Hi All.
I visited my local Carphone Warehouse shop in Dorchester yesterday where I was looking to buy the Samsung Galaxy Ace mobile phone. On all networks it was £199.99 except for ThreeUK which was only £120.00.
Having previously unlocked, rooted and custom ROM'd the Ace (thanks to XDA dev's) I thought I'd buy it on ThreeUK and put it on Vodafone when I got to the computer.
I asked the cocky know-it-all chump for the phone and got out my cash and he started ranting something about was I upgrading a PAYG mobile or did I need to transfer my number to the new SIM card.
I told him I did not need the SIM card as I had my own already but he informed me that the SIM the phone was sold with would be the only SIM that would work in it and using another SIM would IMEI block the phone.
Now I have never heard of this before and I regulary read stuff on XDA and I have seen any mention of it here either.
I thought he was just making sure he couldn't blag another 80 quid out of me so I decided to be the know-it-all chump and told him I didn't care as I was unlocking it and installing a different ROM anyway.
He told me that the PAYG SIM was tied to the IMEI number and I qoute, "as the networks are loosing too much money with unlocked phones".
I decided not to buy the phone as £120 was alot of money to lose if he was right and I could hardly go back with it blocked after this conversation.
Personally while a good idea, at least in principle from the networks point of view I can see too many negative issues arising from doing this.
Can anyone clarify any of this?
Can't believe that a different sim card could block the phone after it has been rooted?
Complete Bull. Impossible to do this as the network do not know if the handset you are using is unlocked or not. Also if you had your voda sim in the handset only voda would be able to nlock your phone as only they would see the IMEI being used. 3 would not know you are using another phone. Also the network only owns your sim not your phone. As a consumer it is up to you what you do with the phone. Hope this helps.
Not sure about those carriers but ATT has been locking phones to one sim card when activated. Only on prepaid at the moment but it shows it can be and is being done.
Utter bull****. As mentioned above if you are buying a sim free phone then you are buying a a free phone and you can do whatever you want with the lgone
Sent from my HTC EVO 3D X515m using XDA App
thre3aces said:
Utter bull****. As mentioned above if you are buying a sim free phone then you are buying a a free phone and you can do whatever you want with the lgone
Sent from my HTC EVO 3D X515m using XDA App
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Think what you will. Try it for yourself and see. The carriers here have been trying to think of a way to only allow phones they say to work on the network. Take verzion and sprint. They can refuse to activate any phone that is not in their system. ATT is working on a way to do this also.
thre3aces said:
Utter bull****. As mentioned above if you are buying a sim free phone then you are buying a a free phone and you can do whatever you want with the lgone
Sent from my HTC EVO 3D X515m using XDA App
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He was talking of a phone on a uk network subsidised by the operator called three, unless I misunderstood.
In uk phones subsidised by some networks are locked so they will only work with specific networks sims and some have been imei locked by using msin method where only one card will work in the phone.
However if you can root the device and flash non branded firmware I think that overwrites the lock and enables non three sims.
Dave
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
he informed me that the SIM the phone was sold with would be the only SIM that would work in it and using another SIM would IMEI block the phone.
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Click to collapse
His wording is misappropriated: what he probably meant was that the phone was locked to the carrier so you wouldn't get network access. IMEI blocking only happens when reported lost/stolen.
mistermentality said:
However if you can root the device and flash non branded firmware I think that overwrites the lock and enables non three sims.
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Well I hope your right Dave. I think 'thre3aces' is pretty much on the money with what was said to me at CW. I'm hoping the way of countering this will be as you said, by rooting / debranding and/or flashing the ROM and not by simular more complicated methods (in most cases) of unlocking the networks.
I don't think though that there is too much to worry about. It has never been a long wait for us modders to hack our phones after some fantastic new security device is wrecked by the likes of George Hotz (blackra1n) and the MadTeam's of the world etc.
And this whole thing stinks of Apple!
