Develop Bugs

Are O2 acting legally to refuse to supply unlock codes?

I'm not sure of the legal basis for O2 refusing to supply onlock codes (which they have done with me 3 times now, despite others' success), so I have decided to complain to OFCOM.
1) I don't see how they can control what I do with a phone I have bought privately, SIM free on the open market.
2) I have no contract with them, so they cannot bind me to anything. They have tried telling me I can have the unlock code when I have had my PAYG SIM for a year; however, this is nothing to do with the xda. These were two separate transactions. There is no term in my SIM contract relating to a particular phone.
3)the original owner still has a contract with them and is using his SIM in his new phone, thus they are not losing out. Furthermore, by refusing to unlock it they are getting two customers from one contract.
4) It is anti-competitive, as I cannot choose to go to a cheaper network (I want to use T-Mobile for the free voicemail). They could raise their PAYG tariff astronomically, and I would still have to use O2 or my phone would be useless. I am also unable to use a foreign SIM card when abroad, thus am tied in to expensive international calls, with the money going to O2.
5) What would I do if O2 go bust or cease to trade, or fail to get their licence renewed, etc? My phone would be absolutely useless.
Below is the link I have used to register my complaint. If they are inundated with complaints, hoefully they will do something about it.
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/contact_ofcom/general_complaint
Cathy

I guess I am playing Devil's Advocate, but I have to say that I see there point.
Otherwise, ANYONE could buy an XDA2 for just one example, sell it on at a high profit from the subsidisation cost he/she paid/will pay through the contract term, and make a tidy profit there and then, whilst still selling it to you for less than an unlocked SIM free handset from the likes of eBay.
I appreciate your views, BUT, to the letter of the law, UNTIL the original purchaser fulfills his 12 months, its technically not even HIS to sell to you.
Its a grey area, but to the letter of the law, that's the situation.
We ALL know that in reality it doesn't work that way, and we all sell stuff on before the 12 months is up, knowing that we as the original owner are liable to ensure we see out the 12 months.
BUT, in your case however, you are not talking about a day to day ownership, but arguing a point of law because of the difficult situation you are in.
And as I outlined, this is one of the very reasons why, to the letter of the law, its not even meant to pe permissable to even sell it on to you.
It becomes the property of the original purchaser, only at the point he has satisfied his 12 month term, and only then is he really meant to sell it.
We all know this isn't what happens, but it DOES mean we are not in any position to argue law, if we choose to agree to buying it.
Otherwise, i could buy a £120 XDA2 from onestop, with a contract bringing it to £360 all in, over a year, BUT sell it straight on to you now for £400, unopened, sealed, brand new in effect, sim free, and make a tidy profit of £40, AND spread the rest of my repayments to O2, IF they were to then instantly agree to give you the unlock code.
An unlikely scenario to say the least.
(All this of course aside from the fact that the XDA2 can easily be unlocked using any of the tools on this site - including the latest ROM version I beleive - so I am not sure waht the purpose of the post is Cathy - why not just unlock it like I did, to use it on Orange?)

im with you Shadamehr. Why bother complaining when its so easy to unlock it anyway. i unlocked mine without problem using the tools available on this website.

...However, there have also been posts from people who have used the download tools and have then experienced problems. I have the ROM version that requires the hard reset and using bootloader mode, or whatever it is. I am not a computer expert, and I have forund from experience that tampering with things that are at present working is not a good plan. It is very time consuming, and I don't feel competent to deal with any problems that arise.

Cathy said:
I have the ROM version that requires the hard reset and using bootloader mode, or whatever it is. I am not a computer expert, and I have forund from experience that tampering with things that are at present working is not a good plan. It is very time consuming, and I don't feel competent to deal with any problems that arise.
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I completely agree with your right and demand to get services in such a case. However, for anyone that does not want to go through the unlock process with the bootloader and hard reset (the 'old' method), I advise you to upgrade. As far as I know all major sellers now provide upgrades. These will also upgrade your radio to version 1.10.x, which is a very much improved radio version. Well worth the upgrade. After that upgrade the simple upgrade tool (the 'new' method) works.

Cathy, I never meant to offend - just to point out the basic premise that on a point of law, you have no legal basis to ask for the unlock code, because to the letter of the law, he had no legal right to even sell you it.
It's a bit hard insisting on an unlock code from the netowrk, for a device that the owner shouldn't even have sold you anyway now is it?
I know we ALL do it QUIETLY, but that doesn't make a whole lot of difference when we need to kick up a fuss and publicise it does it?
But believe me, the Unlock method you refer to, if you have radio stack version 1.05, is REALLY easy enough, and in fact, the LEAST dangerous, in that it isn't actually CHANGING anything unlike the others, as it is only working out what the unlock code is - it doesn't actually unlock it - it only works out the code for you, so it could be argued it's the least intrusive/dangerous.
You then just put another network SIM into the XDA2, so it gives the obvious unathaurised SIM message, and then asks you to enter the unlock code - just exactly the same as if it was supplied by the network.
Failing that, and if you still are unhappy, which I understand, then the new GENUINE, OFFICIAL ROM Upgrade is now available from the O2 UK website.
It's a long process of around an hour all in, but it updates to the latest version whereby you can run a simple unlock tool on the phone to do it all for you.
Hope this is of some use, and if any of us can help more, just ask here...

Thank you...

ahhh, but...
I would contend that although the owner no longer has the phone and has sold it, he is in fact meeting the subsidation requirement by maintaining his contract.
I would also contend or pose the question that what if you broke the phone (by mistake)?
As long as the contract period is still upheld by the original owner, than the provider has no right to hold the unlock code of the now, transferred phone. That's why there are cancellation fees and long-term contracts.
JS

If a locked phone presents a problem for a potential customer then they should, at the outset, request that the phone be unlocked and that your signing the contract depends on this, the reason, if asked, is that you may have to use a 3rd party sim in another country and you dont wish to carry 2 phones, or see why you should.

Re: ahhh, but...
wiredup said:
I would contend that although the owner no longer has the phone and has sold it, he is in fact meeting the subsidation requirement by maintaining his contract.
I would also contend or pose the question that what if you broke the phone (by mistake)?
As long as the contract period is still upheld by the original owner, than the provider has no right to hold the unlock code of the now, transferred phone. That's why there are cancellation fees and long-term contracts.
JS
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Of course there IS mate.
Because under UK law, the network is within the law to with-hold the code to the actual contract holder, never mind the person they re-sold the handset on to. (Save for them charging a 'small' admin fee and supplying you with it IF you pay of the equivalent of the remainder of your contract).
So they are WELL within their rights to do what they are doing.
Let's not forget here, we are talking about heavy subsidisation by the networks towards the original handset.
My XDA2 cost £119. With my contract, that will be still only £360 or even less, all told.
i can't even buy an equivalent Pocket PC itself for that sort of money, never mind something as swanky as an expensive XDA2 that would cost loads more.
This is becuase the network is so heavily subsidising the cost of it.
And yet you expect them just to say "certainly sir/madam, with pleasure" when you ask them for an unlock code part way through your contract?
Er yeah, right.
Put it this way, the day they do, is the day our handsets start costing £400 or even £500 WITH A CONTRACT.
Let's be real folks!

Again, im with u Shadamehr :wink: . The networks have every right to deny you the unlock code as technically it is still their phone until the contract is fully paid as the handset is heavily subsidised. the networks would lose a lot if the phone was unlocked out of the box or they gave the code away before the contract was up. As i said previously, why bother complaining to them when there are tools available on this website for unlocking the phone , pre and post update. it is just a waste of time and energy when u can have the code in less time than it would take to get through to them to explain to them why they should giv u the code. im not a phone techy but i followed the instructions on the pre update tool and it worked without problem giving me the code. i put my old Vodafone SIM in and entered the code the tool gave me. it worked without a problem . they obviously arent giving you the code Cathy, so cheat like the rest of us :wink: .

