Last Updated on December 25, 2020 by Husain Parvez
(Updated Testing Results for 2020)
When most people purchase a discounted new phone from their network, the network carrier usually makes them sign a long term contract but they also lock the device to their network. This prevents the customer from using the phone with a competitor. This is locked until the phone is paid off. However sometimes people forget to get their carrier to unlock their phone once they have paid off the iPhone. If you have one of these phones, there are only a few ways to unlock the phone. The solution is to figure out how to unlock iPhone 8, and luckily I will show you how!
Switching to a better value provider, or simply being able to use your package when abroad requires something known as an IMEI unlock. This is a safe and legal method to permanently separate your iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus from your carrier, giving you the freedom to choose a package that works for you. When it comes to choosing who to use to unlock your phone, you first need to factor in your location.
Our IMEI Unlock Recommendations
I know what you’re thinking! Finally, your brand new iPhone has arrived on your doorstep, and you can’t wait to get a hold of it. Unfortunately as is proving all too often to be the case it comes with a catch; annoyingly high charges and prohibitive international roaming charges mean you have little option but to spend an ever-increasing amount of the monthly budget on a service we have all become reliant on. Phone locking makes this poor level of customer service possible by tying you into a contract that wouldn’t stand up to the scrutiny of a discerning consumer in any other industry. So, what is phone locking, and why does it matter? Simply put it is where your iPhone 8 or 8 Plus is stuck with a given carrier in a way that prevents you from using it with anyone else, even if they offer you a much better deal! This allows them to charge whatever they feel like, safe in the knowledge that you can’t go elsewhere. The answer? Master the art of iPhone unlocking that Apple doesn’t want you to know about. iPhone unlocking is where you use a clever digital service to remove these restrictions and preventative measures so that you can search for the best deal for you. There are four methods you will see written about a lot, but only one that is proven to work. Method 1: Ask Carrier (TRY THIS FIRST) The easiest method is to go the the carrier whom the iPhone is locked to such as a AT&T iPhone , TMobile etc. If your phone is paid off and have access to the account that it currently is locked with, you can easily request that the phone be unlocked. They usually require you to login and make the request. However, if you purchase your phone from someone on Craiglist or eBay, you would need to get the cooperation of the previous owner. If the phone was stolen, it will be very difficult to go this route and you will have to explore Methods 2 and 3 below. Verizon Device Unlocking Policy Method 1: Software Unlocking (This hasn’t unlocked a single phone since the iPhone 3G) The oldest unlocking method was known as software unlocking. While it worked for a time, it relied on users exploiting a loophole that allowed them to switch carriers. Apple spotted this loophole and quickly closed it with the iPhone 4, and it hasn’t been open since meaning it will be no good for your brand new iPhone 8. Method 2: The Hardware Method (Users Beware: An unreliable approach that invalidates your warranty) This is a brute force method if ever we have seen one. Once the software loophole had been closed users quickly tried to find hardware loopholes. This often involved paying large sums of money to questionable characters who didn’t know what they were doing and tended to break iPhones. Studies show that this rough and ready approach only works 30% of the time. Given how long you’ve saved up for that shiny new iPhone 8 is that really a risk you’re willing to take? Method 3: IMEI Unlocking (The ONLY safe and highly effective way to unlock the iPhone 8 & 8 Plus) The newest and most reliable method is known as the factory or IMEI unlock. The IMEI is your iPhone’s unique identifier that is used to track it over its lifetime. They’re unique and are stored by Apple on a giant database along with other pertinent details like color, time of production, storage, and whether or not it is locked to a given network. The IMEI methods change the status of your iPhone as seen on Apple’s database from locked to unlocked. Not only is it a highly effective and permanent solution that gives you the freedom to choose, it is completely safe and doesn’t invalidate your warranty. The iPhone 8 IMEI approach is the only method I recommend. The iPhone 8 might be a few years old now, but it is arguably one of the most popular smartphones of 2017 that sold millions, not just in the form of factory unlocked variants, but also through network carriers all across the world. For all of you who are wondering how to unlock