The staff at phone shops (cpw/p4u) are full of bimbos whom have little or no knowledge of what they are talking about.
sparkyuiop said:
Well I hope your right Dave. I think 'thre3aces' is pretty much on the money with what was said to me at CW. I'm hoping the way of countering this will be as you said, by rooting / debranding and/or flashing the ROM and not by simular more complicated methods (in most cases) of unlocking the networks.
I don't think though that there is too much to worry about. It has never been a long wait for us modders to hack our phones after some fantastic new security device is wrecked by the likes of George Hotz (blackra1n) and the MadTeam's of the world etc.
And this whole thing stinks of Apple!
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Click to collapse
Thre3aces was on about sim free phones but if you were on about a carrier subsidised payg one then yes carriers tend to lock them though only 3 and I think vodafone have been known to imei lock to one sim card and even then not very often.
I would assume the lock is firmware related though that is an assumption but if it were hardware locked then users would need a new phone if sims got damaged and that would cost more money hence the reason a firmware lock is more probable as they could more easily alter that.
If you had problems though maybe you could get a friend on 3 to ring them and say they bought a 3 phone and tried to input their sim but it failed...as an existing customer maybe three would unlock it for them?
Dave
Sent from my LG P920 using Tapatalk
Related
Hi I sold an unlocked xpress rom tp2 to a guy who had verizon.. he said verizon would not activate it at the verizon place.. i thought it would work??
well **** he did ebay dispute and it took the money out of my paypal acct! talked to him on the phone and he is sending phone back tomorrow.. learned something today ;/
Of course the company isn't going to support a custom ROM. I would have sked for my money back too. You should have returned it to stock conditions before selling it.
cajunflavoredbob said:
Of course the company isn't going to support a custom ROM. I would have sked for my money back too. You should have returned it to stock conditions before selling it.
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custom rom wont affect activation, the fact that it was a uscc phone caused the problem, next time only say it will work on uscc unless it has a bad esn
Diamond_dawg said:
custom rom wont affect activation, the fact that it was a uscc phone caused the problem, next time only say it will work on uscc unless it has a bad esn
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Using a branded phone doesn't make a difference so long as you are going from GSM to GSM or CDMA to CDMA. Verizon and USC both are CDMA. Several people on these forums have done the same thing.
He said the other guy took his phone into a Verizon store. If they see you aren't running the stock ROM, they will refuse to activate it. I used to do the same thing when I worked for T-Mobile. We could take someone with an AT&T phone and port their number, but if we found out they used a custom ROM, then they would have to get a new device.
Custom ROMs are never, ever supported by carriers. I'm not saying that this is definitely the problem, but it is very likely.
cajunflavoredbob said:
Using a branded phone doesn't make a difference so long as you are going from GSM to GSM or CDMA to CDMA. Verizon and USC both are CDMA. Several people on these forums have done the same thing.
He said the other guy took his phone into a Verizon store. If they see you aren't running the stock ROM, they will refuse to activate it. I used to do the same thing when I worked for T-Mobile. We could take someone with an AT&T phone and port their number, but if we found out they used a custom ROM, then they would have to get a new device.
Custom ROMs are never, ever supported by carriers. I'm not saying that this is definitely the problem, but it is very likely.
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You need to Learn a bit more on CDMA. Just cause a phone is unlocked won't mean it can be used on other carriers. Verizon has to add the esn to their database after Whiich he can have a Verizon line added to it. So it's not the same as gsm
Yeah guy took it to verizon and they actually tried working with him but no luck with activation over the phone..they didn't care that it was uscc supposedly... Thanks for the help.. To bad these a hole carriers won't do WHAT THEIR TOLD! AH HA.. Thanks for info
Sent from my HTC DESIRE using XDA App
tp2me said:
Yeah guy took it to verizon and they actually tried working with him but no luck with activation over the phone..they didn't care that it was uscc supposedly... Thanks for the help.. To bad these a hole carriers won't do WHAT THEIR TOLD! AH HA.. Thanks for info
Sent from my HTC DESIRE using XDA App
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Same thing happened with boost. They could not activate it cuz it was not added to the database. I think only metro pcs would do it for a fee. Not releally sure
Verizon will NOT add a foreign esn to their database. They will only activate verizon phones.
yup, Verizon doesn't activate anyone else's phones. Only phones with ESN's they have in their own database and they won't add a phone to it just cause you want them to.