Re: ahhh, but...
Shadamehr said:
wiredup said:
I would contend that although the owner no longer has the phone and has sold it, he is in fact meeting the subsidation requirement by maintaining his contract.
I would also contend or pose the question that what if you broke the phone (by mistake)?
As long as the contract period is still upheld by the original owner, than the provider has no right to hold the unlock code of the now, transferred phone. That's why there are cancellation fees and long-term contracts.
JS
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Of course there IS mate.
Because under UK law, the network is within the law to with-hold the code to the actual contract holder, never mind the person they re-sold the handset on to. (Save for them charging a 'small' admin fee and supplying you with it IF you pay of the equivalent of the remainder of your contract).
So they are WELL within their rights to do what they are doing.
Let's not forget here, we are talking about heavy subsidisation by the networks towards the original handset.
My XDA2 cost £119. With my contract, that will be still only £360 or even less, all told.
i can't even buy an equivalent Pocket PC itself for that sort of money, never mind something as swanky as an expensive XDA2 that would cost loads more.
This is becuase the network is so heavily subsidising the cost of it.
And yet you expect them just to say "certainly sir/madam, with pleasure" when you ask them for an unlock code part way through your contract?
Er yeah, right.
Put it this way, the day they do, is the day our handsets start costing £400 or even £500 WITH A CONTRACT.
Let's be real folks!
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Shadamehr,
Clearly you do not understand. Let's suppose: As you stated, the phone would normally be 360, but since the network subsidize the phone, they sell it for 199. Fair enough. I know I am responsible for a contract term of 1 year. Done.
I have later sold the phone after just 3 months. I am STILL responsible for the one year contract... still paying back their "subsidation!" So, what the BIG deal whether I still own the phone or not--the contract obligations are still being met!... own the phone or not.
Like I said before, WHAT IF I broke the phone? What's the difference, I am still obligated to continue the contract--phone or no phone! AND, they still get their SUBSIDATION!
Geez... and, it's no different in USA!

Don't be so bloody stupid.
No one ever said it doesn't HAPPEN. Or are you blind?
What I CLEARLY said is that just because it goes on, unspoken, quite regular, doesn't help one little bit when it comes to wanting an unlock code from the network provider within year one.
May I suggest you re-read my post again?
And PLEASE - if you are in the USA, dont make the mistake of assuming that things must automatically be the same.
If you buy a car on H.P. (slightly different, admittedly), then you CANNOT automatically sell that car on in the UK, if you are still paying back the H.P. on it, and to do so can be illegal. That is a simple given fact that most people in the UK know about - so please don't assume for one second that things have to be the same.
If you want to settle this definitively, then feel free to ring OFCOM, and then post your response here for us to share. But I offer you don't need to, as I already posted what the situation is in the UK.
Besides, let me end by saying as LOUD as I can, as you seem to have missed it...
The day that the networks start giving out Unlock codes within the first 12 months, is the day our handsets suddenly cost 100% more money to obtain, even WITH a contract included.
YOU might want that mate...
But us sensible sorts in the rest of the world surely DON'T want to see an average cost increase of at least £100 on an XDA2 for example, just to cover those people who want an unlock code from the start.
There is a method already in existance for getting a phone network free...
It's called BUYING SIM FREE/UNLOCKED. And if you are going to tell me that it costs MUCH MORE to buy it that way, as opposed to on a contract, now why on earth might that be I wonder... now let me think...?
Oh dear me - not because on contract the networks heavily subsidise them by any chance - well there you go - would you look at that!
Sorry for being flippant, but isn't that what I already said in my post, and I now find I am repeating it here...
(And as an EDIT to this post, as I realised it hasn't sufficiently covered your post, let me remind you that one little detail - no matter whether you DO continue to pay your bills in respect of it, as the original owner. UNTIL the subsidisation period is met, even with you still happily paying for a phone you sold, then the networks do not give out the unlock code, and are within their rights under UK law to do so - so your argument has no merit, or productive outcome anyway - it doesn't make a jot of difference to the new owner anyway, until YOU have paid your 12 months - which is also covered in my post).

Shadamehr said:
Don't be so bloody stupid.
No one ever said it doesn't HAPPEN. Or are you blind?
What I CLEARLY said is that just because it goes on, unspoken, quite regular, doesn't help one little bit when it comes to wanting an unlock code from the network provider within year one.
May I suggest you re-read my post again?
And PLEASE - if you are in the USA, dont make the mistake of assuming that things must automatically be the same.
If you buy a car on H.P. (slightly different, admittedly), then you CANNOT automatically sell that car on in the UK, if you are still paying back the H.P. on it, and to do so can be illegal. That is a simple given fact that most people in the UK know about - so please don't assume for one second that things have to be the same.
If you want to settle this definitively, then feel free to ring OFCOM, and then post your response here for us to share. But I offer you don't need to, as I already posted what the situation is in the UK.
Besides, let me end by saying as LOUD as I can, as you seem to have missed it...
The day that the networks start giving out Unlock codes within the first 12 months, is the day our handsets suddenly cost 100% more money to obtain, even WITH a contract included.
YOU might want that mate...
But us sensible sorts in the rest of the world surely DON'T want to see an average cost increase of at least £100 on an XDA2 for example, just to cover those people who want an unlock code from the start.
There is a method already in existance for getting a phone network free...
It's called BUYING SIM FREE/UNLOCKED. And if you are going to tell me that it costs MUCH MORE to buy it that way, as opposed to on a contract, now why on earth might that be I wonder... now let me think...?
Oh dear me - not because on contract the networks heavily subsidise them by any chance - well there you go - would you look at that!
Sorry for being flippant, but isn't that what I already said in my post, and I now find I am repeating it here...
(And as an EDIT to this post, as I realised it hasn't sufficiently covered your post, let me remind you that one little detail - no matter whether you DO continue to pay your bills in respect of it, as the original owner. UNTIL the subsidisation period is met, even with you still happily paying for a phone you sold, then the networks do not give out the unlock code, and are within their rights under UK law to do so - so your argument has no merit, or productive outcome anyway - it doesn't make a jot of difference to the new owner anyway, until YOU have paid your 12 months - which is also covered in my post).
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The debate was a discussion of whether network should indeed allow unlock codes to be made available before the contract term--of which I replied.
My comments addressed your arrogant, definitive statements surrounding why carriers do not release unlock codes. That is, and what you believe to be, a dependency between contracts and subsidation. However, my opinion was simply the two are mutually exclusive.
Law is the law. While you might prefer subsidation and being locked into a carrier, others may prefer the contractless freedom--of which, some are available.
In addition, I think your condescending, rude and utterly poor communication skills are of an entirely new thread. I suggest a filter between your brain and keyboard as clearly your intuition to write without consideration is overwhelmingly powerful.
It is simply a discussion.
Best regards,
JS

