And we’re not talking about your phone’s passcode to access the home screen — we’re talking about the network unlock code. This is the code that allows you to take your phone on network ...

The network unlock code you get will only work for the device that you provided the information for. Keep in mind that you have limited attempts to successfully enter an unlock code.

Some devices can lose their unlock code after it’s been factory reset, updated, or flashed. Keep in mind that the operating system version remains even after the device has been network unlocked.

Got your hands on a Galaxy S3 but it's locked to a different network? You need to unlock that beast. Here's how.