Samsung SPH-A500 need "akey" (authentication key or code)

Sorry about reposting my story, but I could still use some help with the "akey" (authentication key or code) to reprogram my ESN (electronic serial number) on my Samsung SPH-A500

My experience: phone (Samsung SPH-A500) dropped into picnic cooler, sat in water for an hour. Being a moron, I just wiped off the phone & opened the clamshell cover which powered on the phone. Bad idea. Poof ! Started acting wacky. Of course, I shut off my phone. Removed the battery. Completely disassembled phone & dried it out.

Phone lost all its settings. Not just the phone book, or the call history, or the alarm clock settings, or the memos, or the downloaded ring tones. But the ESN (electronic serial number) necessary to connect to the cell network, the MIN (mobile identifier number, ie your phone number), the SID (service provider identifier number) among other settings.

My cellphone, Samsung SPH-A500 was purchased locally, here in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada from a MTS (manitoba telecom services) dealer about 2002 or 2003. Attempting to get my submarined cellphone back in service, I have learned much about cellphone hardware, software, keypad programming, service providers, etc.

Interesting history: manufactured in Korea. Sent to USA for Sprint. Sent to Ontario, Canada for Bell Mobility. Sent to Manitoba, Canada to be eventually sold to me by MTS (manitoba telecom services). Well travelled phone !

Now, when I turn on my cellphone, I see the Samsung logo during bootup, just like the past 4 years. But the MTS logo is replaced by the Bell logo. The software layering done by the MTS dealer 4 yrs. ago is lost. It looks like all the software settings went back to the default. Other than the Bell logo, it looks, feels, smells the same (only cleaner, much cleaner - 4 yrs of pocket lint gone).

I learned how to access the Service Menu using the keypad (many thanks to the Sprint USA techs & 1-800 number). I learned to reprogram the NAM (resetting the MIN, the SID, the IMSI (international mobile serviceprovider identifier), the Country Code, etc.

How does the phone work ? Well........so far whenever I make a call, I can only reach my service provider.

The next step is to find out how to reset my ESN. Appears to need an "akey" (authentication key, or code).

Almost there.