Mmm - I've spent seven years as a die hard internet user, from forums, to newsgroups, to chat rooms and all in between.
I learned a LONG time ago, that the rudest, most arrogant and obnoxious posters are never the brainless ones, but rather, just like you so emphatically prove, the ones that try and hide their attacks behind smooth words, and flowing language.
Consequently, I'll grant you one thing mate... You probably the rudest and most offensive to post to me, in a wee while.
Another thing I learned a long time ago, is not to bother arguing.
I will simply say, the post, the entire thread, is there for all to see, and more importantly, all to judge as they see fit.
Whilst I have no reservation in saying this thread is indeed one of my more flippant posts, compared to the help I try and chip in with round here, I have no suspicions whatsoever that I will be the one judged to be the perpertrator round here - after all, I merely pointed things out. Its not MY fault that you don't LIKE what I had to report. Hey, I never even said that I LIKED it either - I'm merely messenger, pointing out a few home truths.
And not letting you get away with it that easily, I would just remind you that once again, if people DO wish to prevail themselves of a handset that is NOT network locked, the facility already exists for them to do so, and its called BUYING SIM FREE.
Or did you miss that yet again.
Making it as clear as possible for you, in case you haven't worked out yet that I have NO reason to defend the networks per se, nevertheless mate, if a Network heavily subsidises a handset, provided you agree to stick with them 12 months, not tariff change until after 4 (or 6) months, and not get an unlock code until after the twelve months, then it couldn't be simpler mate...
You either take it, or you leave it.
But if you go into it with open eyes, as you surely should, then you have no right, or place, or reason, to later post in here that you think its unfair that the network won't give you an unlock code in the first twelve months.
If you don't like that idea, you DON'T take out the contract mate.
ITS THAT SIMPLE.
And if you want to, you can then buy a SIM FREE handset.
But please, don't complain about the cost being too high then. Of course it is - that is the REAL price.
The price you are used to, on contract, is a heavily subsidised one, available to you provided you AGREE to certain conditions etc.
Note that word "agree". Because it means that once you accept it, then there is little point or purpose to whingeing on later, about something that you, as a consumer, of your own volition and free will, AGREED to.
Now please, my Email address should be in my profile.
If you want to flame me or troll me anymore - by all means do so by Email, and keep your incesant ramblings OFF this board.
Like I said - both our comments are there for all to see.
More importantly, they are there for others to judge.
I'm more than happy to let the members judge me.
I trust you are the same.
Now leave it please. (Or rather, troll and flame me as much as you feel the need to, but use my email in future instead of boring everyone else in this forum).

Shadamehr said:
Mmm - I've spent seven years as a die hard internet user, from forums, to newsgroups, to chat rooms and all in between.
I learned a LONG time ago, that the rudest, most arrogant and obnoxious posters are never the brainless ones, but rather, just like you so emphatically prove, the ones that try and hide their attacks behind smooth words, and flowing language.
Consequently, I'll grant you one thing mate... You probably the rudest and most offensive to post to me, in a wee while.
Another thing I learned a long time ago, is not to bother arguing.
I will simply say, the post, the entire thread, is there for all to see, and more importantly, all to judge as they see fit.
Whilst I have no reservation in saying this thread is indeed one of my more flippant posts, compared to the help I try and chip in with round here, I have no suspicions whatsoever that I will be the one judged to be the perpertrator round here - after all, I merely pointed things out. Its not MY fault that you don't LIKE what I had to report. Hey, I never even said that I LIKED it either - I'm merely messenger, pointing out a few home truths.
And not letting you get away with it that easily, I would just remind you that once again, if people DO wish to prevail themselves of a handset that is NOT network locked, the facility already exists for them to do so, and its called BUYING SIM FREE.
Or did you miss that yet again.
Making it as clear as possible for you, in case you haven't worked out yet that I have NO reason to defend the networks per se, nevertheless mate, if a Network heavily subsidises a handset, provided you agree to stick with them 12 months, not tariff change until after 4 (or 6) months, and not get an unlock code until after the twelve months, then it couldn't be simpler mate...
You either take it, or you leave it.
But if you go into it with open eyes, as you surely should, then you have no right, or place, or reason, to later post in here that you think its unfair that the network won't give you an unlock code in the first twelve months.
If you don't like that idea, you DON'T take out the contract mate.
ITS THAT SIMPLE.
And if you want to, you can then buy a SIM FREE handset.
But please, don't complain about the cost being too high then. Of course it is - that is the REAL price.
The price you are used to, on contract, is a heavily subsidised one, available to you provided you AGREE to certain conditions etc.
Note that word "agree". Because it means that once you accept it, then there is little point or purpose to whingeing on later, about something that you, as a consumer, of your own volition and free will, AGREED to.
Now please, my Email address should be in my profile.
If you want to flame me or troll me anymore - by all means do so by Email, and keep your incesant ramblings OFF this board.
Like I said - both our comments are there for all to see.
More importantly, they are there for others to judge.
I'm more than happy to let the members judge me.
I trust you are the same.
Now leave it please. (Or rather, troll and flame me as much as you feel the need to, but use my email in future instead of boring everyone else in this forum).
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Mr. Shadamehr,
Please don't patronize me with your comments like, "If you want to flame me or troll me anymore - by all means do so by Email, and keep your incesant ramblings OFF this board." If you review your postings above, it is your posts that "ramble" (i.e. are the longest!)
Last time I checked, freedom of speech is well within the bounds of this board. Your decisive statements, most of which are opinion-driven, are your position only. I'm not sure anyone complained of the cost of the PDA's--if you review the posts, no one actually did. I have plenty of income, so cost isn't an issue for me... so, why would you assume it does?
And, may I say, that this conversation will last as long as it needs to; again, isn't freedom awesome?
All I'm saying is: we agree law is the law. The debate lies in whether it is fair or not (personal opinions); as consumers, we have the ability to persuade the industry.
I'll refrain from the "are you STUPID mate?," "Or did you miss that yet again" statements as they are useless, condescending remarks that provide no value to the debate.
At what point do you believe you're more intelligent than the rest of us?
JS

Freedom of speech is indeed a truly wonderful thing.
But YOU were the one that said:
"In addition, I think your condescending, rude and utterly poor communication skills are of an entirely new thread."
Implying this should be kept well off the board, or at least, THIS thread!
But NOW you are saying:
"And, may I say, that this conversation will last as long as it needs to; again, isn't freedom awesome? "
I'm sorry, there's not a lot I or anyone else can do to help you, if you yourself are unsure as to what you want, and change your mind to suit, as and when you feel like it.
This whole thread was about Networks with-holding the Unlock code within the first twelve months.
I have just CHECKED again, and my first post on this topic, was an indication of the current position, based on my OWN issues I had, just like Cathy, and what OFTEL (as it was then), informed me was the law, and the issues around it.
I posted that information here, and as such, was only the messenger for what I am all too aware is unpopular knowledge. Nevertheless, I was nothing more than messenger.
Because that information was not popular reading however, you took it on board to somewhat hold me to blame, or at very least to turn the argument around onto me.
Suit yourself.
I end, after having demonstrated how you blow hot and cold in the same debate (a frightening quality indeed), simply by referring the Learned Gentleman to my last post, where I said:
"The members, ultimately will decide who they feel is right, and who is in the wrong..." (or similar)...
And in that respect nothing has changed.
Now, finally, you DID originally say you wanted this kept off the board, so I implore you to do so now.
But of course, you being you, you later contradicted yourself by then saying you will keep this going as long as you want, so I doubt you will leave it now.
Funny how you change your mind to suit yourself best.
But give the matter thought, because I really can't be bothered. You see:
"I learned a long time ago never to argue overly long with fools. All they ever do is bring you down to THEIR level, and of course once they manage that, they then go on to beat you with their vast experience over you they have in that role..."

