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Hello,
I just bought a new desire from an auction site like ebay, seller saying it is locked to Vodafone; I bought it since I have a sim card from Vodafone Romania and assumed stupidly that will work.
The phone seems to be from Vodafone Malta. I am saying this since there is a desktop shortcut on the phone desktop leading to the Vodafone website in Malta.
I called Vodafone in Romania and they provided the PUK code for my SIM card, but it didnt do the trick.
I got a code from one of the sites mentioned by many and it didnt work.
Then I went ahead and rooted the phone...got the gold card created, etc etc and in the end installed a new ROM (version 3.1 from MoDaCo). Even now the phone is still locked, hence I believe is something that I do not understand in terms of how phones can be locked by various operators.
Would really appreciate if somebody can help me understand how is this working?
As options, should I use a different baseband then, etc? I am a bit lost since I thought that if I am flashing the phone and install a new "neverlocked" ROM version then it will be fine. Or maybe try to flash the Vodafone UK original RUU file and then try again with the IMEI based codes as it seems like there are people getting unlocked for Vodafone in UK?
My current system looks like this:
- firmware: 2.1-update1
- baseband: 32.36.0028U_4.06.00.02_2
- kernel: 2.6.29-bravo-mck-r1
- build: 1.21.MCR.2
- software: MoDaCo custom ROM r3.1
Any clue on what is triggering the network/sim lock out of those elements? or nothing to do with this approach? What is the "part" of my phone that needs to unlock the sim card and connect to the network (maybe I can change that so it is able to connect to Vodafone Romania at least)
Thanks!
As far as I am aware the Network lock is independent of the firmware and as such this will have no effect on the lock status. The only way to unlock phones is with either the official code or a vulnerability in the firmware (as discovered in the iphone).
I have unlocked a load of iphones but when it came to the old motorola v50 I had to pay £5 to http://www.fonefunshop.co.uk/ for the code. I can only say that their codes worked for me and that there are many scam sites out there when it comes to unlocking, so maybe the first ones you tried for a code were not genuine.
Hope this helps
James
What happen though if one doesnt know what is the network that the phone is locked to? I was let's say lucky to assume that it is Vodafone Malta as there was this link on the phone's desktop.
Actually my question is more around how to unlock the phone with little or no dependency on the network where the phone is locked.
I red some articles that in some cases there is a big play for the baseband as this can "dictate" the way the phone is connecting to the network, however I am just starting to look into that and it might take some time, hence more opinions are very much welcomed.
Thanks!
If I was you I would try flashing the roms as posted earlier but if you can wait then I would email HTC with the IMEI and ask who it is locked too.
Thanks so much for the suggestion with contacting HTC for telling me where is it locked...not sure if they would know this based on the IMEI, but will give it a try for sure. The thing is that I already flashed the ROM and it is still locked, or maybe I missed your point on flashing the ROMs.
No I think you are right that the flashing wont help with a lock problem but HTC Should know who they locked their phones too. I could be wrong but I think HTC do all the programming pre shipment. If anyone knows different I am happy to be corrected?
Coming back with HTC's reply to my question about where is the phone locked (provided my IMEI)
Here is the answer:
"Dear Mr.Popescu, Thank you for contacting HTC. Kindly note that your device is not SIM locked and is not network branded. Your device is manufactured for Czech Republic and is HTC branded. S/N:HT05XPL08419 IMEI:xxxxxxxx. If you have any other inquiries, don’t hesitate to contact us again."
Funny part is that my phone looks to be branded by Vodafone Malta (just the soft not something on the case) as I mentioned about the Voda link leading to Malta's website and they mentioned that the phone left HTC without a lock and to the Czech Republic.
Anybody heard about gsm operators that are locking the phones themselves in HTC's case? If they know how to lock them, maybe someone knows how they do that and becomes easier to unlock?
Thanks for the help,
Sorin.
The IMEI could be blacklisted. You can check at this site: http://www.amta.org.au/pages/amta/Check.the.Status.of.your.Handset
Dunno how to see the IMEI on HTC phones though.. does anyone know?
Sent from my HTC Desire using XDA App
Tried that link and the message is that there is no lock (reported by somebody so that the carrier goes ahead and blocks the IMEI)
Hi again mate. I am impressed HTC answered so promptly thats great news they gave too. Just so we can all be clear on the type of lock you are experiencing can you tell us or better still photograph the screen and show / tell us the lock wording. Word for word mate including all punctuation if not posting photo.
