The Sidekick is a mobile communication device made by Motorola. If you purchased yours through T-Mobile it came locked to that network. This prevents you from using it with a SIM (subscriber identity module) from a different company. If you wish to use your Sidekick while traveling abroad, you should unlock it. Otherwise you may have to pay expensive roaming fees. Fortunately a T-Mobile phone is not very difficult to unlock.
Instructions
1. Turn your Sidekick off and remove the battery. Underneath it will be a sticker with the letters IMEI on it. Write down the 15- to 17-digit code that you see next to it. This is the international mobile equipment identification number by which T-Mobile identifies your phone.
2. Go to the T-Mobile website and find the customer service number. Call and request an unlock code for your phone. You must meet certain conditions first. If you are on a post paid plan, your account must have been active for a minimum of 40 days. If you are a prepaid customer the account has to have been open for at least 60 days. You also must have a $10 balance on your card, or have refilled it within the last 30 days.
3. Give the customer support person your IMEI number. They need this to create the code.
4. Remove the small, white rectangular SIM (subscriber identity module) card from the phone, and replace it with one from another cell phone service provider. If you don't have one, you can purchase one from a local mobile phone store for about $20, as of 2010.
Tags: have been, identity module, must have, subscriber identity, subscriber identity module