And in an effort to reach closure, can I make something clear where your WHOLE debate is wrong...?
You say:
"All I'm saying is: we agree law is the law. The debate lies in whether it is fair or not (personal opinions); as consumers, we have the ability to persuade the industry."
Forgive me for completely correcting you...
This is Cathy's post.
And she called it:
"Are O2 acting legally in with-holding the unlock code"
Clear as day, a question on whether the issue was legallly correct or not. Nothing at all, as you seek to save grace by now implying, about the relative morals of it. I can't even see where that aspect creeps in other than your OWN posts.
And my response, pointing out the LEGAL position, was thus therefore a completely correct, and completely appropriate response to her thread.
You are therefore completely incorrect in saying this is a thread about the MORALS of it - it was a CLEAR question on the LEGALITIES of it.
If you wish to have a moral debate about the relative rights or wrongs of the netoworks doing this, then I would be HAPPY to join you in such a debate.
But as this would be a NEW aspect, then I would expect an apology from you (which there is no chance I will get), for you completely having wrongly judged me, by saying this debate was already one about morals.
It isn't - please read Cathy's title again.
My response to her, that you so deride and find worthy of argument, was thus totally appropriate - she asked if O2 were acting LEGALLY (it's in the title).
I replied explaining that they were - from my own experinces with OFTEL.
I trust, and I mean this fairly and not conflictory, that you now realise that I had done noting wrong. This was NOT a debate, as you so keep saying, about the MORALS of it.
That post would be entitled:
"Are O2 acting immorally or unreasonably by with-holding the unlock code"
And in that post, your comments would be far more correct then, and appropriate, and I couldn't fault them half as much.
But, er, this is NOT that thread though.
This is the "Are O2 acting LEGALLY..." one.
Sorry for keep repeating it.

Well, that gave me a laugh during lunch time....

IMEI CHANGE XDA 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

will this ever happen!!!!!!!!!

well considering that the imei is the identifier for a mobile phone i dont think you will ever get to change it, and if you could, why would you want to?, the only reason someone would want to change an imei on a mobile is if its a stolen mobile and that person wanted to change the identifier *imei* so as not to get caught...

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't think it ever will!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

never say never. i guess the imei is just a few bits on an unknown adress in one of these flash memory chips inside. what i am trying to say: the imei is nothing hard coded in the device, it is programmable. for mobile phones there are a lot of hacking tools for changing the imei e.g. of nokia phones, philips, sagem etc.
but i agree: what would be the sense of changing imei? covering a stolen phone from being identified and possibly tracked?
greetings
peter

There are legitimate reasons for wanting to change one's IMEI. For instance: if I were to use pepaid cards for multiple identities which I wish to remain separate towards the state, then I must use many phones, or change IMEI. And if you think resisting the eyes of a state is somehow evil, then please consider not all nation states are equally friendly at any given time. Union organizers and human rights activists in many countries stand to lose if we only associate their technical needs with crime and terrorism.

Excellent point of view Peter!

So I wonder which Nas is: Union organiser or human rights activist?
IMHO, changing IMEI number is something that will help more criminals than secretive activists, and it shouldn't be encouraged. Of course, just MHO.

Ha Neither!
But what are the chances that a simple minded phone thief will actually have the intelligence to join a form and ask, die hard users if they could unlock the phone he has stolen from probably another die hard user.
We all have our reasons, and it makes me smile, when every time there is a chat about changing this or that on a product that people assume the worth or blindly give their assumptions on the reasons!
I remember back in the early 90s when people like myself were hacking the Amiga games and putting them in the public forum, it was the same thickle minded people that said we were all gangsters raising money to have drug parties in Europe.
The reason i wanted to unlock my IMEI is simple, the prices in the UK are far too high, so on a trip to Singapore i brought one, boxed receipt ect!
It worked fine out there an no matter what i do with it here its not working, so i have flushed it, and changed various settings and unlocked it but it has never worked as a phone.
This is just another throw of the dice.
So will all the people thinking im a freaking mugger or two bit crim, please stay away when the grown folks are talking!!!!!!

Nas said:
But what are the chances that a simple minded phone thief will actually have the intelligence to join a form and ask, die hard users if they could unlock the phone he has stolen from probably another die hard user.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The organised gangs of criminals who deal in stolen handsets are very cunning, and far from simple minded. The petty criminal who snatches a phone may well not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he isn't the one who does the real business and makes all the profit.
Right now I would say that a fixed IMEI number is the best deterrent we have against large-scale phone crime, and I'd be happy to keep it that way.

Agreed the big fish are very smart, however the smartest thing to do with a stolen hand set is simply take it out of the country it was stolen in.
Why go through the need of replacing IMEI numbers and possibly bringing attention to yourself in chat rooms, when you can get on a plane and sell the phone as perfectly working.
these gangs make big money, and i agree any method stopping them doing what they do, especially in light of the recent killing in the UK is a good thing.
What gets me is when, guys like me ask a question, for a valid reason and a chat room full of people that most probably all hack for fun, turn around not even question but put foward opinions on my motives, and liken me to a mugger!

Did you buy the phone brand new in Singapore? I cant think of any reason for the phone not to work here unless it was previously blocked here in UK and found its way out east. Have you tried different sims from different providers? What do you hear/see when you try to place a call?
Nas said:
Ha Neither!
But what are the chances that a simple minded phone thief will actually have the intelligence to join a form and ask, die hard users if they could unlock the phone he has stolen from probably another die hard user.
We all have our reasons, and it makes me smile, when every time there is a chat about changing this or that on a product that people assume the worth or blindly give their assumptions on the reasons!
I remember back in the early 90s when people like myself were hacking the Amiga games and putting them in the public forum, it was the same thickle minded people that said we were all gangsters raising money to have drug parties in Europe.
The reason i wanted to unlock my IMEI is simple, the prices in the UK are far too high, so on a trip to Singapore i brought one, boxed receipt ect!
It worked fine out there an no matter what i do with it here its not working, so i have flushed it, and changed various settings and unlocked it but it has never worked as a phone.
This is just another throw of the dice.
So will all the people thinking im a freaking mugger or two bit crim, please stay away when the grown folks are talking!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Nas said:
will this ever happen!!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It happened a long time ago. This forum is not the right place to search for.
I can sell you IMEI resetting tool which works fine for both XDAs. It doesn't change your IMEI to desired one, but replaces your number with 0000-s.
Get your resetting tool today only for 99,99$! PM me anyway!

-if you want to be anonymous, you are using a prepaid card
-but, with an imsi catcher anyone (who does own such a device) can listen to your calls
-the guy behind the catcher does some filtering regarding the sim-number "guess" - and also the imei of your device
-so your are "transparent" with your prepayd-cards and also your imei.
-card changing is not that big problem, but doing this with new phones every 2 weeks or so is not fine.
-this cardf/imei changing does not regard only illegal activitys/criminals.
-imsi catcers are not only used by police, etc. - also from criminals, so it is an useable part of keeping your secrets (think about an top manager, ....)
if anyone is interested:
a imsi-catcher does nothing as simulating an gsm-Cell - doing some forwarding to the real network.
but:
the imsi-catcher doe have more tx-power, as other cells in the area, so the phone connects to the catcher.
the imsi-catcher uses not encrypted communication witch the phone, so the calls can be logged without any problems. (i only know the siemes S4 (S10to?), telling you, if the communication is not encrypted)
sorry for my bad english

It will be changed if you change your mazard board,,,,,,

SPV spare parts etc

Rather than cross post in the various forums I'll post 1 list of my current spares auctions here and add to it as necessary in the future.
spv c500 housing
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=9144609384
spv c550 housing
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=9143546892
spv c600 housing
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=9144616188
spv m500 housing
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=9144610570
spv m600 housing
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=9144607506
Please don't ask me any technical questions in this thread, it's purely to list parts auctions - use the relevant forum instead.
Richard

Latest listings:
C500 / typhoon housing.
C550 / hurricane housing.
C600 / tornado housing.
M500 / magician housing.
M600 / prophet housing.
M2000 / blueangel housing.
M500 original stylus.
Typhoon keypad.
Blueangel earpiece - will work as magician rear speaker as well with adjustment.
Blueangel power button.
Blueangel volume slider.
Blueangel / Harrier microphone.
XDA / SPV / Ipaq sync port connector.
Richard

