unlocking advice

Hi all,

Just reached the end of a 12 month contract with T-mobile through Phones 4 U
(uk).
I have a Nokia 3650 which I'm quite happy with, but I was offered a new
handset to get me to stay.

I took them up on this and took a Samsung x600 to pass on to my girlfriend.
She has a virgin PAYG and I'm thinking of unlocking the x600 so she can use
it but I'm a little unsure of what I'm doing.

I looked at a load of online unlocking services which look OK on the surface
but I was wondering if any of you had any advice, recommendations or words
of warning that I can think about before going ahead.

The only concern that I can really identify is that the handset may still
belong to the network. Is this a real concern?

Thanks for any thoughts,

ste

---

› See More: unlocking advice

On Mon, 09 Aug 2004 18:24:27 GMT, "GMS" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>Just reached the end of a 12 month contract with T-mobile through Phones 4 U
>(uk).
>I have a Nokia 3650 which I'm quite happy with, but I was offered a new
>handset to get me to stay.
>
>I took them up on this and took a Samsung x600 to pass on to my girlfriend.
>She has a virgin PAYG and I'm thinking of unlocking the x600 so she can use
>it but I'm a little unsure of what I'm doing.

You mean using it on your plan? If so, you'd have to convert to some
shared minutes or "family" plan. Otherwise, she'd have to get a plan
on her own.
>
>I looked at a load of online unlocking services which look OK on the surface
>but I was wondering if any of you had any advice, recommendations or words
>of warning that I can think about before going ahead.

You say you got the phone through a UK provider, but was your TM
contract with T-Mobile USA or one of its overseas units? I don't know
what the policy is of the units outside the U.S., but TM USA will give
you the unlock code once you've been a customer for about 90 days, as
long as your account is in good standing. Once you have that, you can
unlock it yourself and save any fee.
>
>The only concern that I can really identify is that the handset may still
>belong to the network. Is this a real concern?

Not if it's properly unlocked.
>
>Thanks for any thoughts,
>
>ste
>

"Cyrus Afzali" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Mon, 09 Aug 2004 18:24:27 GMT, "GMS" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >Hi all,
> >
> >Just reached the end of a 12 month contract with T-mobile through Phones
4 U
> >(uk).
> >I have a Nokia 3650 which I'm quite happy with, but I was offered a new
> >handset to get me to stay.
> >
> >I took them up on this and took a Samsung x600 to pass on to my
girlfriend.
> >She has a virgin PAYG and I'm thinking of unlocking the x600 so she can
use
> >it but I'm a little unsure of what I'm doing.
>
> You mean using it on your plan? If so, you'd have to convert to some
> shared minutes or "family" plan. Otherwise, she'd have to get a plan
> on her own.
> >
> >I looked at a load of online unlocking services which look OK on the
surface
> >but I was wondering if any of you had any advice, recommendations or
words
> >of warning that I can think about before going ahead.
>
> You say you got the phone through a UK provider, but was your TM
> contract with T-Mobile USA or one of its overseas units? I don't know
> what the policy is of the units outside the U.S., but TM USA will give
> you the unlock code once you've been a customer for about 90 days, as
> long as your account is in good standing. Once you have that, you can
> unlock it yourself and save any fee.
> >
> >The only concern that I can really identify is that the handset may still
> >belong to the network. Is this a real concern?
>
> Not if it's properly unlocked.
> >
> >Thanks for any thoughts,
> >
> >ste


Sorry - should have been clearer. I'm in the UK and my contract and
everything are with T-mobile UK.
I'm just interested in getting my girl's Virgin pay as you go sim and
sticking it in the Samsung that's currently locked to T-mobile.

When you say "Not if it's properly unlocked", can you clarify what you mean
by that?

Cheers

On Mon, 09 Aug 2004 18:40:29 GMT, "GMS" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"Cyrus Afzali" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...

>> You say you got the phone through a UK provider, but was your TM
>> contract with T-Mobile USA or one of its overseas units? I don't know
>> what the policy is of the units outside the U.S., but TM USA will give
>> you the unlock code once you've been a customer for about 90 days, as
>> long as your account is in good standing. Once you have that, you can
>> unlock it yourself and save any fee.
>> >
>> >The only concern that I can really identify is that the handset may still
>> >belong to the network. Is this a real concern?
>>
>> Not if it's properly unlocked.
>> >
>> >Thanks for any thoughts,
>> >
>> >ste
>
>
>Sorry - should have been clearer. I'm in the UK and my contract and
>everything are with T-mobile UK.
>I'm just interested in getting my girl's Virgin pay as you go sim and
>sticking it in the Samsung that's currently locked to T-mobile.
>
>When you say "Not if it's properly unlocked", can you clarify what you mean
>by that?

A GSM phone can be unlocked by getting the proper code algorithm
that's based on your phone's serial number (more properly known as an
IMEI). T-Mobile USA will easily give you that code and instructions to
unlock your phone once you've been a customer for a while. I can't
confirm that they'll do that easily worldwide. But regardless, you can
usually get it done for a relatively small fee at local shops.

If a phone is not locked, it won't accept a "foreign" SIM -- in other
words, a SIM that's provided by a separate carrier from the one
supplying the phone.