iPhone 8 which is tied down by one of the popular U.S. network carriers, here’s what you need to know. If you meet the guidelines above, contact Sprint Customer Care (1-888-211-4727) to demand the Domestic SIM Unlock and Sprint Worldwide Care (888-226-7212) for international iPhone 8 unlocking. You can find more Sprint iPhone 8 Plus unlocking policy details here. Unlock an iPhone 8 Verizon wireless device is effortless since Verizon’s device unlock policy automatically lifts the network lock from your phone after 60 days of active use. To get your Verizon iPhone 8 unlocked, here’s what you need to do: Above the easy and official ways on how to unlock iPhone 8 when it tied to any of the popular network carriers. Most network carriers follow the same process in general, so whether you are looking to unlock EE iPhone 8 or unlock Vodafone iPhone 8 in the UK, the method is somewhat the same. Predictably the massive increase in iPhones on the market in the last 10-years has led to a boom in the field of IMEI unlocking. So who can you trust to get the job done? To make sure that you know exactly what is available to you I have tested the major players in the field. I’ve done this for many previous iPhone generations, but by making sure they can unlock iPhone 8 and 8 Plus I want to make sure they still know what they’re doing. Choosing The Right Test Cases I chose the following locked devices: Firstly I had to cut down the unlocking companies to 3 because I wanted to test each company with multiple phones and I was limited to 12-locked devices. I started out by listing as many companies as I could find and then reading their reviews. Trustpilot and Ripoff Report are all great ways to separate the proven specialists from the scammers out to make a quick buck. It didn’t take long to find the trio of iPhone 8 IMEI specialists I would put to the test. Time For The Tests I wanted to keep things simple, so I purchased 4-IMEI unlocks from each of the 3-companies identified during my research. I let them go about their work and sent a few messages to customer support along the way to see how much value for money they genuinely offer. Criteria To Consider I came up with 6-different criteria by which I would judge each of the providers: 1: Was the unlock successful? This is obviously the big one. If they can’t unlock it, then the service is a waste of time, money, and effort. 2: What services do they offer? I didn’t want to recommend an unlock provider who could unlock just about any device, but then only be able to offer you obscure networks that only operate in small corners of the globe. They need to offer solutions that will work anywhere, anytime. 3: How much do they charge? Quality is so important, but if it isn’t matched by an affordable price, then few are going to make use of my recommendation. After all, if you’re spending more than the price of the device to unlock it what’s the point? 4: What payment methods do they offer? If I find a company that’ll unlock anything, get you on any network, and do it for next to nothing, then that’s awesome! The problem with online services can so often be the last hurdle that comes in the form of difficulties making payment. There are a few out there who will only accept Western Union which puts a dampener on things. If a company takes PayPal and all major credit cards then they’re going to get a big tick against their name for sure! 5: How effective was their customer service? If you’re paying someone you’ve never met before to work on your brand new iPhone 8, then you better be able to trust them. A customer-focused company will build your trust through amazing customer service that gets it right the first time every time. That’s exactly why I’m testing multiple devices with each company. 6: How quickly did they get the job done? If you find a company that does it all, and for a fantastic price, but they take 2-months to get the job done then you’re not going to recommend them are you? What we need to find is a company that offers it all, and puts their foot down about it too! Step 1: Find the IMEI code. This is the unique identifier that will enable them to identify your iPhone; luckily there are three possible ways you find out what it is: Step 2: You will also need to know the model of your phone such as the iPhone 4, 5, 5c, 5s, 6, 7, 8, etc. Step 3: Click the following link to IMEIDoctor or DirectUnlocks and fill out the details they request (IMEI and Phone Model) Step 4: Next you need to click the “Unlock” button. Step 5: Use your chosen payment method to make payment. Step 6: Provide your email address to receive progress updates Step 7: Welcome a newly freed iPhone into your life in just a few days. Now that all the tests are complete and I have analyzed the results it’s about time for the leaderboard! In order of preference we have: My #1 rated IMEI provider for both the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus has to be imeidoctor.com. To start with they unlocked all four devices that I had them take a look