Inasmuch as in private it is complained why I have written public and now the memory ignores my demand makes to obtain the reimbursement me from the post offices them that today after 3 months continues not to arrive the connectors to me already pays to you.
Continuing with this behavior I will be forced to turn in the legal situs to me in order to obtain from she the just compensation.
It is not complained after the bad publicity

Titanich said:
Inasmuch as in private it is complained why I have written public and now the memory ignores my demand makes to obtain the reimbursement me from the post offices them that today after 3 months continues not to arrive the connectors to me already pays to you.
Continuing with this behavior I will be forced to turn in the legal situs to me in order to obtain from she the just compensation.
It is not complained after the bad publicity
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yawn. boring. I posted the item, it tracks as being handed to the Italian post office who have lost it, you tried to make a false paypal claim against me without giving me time to contact the post office AND YOU LOST.
In defending that claim, I had to send my proof into paypal and now cannot claim from the post office for the loss, as paypal have not sent the proof back. The post office will not accept my copies that I made, so this is YOUR FAULT for making the false claim!
I'll attach screendumps if anyone's really bothered?....
Thought not.
Richard

1° it to paypal has only sended a copy, therefore you still hold in hand originates them to it;
2° I have started a true claim paypal, not false, why after repeated email she I did not answer, in fact the claim has been started 2 months after;
3° It only can start the procedure for the reimbursement near the post office them.
Saying this knows that it is my intention to turn me to a lawyer in order to carry it in court.

No, I had to fax copies to paypal AND send originals to them. You contacted paypal first, and when that failed, you emailed me directly and through this board. It was a false claim, as I had proof of postage for the items AND. YOU. LOST.
Go on, go to a lawyer. :roll:
Lets see how far you get.

Beloved sig. Perhaps Richard,
you forgets that I have not received nothing, perhaps she forgets that only it can ask the reimbursement from the mail, perhaps she believes that people are stupid not to understand when a person brails up, paypal ask only a copy for the receipt, she originates them to it ALWAYS remain and HOWEVER to the person whom she sends like valid test. It sure will be called to show the test of happened shipment, in court and I will demonstrate that it is denying my right to me to having a reimbursement for the goods never received.
It is calm, I am already obtaining the better thing, to make to see that dishonest and strafottente person is she. In court I will have other satisfactions.
I add:
it must have shame with this behavior with the customers.

Titanich said:
Inasmuch as in private it is complained why I have written public and now the memory ignores my demand makes to obtain the reimbursement me from the post offices them that today after 3 months continues not to arrive the connectors to me already pays to you.
Continuing with this behavior I will be forced to turn in the legal situs to me in order to obtain from she the just compensation.
It is not complained after the bad publicity
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Titanich said:
1° it to paypal has only sended a copy, therefore you still hold in hand originates them to it;
2° I have started a true claim paypal, not false, why after repeated email she I did not answer, in fact the claim has been started 2 months after;
3° It only can start the procedure for the reimbursement near the post office them.
Saying this knows that it is my intention to turn me to a lawyer in order to carry it in court.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Titanich said:
Beloved sig. Perhaps Richard,
you forgets that I have not received nothing, perhaps she forgets that only it can ask the reimbursement from the mail, perhaps she believes that people are stupid not to understand when a person brails up, paypal ask only a copy for the receipt, she originates them to it ALWAYS remain and HOWEVER to the person whom she sends like valid test. It sure will be called to show the test of happened shipment, in court and I will demonstrate that it is denying my right to me to having a reimbursement for the goods never received.
It is calm, I am already obtaining the better thing, to make to see that dishonest and strafottente person is she. In court I will have other satisfactions.
I add:
it must have shame with this behavior with the customers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh Dear... :roll:

has you housing for prophet or qtek s200 in grey colour? thanks

Changing IMEI on HTC Devices

Hello,
Is there a way to change the imei number on an HTC device using freely available tools?
I have down-graded the ROM of my device and its no longer CID-locked.
Then I tried to use Rascal's tool (based on his post which says that you don't need credits to change IMEI), but apparently while you indeed don't need credits, you still need the dongle.
Ordering a dongle seems like a rather inconvenient method, I would have ordered his/her tool already if it was available for sale online, but a dongle seems rather odd in this time and age of purely electronic commerce.
Can aWizard, or any of the other tools available somewhere help to manually change the IMEI?
And if you're wondering WHY I need to change the IMEI:
1) I live in Turkey
2) The administration in this country decided it was better to inconvenience legitimate users of cell phones acquired abroad, rather than actually muster the resources to find and prosecute the people who really do steal, clone, and smuggle phones illegally into the country
3) This amazing administration has just shut off my phone with a 24 hour (how gracious is that!) warning
4) Being a non-paranoid person (BIG mistake for Turkey), I don't keep my purchase receipts etc., so I have no way to prove I have legally purchased this phone, except for a credit card transaction and online receipt, which they don't have the "brains" to figure out
Yes, yes - I know I need to upgrade my country. Sadly, I don't know of any other countries which would just let me immigrate into. So, if anybody here has ideas/procedures for fixing an IMEI without using commercial tools (or by using electronically delivered commercial tools), PLEASE let me know.
Oh, and next time I'm abroad, I'm FOR SURE getting a foreign line, and using that in Turkey to roam, instead of dealing with this despotic state nonsense.

u can simply check this topic http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=54910
or use this function http://forum.xda-developers.com/search.php instead of opening a new thread

Dear Raskal,
I've already read those threads, but I was looking for an electronic solution.
As I have already PMed you, I am willing to pay you $100 for a one-time solution to change my fixed IMEI so you are sure there is no risk of piracy.
I was unable to find a secure reseller to ship your physical dongle product to Turkey, therefore I am forced to seek electronic alternatives.

mimarsinan said:
Dear Raskal,
I've already read those threads, but I was looking for an electronic solution.
As I have already PMed you, I am willing to pay you $100 for a one-time solution to change my fixed IMEI so you are sure there is no risk of piracy.
I was unable to find a secure reseller to ship your physical dongle product to Turkey, therefore I am forced to seek electronic alternatives.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
u can send me payment by western union or paypal and i can send you one. 100 usd is okay for one jafwm incl dhl to turkey. it can arrive in 3-4 day after payment. But you must make sure that your device is supported and that your device is CID unlocked. If your device is cid locked it will cost 25 euro more if you can not find a free cid unlocker.

Dear Raskal,
I've already downgraded my ROM and cid-unlocked my device, as I explained the post above. In fact I've even customized the startup screen :lol: Everything but change the IMEI. The device is a Wizard and I have also used your tool - it works fine until hitting the "Write to SD Card" stage, at which point it bails out with a "check hardware" error, because the dongle is missing. So I presume the procedure works fully.
I've already responded to you in a PM, explaining I am willing to order from a guaranteed local reseller, or direct from you. I am happy to try either option.
However, I thought you might be happier too, if you pocketed the entire $100 for the tool, instead of shelling out half of that money for DHL shipping to Turkey. Honestly, that works better for me too, because I can instantly unlock my phone, AND I don't have to worry about the parcel getting stuck in customs, AND I don't wait for physical shipment. This is certainly something that would benefit both of us.
I suspect you are concerned about piracy. Well, I am a shareware developer by trade, and I understand how you feel. However I'm sure if somebody out there wants to crack JAFwm, (s)he can crack it with or without the dongle. Nothing seems uncrackable - please correct me if I am wrong, and the dongle provides you with some sort of extreme protection.
My original post here to this forum was also trying to see if there is a way to unlock this phone without paying for tools. I have tried all freely available tools and gotten nowhere, sadly. For instance one tool looked promising, but I don't have a USB-to-serial cable, so I am totally locked out of it. Getting such a cable also seems like a pretty hard-core task, at least in Turkey!
At this point, I've spent three days on this issue with zero resolution, I have been greatly inconvenienced by my phone being offline, and I just want to get it unlocked ASAP. Like I said, I am happy to pay you, and look forward to getting your response. I hope you have a reliable Turkish reseller, or are willing to ship to me direct.
And I'm sure if you consider a purely electronic solution for the future, your users will appreciate your products even more, and the promise and effect of instant gratification will surely boost your sales, offsetting any possibe damages caused by piracy. Its better to sell 100 products and lose 10 to piracy, than sell just 50 products and have no piracy, in my opinion.
Respectfully,
Mimar

