What is a USSD code?
USSD is a communication protocol between cell phones and the equipment of telephone operators that uses the dialing of codes composed of numbers and symbols from the calling app. It allows the exchange of technical information between said devices, which in turn allows the user to exercise better control of the phone’s functions and configuration.
The most famous USSD code is the IMEI code made up of the combination of the characters *#06#, which returns at the user’s request the IMEI number that identifies a cell phone worldwide. It is made up of 15 digits that store coded data about its manufacturer, country of origin, serial number, among others.
But the IMEI code is not the only USSD code. There are other USSD codes in the public domain, such as the codes to know the balance of the telephone plan and many others that are kept secret to avoid unnecessary manipulation of the equipment, so caution is recommended in their use. They appear on both Android phones and Apple iPhones.
iPhone USSD Code List
Activating these codes only requires that you enter them into the interface of the phone calling application on your iPhone and make the call. In return, you will receive various kinds of information on the screen, some of them with interactive options.
*#06# : Provides the IMEI number of the iPhone
3001#12345# : Shows the 3G, 4G and 5G signal strength metrics provided by the telephone operator.
*31# [followed by the destination phone number] : Makes calls in hidden mode (depends on the operator on duty).
*777# : Show the balance of your calling plan and mobile data packages.
*#43# : Check if the call waiting feature is activated.
500525370# : Allows you to check if government alert messages for natural disasters are activated.
List of USSD codes on Android
If you have an Android phone, then you may want to check out the following articles:
Secret codes for Samsung cell phones