Hey, here is the sequence:
The following happens when I turn on the phone with my Vodafone Romania sim card in it:
- I am requested for the PIN code, I enter that and then move on as the PIN is accepted
- Message saying "Unlocking SIM card...", takes about 1-2 seconds
- Message on the screen: "Network locked"
- I "drag" on the screen and get to enter the code
- Keyboard is up now and message changed into "SIM Network unlock PIN"
That's all, then the code that I got from gsmliberty.net, providing my IMEI and the fact that the phone is locked to Vodafone in Malta, is not working hence here I am on the forum
found this for you mate
http://androidforums.com/all-things-root-hero/119257-huge-problem-sim-network-unlock-pin.html
I know it mentions orange but perhaps its the same problem
Will definitely try to reflash with different baseband versions just to see what happens; however dont think that it will do the trick as I was reading in multiple places about the radio problem specific to Orange phones only. Of course you never know, problem is that I cant try it now as I am travelling and dont have the required info with me, but will do that over the weekend when I am back home.
Anyways, thanks a ton for the suggestions and everything, still open for more though
Hi, new info on the situation.
Came back home and flashed various older radio versions going down as much as 32.26.00.24U_4.04.00.03_2.
Same problem with the network being locked and the IMEI based code that I got not working either.
I also got in touch with Vodafone Malta asking if they can provide some help. The answer back was that they are willing to unlock the network for 50 EUR. However, even though I said yes to it, they dont want to tell me what is the procedure; they just mentioned that I should give my credit card details by e-mail and then they will tell me how to do it. I double checked about not going to some service location or sending the phone over, etc and they said that it is not the case, bu then again I am not ok to send over my cc details just like that and asked for an account where I could send the money; they replied that they will come back with that.
Well, this paragraph is just for your fun regarding the way Vodafone Malta is considering this option...cc details over e-mail...these guys are joking
Anyways, back to the issue at hand, any other suggestions about getting past the network lock if the operator changed the "normal" codes available on IMEI based providers across the web? How to override this?
Thanks!
Hi, back to square 1. After providing the IMEI to Vodafone Malta to get my phone unlocked, they replied back that the phone is not locked by them; so the whole thing with having the Vodafone Malta link on the desktop didnt mean a thing apparently.
I continued on the path laid out by HTC directly (they said that they shipped the phone to the Czech Rep.). I have a friend that has a Vodafone Czech sim card and tried it now, but it doesnt work either, so the phone is not locked under Vodafone Czech Rep either.
Any suggestion on how to proceed? Now I am very lost as I dont even know where the bloody phone is locked, as in under what network...
Thanks!
I have the same problem
i bought my phone at Montenegro T-Mobile,
asked the HTC for information about the phone giving them IMEI
the answer was exactly as yours
Tried to flash, downgrade, still have "SIM network unlock PIN"
Any suggestions
Haven't you tried asking the seller wich Vodafone is locked to?
Android on HTC Pro 2
Hi all,
i buy a htc touch pro 2 from USA var. T-Mobile.I install android on it and everything work's great until :
1.without sim on it, when I try to connect on my wireless network the phone close.When I start it "Gen.Y DualBOOT" not work.I reinstal "Gen.Y DualBOOT" same problem.Can tell me somebody what is the problem?
2.with card on it doesn't recognize the pin number and say's "sim card is locked".What can be?
Now I am in a romanian network (cosmote).
Thank you!
ok popepope, but why you insist on malta and on vodafone?????
your device mabe have a costum rom installed before you buy it. and from there you see vodafone link and malta, but like htc said that phone it's locked in czek, but it's not nedeed to be on vodafone. can be other network...
My UK Vodafone 815 only fully works with certain sim cards. I used an unlock code from ebay and have zero issues with O2/GiffGaff sims.
Now I wanted to use a Life Mobile (EE) sim but the data speed won't go beyond E yet the same sim gets H+ in other phones. After the unlock iD Mobile/Three sims wouldn't make calls.
Can the network unlock have gone wrong somehow?
Still struggling with this....let me ask another question.
Is it possible to flash the original vodafone software (assuming I can find one) to re-lock the phone so I can start again with another unlock?
I have a Pixel XL which originates from Canada or USA. I brought the phone to South Africa, my local country and I cannot get it to work on the cell network. The wifi and other functions work ok. When in insert my local sim I am not asked for any code, the phone just does not work.