Obviously Mimar has no idea of the realities of phone unlocking software! It's very cut-throat and any and all possible protection is used to defend a product against hackers :roll:
Maybe once a handset is 5+ years old perhaps?...or then again...
Richard

Competition is always cut-throat. Products don't sell because they are hard to crack, they sell because they are easy to use, and easy to buy.

mimarsinan said:
Competition is always cut-throat. Products don't sell because they are hard to crack, they sell because they are easy to use, and easy to buy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not with phone unlocking. I think Raskal know's a bit more about his market than you or I ever would....his products sell becuase he offers features no-one else does and they are hard to crack - if they were easy to crack they wouldn't sell....
Usually phone unlockers ( furious boxes etc ) can cost $500 - $1000 so they are used to protecting their software via hardware. Maybe look into it further before talking about what you know little?
Richard

Richard -
Please try to keep the discussion on-topic and professional. I'm sure people visit this forum to find solutions to their problems, and not to hear what you think about how much/little others know.
Software companies sell products on the Internet that are priced far in excess of $1000, which you quoted as a high bound below. You can also find cracks for those products on most pirate sites. Having a crack for a product indicates that there is demand for it - this should not be viewed as something negative. In fact, if you cannot find a crack for a product, that usually means there isn't much demand for it.
People often send me cracks that have been released (by God knows whom) for my products, expecting me to "fix" my products so they are no longer crackable. I am always pleased to see these cracks - its concrete proof that there is solid demand for my product. And instead of spending time and resources to "fix" my products in this way, I'd rather add new features and improve usability, so the dollars I get actually make my products better, and my users happier.
Do cracks lower my sales? Absolutely not! People who don't have the money (or ethics) to buy my software won't buy it anyway. Those customers are already lost - why worry about them?
I'm still waiting to hear from Raskal about payment instructions using PayPal...if Raskal had online delivery, I would have ordered two days ago. That's money Raskal is losing on a daily basis from customers like me from all over the world, except lost customers don't usually write about their situation and explain themselves. They just walk away.

Raskal isn't a reseller, he appoints agents worldwide as the sales of his other products are so high...
And as for going off topic - looks who's talking. :evil:
$1000 for phone unlock software is the high end. As the people who use it generate $25 - $50 each time they charge a customer of course there is going to be people who want to crack it and make that money for no outlay - it isn't simply warez cracking that is the issue here like you say, it is a tool for earning large revenues, so they are more likely to protect it with hardware or any method they can - not only to protect their sales but also the sales / earning potential of those who have bought their products - once the unlocking product is free, everyone has it, and prices the people then charge end users for unlocking fall, so the people who paid a lot for it loose out. Raskal actively stops this. -
hence my explaining that your begging for a purely electronic software solution to your problem is going to fall on deaf ears. OOoooh, offer him $100! He really needs that (little) money....
'but I promise I won't let a Russian team crack the code, honest Raskal'...
yeah, he'll fall for that one. :wink:
If he sends you one directly rather than through his network of resellers he is doing you a favour. Don't be so rude and impatient - if you need it quickly perhaps contact him via his own website rather than this one?
Richard

Of course, you do realize you're hurting your own credibility by your unwarranted language and accusations, right?
I've pointed out problems in Raskal's fulfillment which are very likely hampering his sales. Why someone would want to slow his business down in this way is beyond me, but I don't call them names or try to discredit them :roll:
As for the objections you state below, which comprise the only sensible parts of your post, they do not stand up to scrutiny. Raskal could improve his sales model and sell direct to the end-user, eliminating the middlemen and dramatically increasing his profits. I have already explained why I do not consider cracking a legitimate concern.
I have no business with you, although for some reason you have appointed yourself Raskal's advocate. :lol: Forgive me if I don't indulge in more replies to you on this thread. Well, I guess my business practices give me better things to do, after all! :lol:

Well frankly I'm glad no-one is helping you with that attitude. :lol:
You have no idea about Raskal's business. I have some idea. I'm sure he's very happy the way he is without 'instant experts' such as yourself coming along and telling him how to run it.
'cracking is not a legitimate concern'.
Ok.... :roll:
I bet Raskal will be glad to know you think that too when he's deciding whether to do your software only solution.... :wink:
Richard

Chillax people.
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mimarsinan: As much as I sympathise, I don't understand why someone in Turkey doesn't just buy Raskal's unlocker and capture an enormous captive market. You can unlock all the phones you want, for whatever price you want. For that market, surely any price for his unlocker would be reasonable? Better do it before the next guy does, eh?
There are software only solutions, but AFAIK they have not been made available for legal reasons.
This is a friendly board, even if I have to beat it into you with a stick
Be nice, or the thread gets locked.
V

Hi Vijay,
Thanks for stepping in.
I have no interest in unlocking other people's phones. I just need a solution that unlocks my phone, in a timely manner. Raskal has yet to provide me with ordering instructions for his solution, and as I've already said, I'm not too excited about the shipping delay and potential problems in customs.
Are you aware of any other solutions I can try in the meantime? XDA Developers have a solution that requires a usb to serial cable, which I cannot find here either. I even studied the source code of their VB program, and tried to gather the same data from the device ROM using EXEs that ship with aWizard...but either the addresses are wrong in the VB program for my device, or I'm missing something (quite likely).
I appreciate any and all assistance you can provide in this regard - I just want this phone unlocked, I don't mind paying for it, but while I'm waiting for a response from the dealer, I'll keep trying to figure a way on my own. That way at least if I come up with something, I can give it back to the community

I will pay up to $1,500 for the development of a free IMEI restore tool under GNU/GPL.
Please see:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=58095
for details.
Make your bid today - get paid for helping people, get paid for doing the work you love, get paid for advancing the state of freely available tools.
Note: Because this is work-for-hire, the employer assumes all legal risk associated with the project, and the employee is free from any risk of litigation. Please review the topic post for details.

mimarsinan said:
Make your bid today - get paid for helping people, get paid for doing the work you love, get paid for advancing the state of freely available tools.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get paid NOWHERE NEAR what you will get fined for breaking the law in whatever country you live in....
Get paid VERY LITTLE whilst you are locked up for 3 years in prison washing shirts / stampling out licence plates etc etc.
IMEI manipulation, in the UK at least, carries a 3yr prison sentence and £10,000 fine.
Richard

i have an m1000 spv, in trying to unlock the phone, i run an exe program. in doing this it changed my imei, witch has kill the phone part. i have the old, imei that was on the phone. is there a way that i !!! can change it back.
what do i need to buy to do it
sorry if i have not asked in the right part i am new to forums
PK Please help!!!!!!

