Most people buy phones directly from their carrier, but if you are reading this guide, I suggest you buy an unlocked smartphone. When you buy a carrier phone, it is “blocked”to that network. That means that if you want to change carriers, such as going from Verizon to T-Mobile, you’ll have to ask your carrier to unlock the device, and this can be a big headache. (Especially if you travel and want to use an international SIM card). Asking a carrier to unlock a phone usually has some requirements, such as making sure your device is paid for or waiting a certain period of time. Unlocked phones, on the other hand, don’t have this problem. You are free to use the operator you want, whenever you want.
Carriers also hide the true cost of a smartphone. AT&T may tempt you with a $36 per month payment for a shiny new Samsung flagship, when in reality that means you’re paying $1,300 for a smartphone over 36 months. Did you really want to spend? so much? Or will a cheaper phone be enough? Plus, you’re more likely to get software updates faster since they come directly from Samsung and there’s often much less pre-installed bloatware to deal with.
All to say: purchase unlocked! You can buy unlocked Galaxy phones directly from Samsung and most third-party retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart.