Getting a phone to work with a prepaid SIM shouldn't be any problem in
an unlocked phone. The main reason people want phones unlocked in the
first place is so they can use them in a different country to avoid
paying outrageously expensive international roaming fees.

"GMS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The only concern that I can really identify is that the handset may still
> belong to the network. Is this a real concern?

No. You paid for the phone, either directly in cash or as a part of your
monthly service fees. The phone belongs to you, so you are free to unlock
it (or not) as you wish. However, before you pay someone to unlock it,
phone T-Mobile and ask if they can give you the unlock code for your old
phone. They might.

Jim

From what I hear, T-Mobile will help you unlock it after mere 14 days.
Ask them before you spend any time or money.

On Mon, 09 Aug 2004 19:35:36 GMT, Cyrus Afzali <[email protected]>
wrote:

>If a phone is not locked, it won't accept a "foreign" SIM -- in other
>words, a SIM that's provided by a separate carrier from the one
>supplying the phone.

I believe you have that slightly off. If a phone *is* locked it won't
accept a foreign SIM not if a phone is not locked.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
remove NONO from .NONOcom to reply

"Newbie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:090820041639056533%[email protected]...
> From what I hear, T-Mobile will help you unlock it after mere 14 days.
> Ask them before you spend any time or money.

great stuff - thanks all.

Jim MacKenzie wrote:
> "GMS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>The only concern that I can really identify is that the handset may still
>>belong to the network. Is this a real concern?
>
>
> No. You paid for the phone, either directly in cash or as a part of your
> monthly service fees. The phone belongs to you, so you are free to unlock
> it (or not) as you wish. However, before you pay someone to unlock it,
> phone T-Mobile and ask if they can give you the unlock code for your old
> phone. They might.
>
> Jim
>
>

He dosn't want to give his OLD phone to his g'friend, he want's to continue to use his OLD
phone with the renewed contract and give the New samsung (Which is supposed to be used
with the renewed contract) to his girlfriend.

As far as T-Mobile are concerned the Old phone is his to do whatever and the new phoone is
registed to him with his number as part of his renewed contract.

T-Mobile might be reluctant to let you give away and unlock a brand new handset because
you are supposed to use it with the renewed contract.(that's how they can afford to give
away a new phone with a new or renewed contract); by subsidy.

There are tighter security systems these days to combat Phone theft and SIM iD numbers are
supposed to be tied to an IMEI number so networks can keeps track of whats going on.

You can get away with it as long as you don't get your phone stolen or lost or anything.
You are effectivly giving up your rights to any insurance deal or customer service you
require in the event of you or your g'friend losing your phones or theft of your phones.

If you were doing this the right way round then everything is perfectly in order. ie.

T-Mobile unlocks the Nokia so Virgin can Legally register it their network. You continue
using your plan and contract with the samsung.

Rob

On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 10:31:39 GMT, "GMS" <[email protected]> wrote:in a shakey
hand

>"Newbie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:090820041639056533%[email protected]...
>> From what I hear, T-Mobile will help you unlock it after mere 14 days.
>> Ask them before you spend any time or money.
>
>great stuff - thanks all.

Before you spend a penny on unlocking, try swapping SIMs. Virgin run on
T-mob's network and I can attest that putting a Virgin SIM in locked T-Mob
handsets have worked with no problems. I'm on T-Mob and Virgin in the UK.

ttfn.

"GMS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi all,
>
> Just reached the end of a 12 month contract with T-mobile through Phones 4
U
> (uk).
> I have a Nokia 3650 which I'm quite happy with, but I was offered a new
> handset to get me to stay.
>
> I took them up on this and took a Samsung x600 to pass on to my
girlfriend.
> She has a virgin PAYG and I'm thinking of unlocking the x600 so she can
use
> it but I'm a little unsure of what I'm doing.
>
> I looked at a load of online unlocking services which look OK on the
surface
> but I was wondering if any of you had any advice, recommendations or words
> of warning that I can think about before going ahead.
>
> The only concern that I can really identify is that the handset may still
> belong to the network. Is this a real concern?
>
> Thanks for any thoughts,
>
> ste
>
You can unlock it FREE here,

http://www.cellphonehacks.com/viewtopic.php?t=13672

MahaRaj

"MahaRaj" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "GMS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Just reached the end of a 12 month contract with T-mobile through Phones
4
> U
> > (uk).
> > I have a Nokia 3650 which I'm quite happy with, but I was offered a new
> > handset to get me to stay.
> >
> > I took them up on this and took a Samsung x600 to pass on to my
> girlfriend.
> > She has a virgin PAYG and I'm thinking of unlocking the x600 so she can
> use
> > it but I'm a little unsure of what I'm doing.
> >
> > I looked at a load of online unlocking services which look OK on the
> surface
> > but I was wondering if any of you had any advice, recommendations or
words
> > of warning that I can think about before going ahead.
> >
> > The only concern that I can really identify is that the handset may
still
> > belong to the network. Is this a real concern?
> >
> > Thanks for any thoughts,
> >
> > ste
> >
> You can unlock it FREE here,
>
> http://www.cellphonehacks.com/viewtopic.php?t=13672
>
> MahaRaj


post your IMEI no and I will send you unlock codes FREE.