I looked at the bootloader and saw it was locked. I found an unlock procedure and unlocked it successfully, but the symptoms are still the same.
Any advice on how to get this working?
ptahend said:
I have a Pixel XL which originates from Canad or USA. I brought the phone to South Africa, my local country and I cannot get it to work on the cell network. The wifi and other functions work ok. When in insert my local sim I am not asked for any code, the phone just does not work.
I looked at the bootloader and saw it was locked. I found an unlock procedure and unlocked it successfully, but the symptoms are still the same.
Any advice on how to get this working?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it locked to a carrier from where you got it from? Also did you check APN's? Maybe it doesn't automatically add your carriers APN
How do I see if it is locked to a carrier?
When I boot into recovery screen it used to say locked and I could not turn off OEM lock but after I did the unlock it says unlocked. This may be only the bootloader?
When I insert a different SIM I am not notified of a lock and no password is asked
Hey all,
I was given an S9 (Exynos version, unlocked, SM-960F/DS) that had TWRP installed on it, but was stuck in a boot loop. After messing with it for a while, I stuck it in a drawer and forgot about it until recently, when I pulled it out and decided to just restore it to stock. I downloaded a ROM for that specific model from this site ( https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s9/how-to/official-firmware-thread-regions-t3765015 ) and flashed it using Odin. This got the device to boot fine to the setup, but it defaulted to German, and rejected any SIM I put in it, even though the phone was originally unlocked. So my question is, now how do I remove the SIM lock again? I'm guessing I'll first have to wait the 7 days for the OEM unlock cooldown to elapse again so I can reinstall TWRP?
tattar8 said:
Hey all,
I was given an S9 (Exynos version, unlocked, SM-960F/DS) that had TWRP installed on it, but was stuck in a boot loop. After messing with it for a while, I stuck it in a drawer and forgot about it until recently, when I pulled it out and decided to just restore it to stock. I downloaded a ROM for that specific model from this site ( https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s9/how-to/official-firmware-thread-regions-t3765015 ) and flashed it using Odin. This got the device to boot fine to the setup, but it defaulted to German, and rejected any SIM I put in it, even though the phone was originally unlocked. So my question is, now how do I remove the SIM lock again? I'm guessing I'll first have to wait the 7 days for the OEM unlock cooldown to elapse again so I can reinstall TWRP?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
TWRP/Root/Custom has nothing to do with SIM locks, you'd need a sim unlocking service for that
*Detection* said:
TWRP/Root/Custom has nothing to do with SIM locks, you'd need a sim unlocking service for that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then why would the phone start demanding a PUK for any SIM I insert into it after flashing, when it didn't before? The SIMs work on any other phone I try them in.
tattar8 said:
Then why would the phone start demanding a PUK for any SIM I insert into it after flashing, when it didn't before? The SIMs work on any other phone I try them in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Because certain SIM unlocking services depend on you not wiping the phone in order to keep the unlock
You'll need to unlock it again using a paid service
*Detection* said:
Because certain SIM unlocking services depend on you not wiping the phone in order to keep the unlock
You'll need to unlock it again using a paid service
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone was never locked to a carrier -- it was purchased sealed, factory unlocked.
tattar8 said:
The phone was never locked to a carrier -- it was purchased sealed, factory unlocked.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In that case check it has not been IMEI blacklisted due to non payment of contract or reported stolen, you state in your OP it was given to you
If it is IMEI blocked there's nothing XDA can do to help you
*Detection* said:
In that case check it has not been IMEI blacklisted due to non payment of contract or reported stolen, you state in your OP it was given to you
If it is IMEI blocked there's nothing XDA can do to help you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What I meant by that was that a friend of mine handed it to me to try to fix after he messed with it in TWRP, getting it stuck bootlooping in the process. He had bought it factory unlocked. I checked the IMEI, it's clean. It's demanding PUKs for any SIM I put in it, even though those SIMs work in other phones; I tried a Ting SIM and a Cricket SIM.
