How to Get a Free Replacement for Your Phone

1. Call or visit your cell phone provider and ask if you are eligible for an upgrade. Most major providers offer free phone upgrades or special discounts on high-end models after a certain period of time as a client.
2. Renew your contract with your cell phone provider. Call or visit your provider and inquire about contract renewal. Major cell phone carriers generally provide a free cell phone upon contract renewal. Oftentimes, the quality of the cell phone depends on the length of time committed in your contract. Get a better replacement for you cell phone by signing a multiyear contract.
3. Switch cell phone providers. Major carriers offer special deals or free cell phones when you sign a contract as a new customer. Visit your local shopping center or search online for a list of cell phone providers in your area.
4. Search for free cell phones on an online classifieds site. Many Internet classifieds sites have a section for free things that people are giving away. Search often and contact the seller quickly if you see a cell phone that meets your needs.

How to Unlock Phones Using Freeware

1. Enter *#06#, using your phone's keypad. This will give you the IMEI number. Write it down.
2. Choose the freeware you want to use. Examples include NokiaFREE, MotoBlaze and Free SIM Unlock (see Resources). Download the software to your desktop for easy access.
3. Double-click the installation file. Follow instructions for proper installation. Restart your computer.
4. Double-click the unlock freeware. Enter your cell phone's IMEI number, model number and manufacturer. Click 'Unlock' or a similar function.
5. Wait for the results. Write down the unlock codes, since there may be more than one. The freeware also may give you special instructions for unlocking your cell phone.
6. Enter the unlock code into your cell phone and press the 'Menu-OK' button. Depending on your cell phone, you may have up to five attempts. Once you have the right code, your cell phone will access your new cell phone provider's network.

How to Unlock TracFone Phones

1. Write down your phone's IMEI (international mobile device identification) number. Find it by typing '*#06#' into your phone and hitting 'Send.' It might also be on a label under the battery.
2. Get your unlock code one of two ways. First, call TracFone. Give the rep your IMEI number, and you will be told whether an unlock code can be provided. If you're not eligible, navigate to one of several online unlocking services. Enter your phone's model and hit 'Unlock My Phone' or some such equivalent. The site will ask you to identify your current service provider. This will typically indicate how much unlocking a TracFone will cost. This number can vary from $9.99 to $39.99 as of 2010, depending on the type and age of the phone, as well as the network you're leaving.
3. Remove your TracFone SIM card. Put the battery back in and turn on the phone. Enter the unlock code when prompted. A message will appear to tell you if the code was accepted.
4. Remove the battery and insert your new carrier's SIM card. Reboot the phone to officially leave TracFone for a new carrier.

How to Send Bulk Text Messages for Free

1. Navigate to your email inbox.
2. Click 'Compose.'
3. Enter the cell phone email address for each of the contacts you wish to send a text message in the 'To' field. Navigate to the Overseer Network Monitoring website (see Resources) to determine the address for your contacts.
4. Enter a message in the body of the email. Limit the number of words in the text message. A standard SMS is 160 characters.
5. Click 'Send.'

How to Send a Text Message From Yahoo Mail

1. Open a browser window and navigate to your Yahoo! Mail account. Log in with your ID and password.
2. Click 'New' and select 'Email Message' from the drop-down menu.
3. Enter the recipient's mobile phone number followed by '@' and the SMS gateway in the 'To' field. The SMS gateway works in the same manner as the domain in an email address. An example email address for a Boost Mobile cell phone customer is 1234567890@myboostmobile.com.
4. Type the text for the message in the body of the email. Messages longer than 160 characters may be received in several messages or truncated.
5. Click 'Send' and your text message will be sent to the recipient's cellphone.

How to Send an SMS Telecom From Hotmail

1. Open your Internet browser and log in to your Hotmail email account.
2. Start a new message.
3. Enter the gateway address for the cell phone you're sending the message to. Instead of entering another email address in the 'Send To' field, you will enter the user's phone number followed by their gateway address. For example, to send a message to a Boost Mobile cell phone, you would send your email to (10-digit phone number)@myboostmobile.com. You can consult your user's manual to find your gateway address. There is a list of all major gateway addresses in the link in the References section.
4. Send the message. Your email will now be sent to the cell phone as an SMS message.

How to Unlock a Samsung Rugby Phone

1. Obtain your phone's IMEI number by pressing *#06# on your Samsung Rugby phone.
2. Call your Samsung phone's service provider and ask for technical support. Provide the representative with your IMEI number. The representative should furnish you with a Subsidy Unlock Code.
3. Access the Rugby phone's SIM card by removing the battery cover and the battery. Remove the SIM card then replace the battery and cover.
4. Power on the Rugby phone.
5. Type in the Subsidy Unlock Code. You should see a message saying 'Network Lock Deactivated.' Your phone may automatically reboot.
6. Put the SIM card back in your phone.