Richard,
I've got to say your graphic descriptions of the "hard prison life" are very rich. Just wanted to ask you some questions, so I can better understand what's involved here. Obviously you know a lot more than I do.
First, a backgrounder; obviously your good buddy Raskal has already built a working solution, he even SELLS it for PROFIT, so surely, not only is he in jail by now (assuming you're being serious in your post), he's also suffering a really bad penalty since he made profit from this illegal venture.
So, how many years does Raskal have left on his 3 year sentence?
Did you see one of the license plates that he has made so far?
Or is he washing shirts, ironing them instead?
Did Raskal pay his 10,000 fine yet? Did he still have a profit remaining after paying that? Has he sold enough dongles to cover his 3 years in jail? Maybe if he had electronically sold his product?
These are just some questions so our readers can put into better context your defamation of my posts.
You obviously have some sort of commercial interest to protect - why else would you be bothering people who have nothing other than good intentions in mind, with a non-commercial project on top of that?
I have posted an interesting project, called for developers, and even offered payment for their time. I'm really sorry if that hurts your commercial interests, but you don't really have many options at this point:
o You can walk away, swallowing your pride
o You can try to improve the fulfillment process for your buddy's tools, so interest in this free project lessens
o You can continue defaming, bringing in more eyeballs to our case
Given your history, I'm pretty sure you won't be swallowing your pride and walking away. Careful - anything else hurts you even more.

'Given my history'? What a knob you are! Anyone in sales is bound to have people *****ing, and the only problems I have are with items that go abroad....hmmm, funny that.
http://feedback.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=fluffcat1&ssPageName=STRK:ME:UFS
There's my ebay reputation - unique feedback - 1895, total positive - 2455, negative - 8.
Eight negative. Out of 2455. Makes me a crook does it? Winker.
You're the one making yourself look petty bringing up other threads you have no knowledge about and mentioning reputations - I have tried to help those people who have thrown it back at me so screw 'em - and it has no bearing on my comments on your actions in this thread despite you thinking it affects my 'reputation' - how can my fair comment 'hurts me even more.'? . How very pathetic of you.
You are the one who has made it personal, attacking both Raskal and I with no basis other than that he will not subvert his distribution process and cut out his middlemen just for you because you ewant him to, or write a special application just for you, and that I do not agree with you. It's no surprise no one wants to help you. This project is doomed frankly.
I have bought 1 jafWM from a UK reseller. I have had 2 email corresspondance with Raskal when the unlocking was first launched for jafWM ( it didn't do it out of the box) and I know a little of the unlocking industry and how it works.
jafWM is not aimed at 'hobbyist' phone unlockers or those who want to use it once or twice - it is a solution designed to make phone flashing ( and now unlocking) quick and painless for those not used to flashing HTC devices i.e market stall unlockers etc, and compared to some other devices it is relatively inexpensive. It is cheap as the device out of the box will not do anything other than flash files overriding CID, unlcoking needs a server credit at a cost of €25 IIRC.
If you wanted to flash your Nokia, would you pay € 500 for a furious box that could also change the IMEI? No. You'd get someone else with the box to do it...
Raskal actively promotes the free solutions for one-off unlocking use, and supports this site, but jafWM is desgned to save time and make flashing easier without reg edits etc to save time FOR THE PROFESSIONAL.
I have nothing to do with Raskal and no revenue to protect as you claim, I am merely stating my opinion to counter your ridiculus posts slagging him and other 'commercial' solutions.
IMEI manipulation is illlegal in most European countries. Raskal is not in a european country. The fact his device can do this does not render having it illegal. Using it to manipulate IMEI's is illegal, possession is not. It's his risk to develop the tool, but as all the other products he makes and sells for 'normal' phones can manipulate 'corrupt' IMEI's ( a handy euphemism) he obviously doesn't care as no-one has bothered him yet.
You say removing sim locks is illegal - IT ISN'T - it is perfectly legal and absolutley nothing to do with IMEI changing. You're just showing your lack of understanding of what you are talking about.
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2002/20020031.htm
"1 Re-programming mobile telephone etc.
(1) A person commits an offence if-
(a) he changes a unique device identifier, or
(b) he interferes with the operation of a unique device identifier.
(2) A unique device identifier is an electronic equipment identifier which is unique to a mobile wireless communications device.
(3) But a person does not commit an offence under this section if-
(a) he is the manufacturer of the device, or
(b) he does the act mentioned in subsection (1) with the written consent of the manufacturer of the device.
(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable-
(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both, or
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to a fine or to both.
2 Possession or supply of anything for re-programming purposes
(1) A person commits an offence if-
(a) he has in his custody or under his control anything which may be used for the purpose of changing or interfering with the operation of a unique device identifier, and
(b) he intends to use the thing unlawfully for that purpose or to allow it to be used unlawfully for that purpose.
(2) A person commits an offence if-
(a) he supplies anything which may be used for the purpose of changing or interfering with the operation of a unique device identifier, and
(b) he knows or believes that the person to whom the thing is supplied intends to use it unlawfully for that purpose or to allow it to be used unlawfully for that purpose.
(3) A person commits an offence if-
(a) he offers to supply anything which may be used for the purpose of changing or interfering with the operation of a unique device identifier, and
(b) he knows or believes that the person to whom the thing is offered intends if it is supplied to him to use it unlawfully for that purpose or to allow it to be used unlawfully for that purpose.
(4) A unique device identifier is an electronic equipment identifier which is unique to a mobile wireless communications device.
(5) A thing is used by a person unlawfully for a purpose if in using it for that purpose he commits an offence under section 1.
(6) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable-
(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both, or
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years or to a fine or to both. "
Changing the IMEI to disguise the origin of a phone is illegal in the UK and most other european countries that I have looked into.
Your developers should go into this with their eyes open - they are producing a tool to commit an offence which has severe penalities in this country and others to deter mobile phone theft. If they can in any way be traced by IP / bank account / registration etc then they should be wary.
How do they know you aren't just bait from law enforcement to get the underground hackers prosecuted? Look how many posts you have made - most are begging for a software IMEI changer - there are already free software unlockers for the wizard.
p.s when I bought jafWM it couldn't unlock phones or 'repair' IMEIs so as I haven't updated my software I am not committing any offence, and it is not jafWM's primary purpose although it is sure to drive sales ;-)
Richard

mimarsinan said:
Well, I am a shareware developer by trade,...
Respectfully,
Mimar
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just forgot your home page, can you say me again where it was?

Well its been fun, by when Microsoft threatens to sue, I gotta stop.

I really did not know where to post this, but seeing as 90% of the traffic from the area is from people here in the roms section. As much as I enjoy hosting for people. This is over and done for me. I'm pulling the roms directory off of my server and shutting down the ftp access permanently.
1&1 Internet, Inc. recently received notice under Section 512 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) alleging that the above website infringes upon copyrighted materials (see attached). We are asking that you remove the content as stated in the attached notice. Should you fail to act upon this notice within 24 hours we will be forced to temporarily suspend your account.
Under the DMCA, you are entitled to provide "counter-notice" to 1&1's DMCA agent claiming that the material does not infringe copyrights. If the copyright owner does not bring a lawsuit in district court within 10 days, 1&1 may then reactivate your account. Notwithstanding any counter-notice, 1&1 reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to keep your site suspended in the event there is a continuing threat of litigation arising from your website.
A proper counter-notice must contain the following information:
1. The subscriber's name, address, phone number and physical or electronic signature [512(g)(3)(A)] 2. Identification of the material and its location before removal [512(g)(3)(B)] 3. A statement under penalty of perjury that the material was removed by mistake or misidentification [512(g)(3)(C)] 4. Subscriber consent to local federal court jurisdiction, or if overseas, to an appropriate judicial body.
[512(g)(3)(D)] For more information on the DMCA, see http://www.copyright.gov/onlinesp/.
For additional information on the Safe Harbor Provisions and assistance on drafting a proper counter-notice, see our website at http://faq.1and1.com/legal/index.html.
If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
--
Sincerely,
Nancy McNelis
Customer Compliance Operative
1&1 Internet Inc.
<---------- Forwarded ---------->
From: [email protected]
VIA EMAIL:
Demand for Immediate Take-Down: Notice of Infringing Activity
URL: http://captfiero.com/
Case #: 206019
Date: 12 March 2009
Dear Sir or Madam,
Microsoft has received information that the domain listed above, which appears to be on servers under your control, is offering unlicensed copies of, or is engaged in other unauthorized activities relating to copyrighted works published by Microsoft.
1. Identification of copyrighted works:
Copyrighted work(s):
Windows Mobile 6.5
Copyright owner:
Microsoft Corporation
2. Copyright infringing material or activity found at the following
location(s):
http://captfiero.com/roms/joshkoss/Tests/21176_Test1.7z
The above copyright work(s) is being made available for copying, through downloading, at the above location without authorization of the copyright owner.
3. Statement of authority:
The information in this notice is accurate, and I hereby certify under penalty of perjury that I am authorized to act on behalf of Microsoft, the owner of the copyright(s) in the work(s) identified above. I have a good faith belief that none of the materials or activities listed above have been authorized by Microsoft, its agents, or the law.
We hereby give notice of these activities to you and request that you take expeditious action to remove or disable access to the material described above, and thereby prevent the illegal reproduction and distribution of this copyright work(s) via your company's network.
We appreciate your cooperation in this matter. Please advise us regarding what actions you take.
Yours sincerely,
James Young
Internet Investigator
on behalf of Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052
United States of America
E-mail: [email protected]

