock PIN or SIM Network Control Key.
5. Simply enter the unlock code you were given.
Once you have successfully unlocked your phone, you will be able to use your Nexus S with any GSM carrier.
