Navigating the transition from subsidized plansHey everyone. I'm trying to move my grandmother's phone service to a standard cheap prepaid network. She has a mid-range Android phone she received through one of those subsidized telecommunications programs a couple of years ago. Has anyone successfully unlocked or ported one of these specific provider-issued devices to a regular carrier? I need to know if the hardware is usually locked down or missing frequency bands.

I helped my neighbor switch his government-issued phone to a cheap prepaid network last month. Most of those devices are standard budget Androids, like older Motorola or BLU models. You just need to check the IMEI on the new carrier's website to see if it is physically compatible.