Unlocking phones

On 11 Dec 2004 17:01:54 -0800, "an_mo" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Al, how can you check if the phone is unlocked or not? I just bought a
>v180 (t-mobile) and gmm-software.com seems to be down.

The only sure fire way to tell is to insert a SIM not from that
carrier/operator. If you don't get the SIM rejected message it's
unlocked. If you get a SIM rejected message it means that it's
locked.

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› See More: Unlocking phones

Fester: can you describe exactly how you got it unlocked using a
prepaid card? I checked a couple of sites and the minimum I found for
the unlock code was $40. I'd rather avoid this absurd tax.

Fester wrote:
> I travel to the UK almost every summer this year I took my V400 with
me when
> I called CS they gave me a few options but I took what my cousin
suggested
> and had it UNLOCKED and I used a prepaid sim card to unlock it was
easy
>

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on 12 Dec 2004
16:22:39 -0800, "an_mo" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Fester: can you describe exactly how you got it unlocked using a
>prepaid card? I checked a couple of sites and the minimum I found for
>the unlock code was $40. I'd rather avoid this absurd tax.

What makes it a "tax?"

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>

It's just a figure of speech

[POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]

In <[email protected]> on 13 Dec 2004
07:18:00 -0800, "an_mo" <[email protected]> wrote:

>It's just a figure of speech

Fair enough, but not a good one.

--
Best regards, HELP FOR CINGULAR GSM & SONY ERICSSON PHONES:
John Navas <http://navasgrp.home.att.net/#Cingular>

On 12 Dec 2004 16:22:39 -0800, "an_mo" <[email protected]> said in
alt.cellular.cingular:

>Fester: can you describe exactly how you got it unlocked using a
>prepaid card? I checked a couple of sites and the minimum I found for
>the unlock code was $40. I'd rather avoid this absurd tax.

There are sites that will sell you Motorola unlock codes for a lot
less than that.

Care to cite a couple? Thanks.

On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 01:55:08 GMT, Al Klein <[email protected]> spewed:
>in alt.cellular.cingular:
>
>>Who uses the 850 Mhz?
>
>>I see the 900/1800 are international and 1900 is US.
>
>The US uses 850/1900. (In the old days, 850 - which was called 800 -
>was referred to as cellular, while 1900 was referred to as PCS,
>leading to Sprint's ads about being 100% "PCS" and not cellular.)

I thought PCS was bastardized (proprietary) CDMA not GSM?

My brother's got a Ericsson T616 that's 850/1800/1900 and he says it works
in Europe and Mexico, but not Japan.
Anybody know what countries/regions are what?

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On Thu, 02 Dec 2004 04:14:08 GMT, Al Klein <[email protected]> spewed:
>>> > The two phones I've tried foreign SIMs in so far - Motorola V180 and
>>> > LG 1400 - weren't locked right out of the box.
>>> >
>>> > (You didn't hear it from me.)
>>>
>>> This is normal, if Cingular sells a phone that has international
>>> capabilities, it will be sold unlocked. Only their US only phones are
>>> locked.
>>
>>and Cingular is to be commended for selling unlocked phones.
>
>Well ...
>
>T-Mobile will give you the unlock code if a) you're traveling outside
>the US/Canada area or b) the phone is still in use but the contract is
>fulfilled.
>
I've heard that about them. Very nice.
Too bad T-Mobile sucks otherwise!

>But Cingular does go one stop better. Question is whether they'll
>provide the lock code on a domestic phone after end-of-contract.

Very simple, having a lock code in the first place is because of the
subsidation on phone $ that a contract gives you.
If they keep you X amount of time, it's worth it for them to cut $100's
off the price of the phone (or even give it to you free).
That's also why there's a cancellation fee before your contract's up.
I.E. Treo 650 unlocked = $650, locked w/2yr contract = $449.

Of course, these days it's really irrelevant if the phone is Palm OS.
You can just find an unlock program off the bin groups and unlock it
immediately.

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On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 03:24:46 GMT, Al Klein <[email protected]> spewed:
>>Al, how can you check if the phone is unlocked or not? I just bought a
>>v180 (t-mobile) and gmm-software.com seems to be down.
>
>Put in a SIM from another carrier. If the phone accepts it, it's not
>locked.

Barring having access to another SIM, is there a way?
I've been trying to find out forever.
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Originally Posted by Bob K.

What's the deal with this and Cingular? I spoke to a rep today at the local
mall while I consider switching and he told me that Cingular will not unlock
their phones for you. I can see their point but I won't buy a phone if I
have to be locked into them while traveling in other countries for extended
periods of time. A day or two is ok but that's it. Is this really their
policy or just that of an uninformed rep?

Thanks,
Bob

bob, what kind of cell phone do you have? if you have nokia i can help you unlock that phone. go to www.kisland.com click on computer forum and then click on gsm forum. post you imei, provider, model, country. i can't do it here bcoz were not allowed to post any code here. im always there giving a code for nokia. see you there.

In article <[email protected]>,
<[email protected]> wrote:
>On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 03:24:46 GMT, Al Klein <[email protected]> spewed:
>>>Al, how can you check if the phone is unlocked or not? I just bought a
>>>v180 (t-mobile) and gmm-software.com seems to be down.
>>
>>Put in a SIM from another carrier. If the phone accepts it, it's not
>>locked.
>
>Barring having access to another SIM, is there a way?

Most of the time, there isn't.

With some phones there are indirect ways. For instance, if you have
the valid unlock code for a Nokia phone and try to unlock a phone that is
***ALREADY** unlocked, the phone will tell you.

Using appropriate software and data cables for other phones, there
probably are ways too.

None is as simple as getting a SIM card and turning the phone on.

>
> Using appropriate software and data cables for other phones, there
> probably are ways too.
>
> None is as simple as getting a SIM card and turning the phone on.
>

On my Sony-Ericsson, I press <**< and it tells me on the Screen if it's
unlocked or not.

That's simple, IMHO :-)

"Paw-Paw" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:YQi8e.72268$f%[email protected]...
> >
>> Using appropriate software and data cables for other phones, there
>> probably are ways too.
>>
>> None is as simple as getting a SIM card and turning the phone on.
>>
>
> On my Sony-Ericsson, I press <**< and it tells me on the Screen if it's
> unlocked or not.
>
> That's simple, IMHO :-)
>
BTW- < is Joystick left

Paw-Paw wrote:
>
> On my Sony-Ericsson, I press <**< and it tells me on the Screen if
it's
> unlocked or not.
>
> That's simple, IMHO :-)

I have a Z500a, when I do that if says "personalized with MNC3"
what does this mean?

Then, it goes to a screen with 4 choices:
Network
Network Subset
SP
Corporate

All are unlocked except Network. What does this mean?

Monica