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Carrier locked devices are the ones you get after making a commitment with a carrier of your choice. This is quite common in North America and (supposedly) allows you to save some money on your device.
As a rule, almost all carrier locked devices do not allow the bootloader to be unlocked. This usually makes sense, as it would allow you to completely bypass the contract. The problem is that many devices still do not allow you to unlock the bootloader even after the carrier lock has been lifted. This page is keeping track of those carriers.
> [!NOTE]
> This page is a WIP! If you have any details about a carrier who isn't here, please open a pull request!
## United States
Land of the free... unless you want your phone to be free. American carriers have been historically bad with bootloader unlocks.
### AT&T/Cricket
AT&T does not allow you to unlock your bootloader until your phone is network unlocked, and AT&T has a history of refusing to network unlock phones for zero reason. However, some recent posts on XDA have claimed the AT&T Pixel 9's bootloader can be unlocked if you set up the phone [without an AT&T SIM inserted](https://xdaforums.com/t/at-t-pixel-9-pro-xl-bootloader-unlockable.4689083/). AT&T also has an artifical blacklist, meaning you are limited only to the devices they officially support. You're best off avoiding AT&T.
### Verizon/Visible
Verizon has always been infamously bad for force locking the bootloader. Even dating back to their exclusive DROID series of phones (made by HTC and Motorola) in the late 2000s and early 2010s, you had to use things like SafeStrap to get custom ROMs. Verizon hasn't changed, being very clear that they will not unlock your bootloader, no matter what. In some very very rare cases, people have reported they were able to [unlock their Verizon Pixel's bootloader](https://xdaforums.com/t/just-unlocked-my-vzw-bootloader.4500027/), but this is extremely rare (I can only find one case of this happening).
### T-Mobile/Metro
In general, T-Mobile generally lets you unlock your bootloader, even if your phone is still carrier locked, likely related to the fact T-Mobile has always supported Android (they were the first carrier in the world to sell an Android device), way back in 2011, T-Mobile said on Twitter that CyanogenMod (a very popular custom ROM, now known as LineageOS) was great, and they were excited to see what Cyanogen would do [for T-Mobile's new phone](https://x.com/TMobile/status/60111542494048256). T-Mobile has also seemingly forced certain manufacturers to make their bootloaders unlockable, as phones like the LG G6 (normally not unlockable), is unlockable via the [standard unlock procedure](/misc/general-unlock.md) for T-Mobile models.
Do note that this does *not* account for phones made by T-Mobile, these phones have a number of different OEMs, usually Wingtech for newer models, and [HTC](/brands/htc/README.md) for older models, however they've been made by a varity of different OEMs, including [TCL](/brands/tcl/README.md), [Samsung](/brands/samsung/README.md), [Sharp](/brands/sharp/README.md), Danger, [LG](/brands/lg/README.md) and [Huawei](/brands/huawei/README.md).
### Boost
Boost doesn't have a wide choice of Android phones, they only have Samsung, Motorola, and phones made by Boost (likely made by a different OEM, similar to T-Mobile, I can't find which OEM though). I can't find anything for Boost-made phones, but their Motorola devices are unlockable via [standard Motorola procedure](/brands/motorola/README.md]
## Canada
All devices sold in Canada after December 1, 2017 are sold unlocked, and any devices sold before then legally have to be unlocked for free, thanks to [the Wireless Code](https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2017/2017-200.htm). For devices sold before then however..
### Bell/Virgin/Lucky
Bootloaders are unlockable, although I'd recommend avoiding Bell due to their virtually non-existent LTE and 5G network if you live outside of Ontario, Quebec or BC.
### Telus/Koodo/Public
Bootloaders are unlockable, nothing to report.
### Rogers/Fido/Chatr
Bootloaders are unlockable, however for devices sold before December 1, 2017, network unlocking is a problem. Rogers directly violates the Wireless Code, forcing you to be a Rogers customer to unlock your phone. If you have a Rogers device and need it to be unlocked, [file a complaint](https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/contact/question.htm) with the CRTC. This is illegal, Rogers legally has to unlock your phone unless it's reported as lost or stolen. Even with modern devices, I'd avoid Rogers because they've shown they have no problem breaking laws.
## Japan
If you buy a Sony or Sharp phone used, high chance it's going to be locked to a Japanese carrier as that's just where Sony and Sharp are popular.
### NTT Docomo
NTT Docomo does not allow you to unlock your bootloader, the OEM unlock option is greyed out.
***
Authored by [Ivy / Lost-Entrepreneur439](https://github.com/Lost-Entrepreneur439).<br/>