tattar8 said:
What I meant by that was that a friend of mine handed it to me to try to fix after he messed with it in TWRP, getting it stuck bootlooping in the process. He had bought it factory unlocked. I checked the IMEI, it's clean. It's demanding PUKs for any SIM I put in it, even though those SIMs work in other phones; I tried a Ting SIM and a Cricket SIM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well the only thing I can think is to flash a stock firmware for the region you are in, pick a carrier firmware to force the CSC change, Multi-CSC that contains Germany will default back to that if that is what the phone's original CSC was, but I doubt CSC is causing this
O2U CSC (United Kingdom) for G960F is a single CSC, flash it using CSC and not HOME_CSC along with the other 3 sections
But it seems to me this was not originally a factory unlocked handset, it was unlocked by an unlocking service and sold as one
If that doesn't work, pay for an unlocking service
*Detection* said:
Well the only thing I can think is to flash a stock firmware for the region you are in, pick a carrier firmware to force the CSC change, Multi-CSC that contains Germany will default back to that if that is what the phone's original CSC was, but I doubt CSC is causing this
O2U CSC (United Kingdom) for G960F is a single CSC, flash it using CSC and not HOME_CSC along with the other 3 sections
But it seems to me this was not originally a factory unlocked handset, it was unlocked by an unlocking service and sold as one
If that doesn't work, pay for an unlocking service
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there a way I can find out what carrier the phone thinks it's locked to, or would I just have to get SIM cards from around the world and try them?
Can I do this without enabling OEM Unlock (so without letting the phone run for 7 days)?
tattar8 said:
Is there a way I can find out what carrier the phone thinks it's locked to, or would I just have to get SIM cards from around the world and try them?
Can I do this without enabling OEM Unlock (so without letting the phone run for 7 days)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Samsung Phone INFO will tell you the current CSC, but if it defaulted to German either you flashed a German firmware or that is the default CSC
OEM unlock is only needed for custom
Flashing a Multi-CSC ROM such as BTU for United Kingdom will have the greatest chance of it defaulting to it's original CSC
I used that app, and it indeed says the phone's CSC is German, Deutsche Telekom from what I could tell. I tried flashing a number of different FW packages (including the UK and Singapore ones) but it still defaulted to German each time.
I tried going to their unlock page and entering the IMEI, but they have no record of it being sold by them.
tattar8 said:
I used that app, and it indeed says the phone's CSC is German, Deutsche Telekom from what I could tell. I tried flashing a number of different FW packages (including the UK and Singapore ones) but it still defaulted to German each time.
I tried going to their unlock page and entering the IMEI, but they have no record of it being sold by them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like I said, try flashing a carrier branded firmware like O2U, it cannot default to German if that CSC is not included
Flash using CSC and not HOME_CSC
Sim lock is on its own secure enclave chip, so if this was truly Sim unlocked then it isn't even possible to "relock". Either was unlocked in an unreputable way, or is IMEI blocked as mentioned before.
So I just got time to re-visit this project. I flashed O2U firmware, and it defaulted to English and shows the corresponding CSC. The phone is still locked, and I checked a bunch of IMEI blacklist checkers and each one comes back clean. At this point I accept that the phone is actually locked by a carrier, so I need to instead figure out how to get it unlocked, and to do that I need to figure out what carrier it's locked to. Like I said earlier, I tried entering the IMEI into Deutsche Telekom's unlocking page, and they have no record of them having locked that phone. So how would I go about figuring out what carrier it's locked to? If that information is on its own secure enclave chip, is there any way to read it?
Afaik german providers are forbidden by law to simlock phones for several years already. Problem must be somewhere else.
Try entering the PUK of any SIM if that's what's requested. It should be on the full size SIM, else contact your mobile network operator.
Hi,
I've bought a XT1952DL (DL stands for damn locked) in US and traveled back to Canada. When I insert a Sim card from different providers, it does recognize it (Network SIM lock message) but it won't prompt for an unlock code...
Any idea on how I can solve this issue?
Thank you!
Dl is for trackfone variant it's very hard get unlock code for them
Metro PCS is the worst I've ever dealt with.... You need 180 continuous days of service locked to that IMEI to be eligible for unlock... CRAZY!
Perhaps we can modem flash? How are the variants encoded? How can we convert?
So... I flashed the stock modem and everything else stock, now I get a SIM Unlock code entering box... but I can't find anything that can produce it, paid or otherwise :/. At least now I don't have any MetroPCS garbage on the phone.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-g7/how-to/channel-moto-g7-factory-firmware-images-t3996303
Are you saying you flash the XT1952DL to Retail? If so, how!? This phone is a pain... I found a remote USB sim unlock for $30, but would like this thing on retail ROM :/