Wow dude! i'm sorry I should have known better... everyone loves ftp speed

Well Josh, your gonna have to change the links in your sig LOL. I really had to cring as I held my finger of the "delete" key on the entire "Roms" dir. For the record, the link to your folder had been passed around to at least a dozen PPC sites. Your single folder was pulling 3 to 4 times the traffic as even CRC's device update which was mirrored on my server. Trust me you were pretty popular. I hope you find another place to host your most excellent Roms. I'll catch ya on the flip side.

They really want to stop the betas from leaking.
I had a copy of my kitchen on filedropper, and it disappeared.

Microsoft seems unfair
YEah it is sad that Microsoft is doing this to us after buying the product and have no support whatsoever after selling the product ( try going to their site and they will give you agents that would probably sell items first before giving their ears for us to tell a problem)
this is sad really ... but it is a good choice to do this step

Capt Fiero said:
Well Josh, your gonna have to change the links in your sig LOL. I really had to cring as I held my finger of the "delete" key on the entire "Roms" dir. For the record, the link to your folder had been passed around to at least a dozen PPC sites. Your single folder was pulling 3 to 4 times the traffic as even CRC's device update which was mirrored on my server. Trust me you were pretty popular. I hope you find another place to host your most excellent Roms. I'll catch ya on the flip side.
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wow dude!! will do. thanks!!
and don't worry i aint going anywere

Sad Day
I understand the concern from MS, but...
Don't want to speak for others, but I've been waiting for something (anything) different from MS on my mobile phones/pdas for over 5 years now and they still offer me that same "today" screen.
This site & the chefs who generously give so much of their time have been able to give me so much more from my phone than MS has, and 6.5 was turning out to be a great follow up.
So now we just wait for MS to actually deliver something.
Not sure I can wait. I'll probably break down and buy an iPhone.

2udCrRAZdK said:
I understand the concern from MS, but...
Don't want to speak for others, but I've been waiting for something (anything) different from MS on my mobile phones/pdas for over 5 years now and they still offer me that same "today" screen.
This site & the chefs who generously give so much of their time have been able to give me so much more from my phone than MS has, and 6.5 was turning out to be a great follow up.
So now we just wait for MS to actually deliver something.
Not sure I can wait. I'll probably break down and buy an iPhone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
dude... i tried a iphone today... totally tempted to man.... but this is such a cool hobby though.. i don't think i could bring myself to do it.

I've gotten emails like this before on other matters and found all of them being fake. But while reading found this thread and posts.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=492330&page=6

just to re-enforce bmx, see my sig...it has been found to be a Hoax...plain and simple ...
Click the link and read for your self....
Microsoft Impersonator Sends Fraudulent Letters, Disrupts Community
Posted by Chuong Nguyen
March 13th, 2009 at 02:53 PM
It turns out that there may be an impersonator lurking around disrupting Windows Mobile communities. In response to an article that was posted this morning about Microsoft demanding that Windows Mobile 6.5 ROM images that were cooked unofficially be taken down, our own Microsoft MVP Adam Z. Lein spotted that the guy responsible for the letter to XDA-Developers may be a fraud, as was posted on PPCGeeks.
A similar hoax had occurred before at msmobiles in regards to Windows Mobile 6.5 screenshots. In the cease and desist letter to msmobiles, the gentleman claiming to be with Microsoft's legal department asked the site to remove screenshots of the forthcoming operating system. The letter was sent after Microsoft had publicly announced and shown the very screenshots at Mobile World Congress 2009. According to msmobiles: "In any case, if it is genuine action on behalf of Microsoft, it is a case of extreme incompetence that this guy is showing because he is requesting removal of pictures of something that has been officially announced few days earlier." It should also be noted that pocketnow.com had posted screenshots and news of Windows Mobile 6.5 before, during, and after Microsoft's Mobile World Congress announcement and we did not receive a cease and desist letter.
The community over at msmobiles performed some additional investigations and found that the gentlemam, James Young, sent emails originating from IP addresses in London and not from Microsoft's corporate headquarters in Redmond, Washington, leading many to believe that he is not connected with the software giant. Additionally, emails were sent from [email protected], and not at a "@microsoft.com" email address.
Whatever the case may be, other forum members in our original post here at pocketnow.com made mention that only the Windows Mobile 6.5 cooked ROM made by ROM chef Da_G was affected and 6.5 ROMs for other HTC-made devices were seemingly okay.
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More info..
tsowen's
Admins: Just talked with Microsoft being my profession and this was not sitting good with me since it was missing A. a contact phone number and for these cases it must also contain a Digital Signature with that being said they said it is fraud, I gave them the link here and they verified that they do not have a James Young employ and that the email extension [email protected] is not valid furthermore they said on there notices they will also have a phone number for the person(s) to call and correspondence is done through written. I will be receiving an email with the case number and contact information for the antipiracy case manager who verified the information and will forward it to the Admins here and at PPCGeeks as well. If one one the Admins here can PM there email addy so I can send the email to them for future verification on these types of notices.
__________________
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Un-delete the folder, capt!
Is there a back up of it?

I dumped the entire 4.5gig to a local drive here before I deleted it.
However here is why I am hesitant to put it back up. The email that I got came from 1and1 which hosts my server. 1and1 is taking this fairly seriously. Now it is entirely possible that this guy emailed 1and1 claiming to be from MS and got the warning sent out to me. I know the email from 1and1 was legit as it included my personal account number that is only on file with my account and not part of the registrar or whois info. I'm going to call 1and1 and speak to someone verbally on the phone regarding this. If its all green. I'll start uploading the data.

Capt I understand where you are coming from, the problem is going to be convincing them that this was faked, I suggest getting as much info you can find on this hoax and forwarding it to them, also the mods and admin are looking very closely at this whole thing....so keep an eye out for info from as well
Check out the link in my sig and also look at this site for more ammo
http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=7041
alot of damage has been done by hoaxer,

Noob here
What a load of BS! I've had my Hermes (Cingular 8525) for a while and was about ready to give it up for something new. Then a co-worker with a similiar phone directed me to this site and I new for sure I had to keep it. I had no idea about any of this until recently. I don't even know how many times I had to update my contacts and emails after I found this site There is so much info on this site, all you have to do is look or do a little search.
Now some [email protected]@$$ is trying to ruin it for a whole bunch of people. It's a shame, hope this doesn't affect the XDA world too much. I'm still trying new Rom's to see which one works for me. It's endless!

Hey Guys, I have some server space, I might be able to host it if you'd like? If you can setup a SFTP between my server and your server I might be able to have a mirror?
let me know
[email protected]