at, so kudos for that! They are fast, reliable, proven, and affordable. In my opinion that’s the ideal combination when you’re looking for a team, you can trust. While their options are limited outside of North America and the UK, these are by far the largest regions, and if you live there, they’re a definite no-brainer. The Pros: The biggest tick against their name was that they were the only company who could unlock all four of the devices that we paid them to take a look at. Straight away this means that they give you what you ultimately paid for. They also beat many others on price (on average 17% cheaper). Please note that this is an average so there may be times when they are more expensive, but on average they came in significantly cheaper. I really loved their customer service. It was friendly and personable and always came through in a timely fashion. I put three different queries to them, and they consistently came back with helpful solutions and updates within 24 hours. You really can’t do much better than that. Lastly, the service times were amazing, and matching only by the entry at the #2 slot on my list. With devices unlocked inside 48 hours what’s there not to like? The Cons: It’s always important to pick up on something that could be better, but with these guys it was hard. I would say that their limited options for those outside of North America and the UK will be a downside for some. If you’re in those regions though they really must be my #1 recommendation. Overall Rating: If you live inside the US, UK, or Canada these guys are my undisputed #1. 100% unlock rate during testing, brilliant customer service, 48-hour turn around, and all at a price that’s readily affordable. Money well spent! If you have a locked iPhone 8 or 8 Plus inside the US, UK, or Canada, use IMEIDoctor today. #2 DirectUnlocks (9.0/10 – The best second choice to unlock your phone) It was a close run thing for that sought-after #1 spot. DirectUnlocks matched imeidoctor.com when it came to speed, price, customer support, and actually offered a larger range of unlock options. The reason that they are at #2 is they failed to unlock 1 of the 4 devices I paid them for… The Pros: First things first, these guys do a lot, and I mean a lot, of things very well. Speed (48-hour unlocking), customer support, and price were all as good as they could be. What really stood out though was their list of carriers they can get you on once you’re unlocked. I lost count of how many were on there so I don’t have an exact percentage difference over the rest of the field but it ran to pages and pages and pages. At a cursory look, it appeared to be every provider in every part of the world. Certainly something worth looking into if you’re in a more remote area! The Cons: The one black mark was a big one, and I’m afraid to say it because everything else was so good. They failed to unlock the KDDI Japan device I paid for. I’ll give them credit where it is due and say that they warned about this before ordering, but then on the other side, they were still taking orders. It’s definitely something they can improve, especially as few users will be unlocking multiple phones at any given time. Overall Rating: An impressive company that is easy to deal with and offers an unrivaled set of unlocks. The one thing I didn’t like was that they only unlocked 75% of the devices I paid for. If you were in that unlucky 25%, then you would certainly not be happy. If your iPhone 8 or 8 Plus is locked to a carrier outside the US, UK, or Canada, I recommend using the impressive range of unlocks at DirectUnlocks. I surveyed a huge range of companies, choose what looked like three of the best based on their reviews, and put them to the test with multiple devices to see what they offer for the money. Who to choose depends on your location. Related articles on Why The Lucky Stiff:iPhone Unlocking 101
How to Unlock iPhone 8 for Popular Network Carriers
Unlocking Sprint iPhone 8 Plus and 8
Unlock ATT iPhone 8
Unlock Verizon iPhone 8 Plus
Putting The IMEI Unlock Providers To The Test
The most significant challenge I faced was trying to find enough people who were willing to part with their brand new 8 and 8 Plus for long enough for me to conduct a meaningful test! Luckily I was able to find enough through my website and amongst friends and family.
Picking IMEI Providers To Try And Unlock iPhone 8 & 8 Plus
How To Use IMEIDoctor or another recommended option DirectUnlocks to Unlock Your iPhone 8
My Top 3 Providers of IMEI Unlocks for the iPhone 8 & 8 Plus
#1. IMEIDoctor (9.5/10 – Definite #1 choice for users all over the world)
The Conclusion
Hardware and software unlocking doesn’t work. The former is dangerous and can easily destroy your shiny new iPhone. The latter hasn’t worked since the loophole it exploits was fixed with the iPhone. IMEI unlocking (aka factory unlocking) is the only proven way forward when you want to unlock an iPhone 8 or 8 Plus. The secret is to avoid the scammers and choose a reputable company to get it done.
