Unlocked / Locked Phones - US to the UK

How can I tell if my cell phone is unlocked or not? I'm heading to the
UK (I'm based in the States) and would like to use one of the prepaid
SIMs (either Virgin or O2 - anyone know which is better?), but I've
heard that a cell phone needs to first be unlocked.

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<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> How can I tell if my cell phone is unlocked or not? I'm heading to the
> UK (I'm based in the States) and would like to use one of the prepaid
> SIMs (either Virgin or O2 - anyone know which is better?), but I've
> heard that a cell phone needs to first be unlocked.

Well for starters, what phone is it?

Most SE handsets can gain access to the service menu by pressing >*<<*<*
from the standby screen. In there you can check the status of your
SIMlocks. If you're planning on using Virgin, your handset will need to be
able to access GSM1800, and for O2 you'll need GSM900. Most SE handsets are
only tri-band, so you'll be lucky to be able to use both O2 and Virgin.

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> Well for starters, what phone is it?

It's a Sony Ericcson T616.

> Most SE handsets can gain access to the service menu by pressing >*<<*<*
> from the standby screen.

I'm not quite sure what " >*<<*<* " means.

>In there you can check the status of your
> SIMlocks. If you're planning on using Virgin, your handset will need to be
> able to access GSM1800, and for O2 you'll need GSM900. Most SE handsets are
> only tri-band, so you'll be lucky to be able to use both O2 and Virgin.

Hmm. In that case, I believe I can only use Virgin.

On 2 Aug 2005 12:46:51 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

>How can I tell if my cell phone is unlocked or not? I'm heading to the
>UK (I'm based in the States) and would like to use one of the prepaid
>SIMs (either Virgin or O2 - anyone know which is better?), but I've
>heard that a cell phone needs to first be unlocked.
If the phone is 'branded' (has a logo from the service provider), odds
are very high that it is locked. If it was obtained from anyone other
than a company store, or it is an AT&T phone. It is locked. Omnipoint
and later VoiceStream used to offer unlocked phones in small numbers
from company owned outlets.

Some operators will provide unlock codes in some circumstances,
however AT&T would not unlock phones under any circumstances.

ALMOST no GSM phones sold in North America are unlocked at time of
purchase.

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
>> Well for starters, what phone is it?
>
> It's a Sony Ericsson T616.
>
>> Most SE handsets can gain access to the service menu by pressing >*<<*<*
>> from the standby screen.
>
> I'm not quite sure what " >*<<*<* " means.



> denoting pushing the navigation button/joystick to the right
< denoting pushing the navigation button/joystick to the left
* denoting pushing the star key (in the bottom left of the keypad)


Ignore any onscreen commands while entering the sequence.
A service menu 'should' appear when it's complete.

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] wrote:

> > Well for starters, what phone is it?
>
> It's a Sony Ericcson T616.
>

Hum. That's GSM 850/1800/1900. Go to www.gsmworld.com and click on da
roaming maps. Click on GB. There will be a list of providers and
within that is network info. That will tell you if was frequency
they're on.

The only "world" band on that phone is GSM1800. GSM850/1900 are US
Frequencies.

Okay, so I performed this little number ( >*<<*<*) on my phone and got
to the service menu. I went to the SIMlock option and it reads as
follows:

Network (picture of an unlocked padlock) 5
Network Subset (picture of an unlocked padlock) 5
Service Provider (picture of an unlocked padlock) 5
Corporate (picture of an unlocked padlock) 5

So this image of an unlocked padlock either means this is the number to
unlock my phone, or my phone is already unlocked?

More insight would be helpful.

[email protected] wrote:

> Okay, so I performed this little number ( >*<<*<*) on my phone
> and got to the service menu. I went to the SIMlock option and
> it reads as follows:
>
> Network (picture of an unlocked padlock) 5
> Network Subset (picture of an unlocked padlock) 5
> Service Provider (picture of an unlocked padlock) 5
> Corporate (picture of an unlocked padlock) 5
>
> So this image of an unlocked padlock either means this is the
> number to unlock my phone, or my phone is already unlocked?

If all four padlocks are open (caution, I remember the opening being
displayed only 1 pixel wide on some phones), then your phone is
unlocked. Congrats!

M.

<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Okay, so I performed this little number ( >*<<*<*) on my phone and got
> to the service menu. I went to the SIMlock option and it reads as
> follows:
>
> Network (picture of an unlocked padlock) 5
> Network Subset (picture of an unlocked padlock) 5
> Service Provider (picture of an unlocked padlock) 5
> Corporate (picture of an unlocked padlock) 5
>
> So this image of an unlocked padlock either means this is the number to
> unlock my phone, or my phone is already unlocked?
>
> More insight would be helpful.
>

It seems your phone isn't locked.
The easiest way to find out, is to ask the sim-card of a friend who is on another provider.
If that card works, any will, in any country.

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
>> Well for starters, what phone is it?
>
> It's a Sony Ericcson T616.

Then you'll only have access to GSM1800 networks whilst in the UK. That
means you can use Orange or T-Mobile. You can also use the virtual networks
that utilise T-Mobile's network infrastructure (Virgin, EasyMobile etc.)

HTH

--
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<<< www.uselessinfo.org.uk >>>
<<< www.thephonelocker.co.uk >>>
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