First off, thank you for making a brilliant forum! Now that I dont get any further by searching for information I need som help from you guys.
Thing is: I have two sensations. Both are s-off, rooted, superCID and have the latest coindroid installed. Both are originally tmobile phones which were bought unlocked some while ago. They have both been used successfully in europe until now that im in the US.
For various reasons i have three simcards for these phones. And in one of them t-mobile doesnt seem to work at all. Neither before software modifications or after. The other phone with similar mods have no problems.
The other simcards are a norwegian one and another pay-as-you-go simcard which has been used since t-mobile doesnt work.
Since both phones are rooted and s-off I guess there is a setting somewhere. Where is this particular setting? Anybody that could come a newbie to the rescue?
Thanks!
no setting if phone dont ask for a unlock code or has been unlocked i am going to say bad/banned imi number call t-Mobile and ask them if your phone is black listed
The phone is blocked by tmobile it appears. Bought it off amazon nine months ago. The phone was sold as new and "unlocked" back then and w/o warranty, but not as stolen phone. Im angry right now.
Neither Tmobile or HTC are very helpful on the phone. Costumer service at Tmobile keeps failing to put me over to anyone who can help.
Any tips on how to proceed further? Showing up at one of their shops and stay there until someone is able to help?
Since the phone is without warranty its very tempting to do illegal stuff to it right now.
Suppehue said:
Since the phone is without warranty its very tempting to do illegal stuff to it right now.
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Like what free apps or fake call 911 lol not much you can do that's illegal
Only things you can do try att sim but may not work
resell on eBay for parts should get most of your money back or keep calling T-Mobile there the only ones who can if they will
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using XDA
I bought a HTC one s for 200$ off of Craiglist (first time buying anything from there) came home and tried putting a SIM card in it doesn't get any signal. So i called tmobile up and they said to me the phone was block for fraud and they told me there isn't anything they can do about it. I tried calling n texting the seller back he would not respond. Is there anything i can do with the phone now or am i just stuck with the way the phone is now?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
igotdez said:
I bought a HTC one s for 200$ off of Craiglist (first time buying anything from there) came home and tried putting a SIM card in it doesn't get any signal. So i called tmobile up and they said to me the phone was block for fraud and they told me there isn't anything they can do about it. I tried calling n texting the seller back he would not respond. Is there anything i can do with the phone now or am i just stuck with the way the phone is now?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
Not much you can do as far as T-mobile.
It could be SIM unlock to use on a different network, ie AT&T.
Meant to "quote" but gave you a "Thanks" LOL
i tried the free method of unlocking it but that didn't work. I thought i was coming up with the wrong code but turns out it was the correct code because i tried a online website that charge to unlock it and they gave me the same exact code i came up with and still haven't had any luck
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Did you use a SIM card from a different carrier than T-mobile?
baseballfanz said:
Did you use a SIM card from a different carrier than T-mobile?
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Yeah i tried using my at&t SIM card but every time i try to type the unlock code in it would tell me unsuccessful unlock. I tried it at least 4 times.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
igotdez said:
Yeah i tried using my at&t SIM card but every time i try to type the unlock code in it would tell me unsuccessful unlock. I tried it at least 4 times.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
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Yeah I do see some peoples say their unlock code don't work either.
baseballfanz said:
Yeah I do see some peoples say their unlock code don't work either.
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I'm curious as to why it will not work, is it because the phone imei was block by tmobile. Would that also block me from unlocking it. I look everywhere online n i can't seem to find a solution.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
I have no idea what you can do OP but damn that sucks. Good luck with resolving it... now I'm going to think twice before buying a phone from Craiglist.
Always power up, insert sim and make a test call, text and data pull with any used phone purchase. Put the screen through tests, and the touch sensor. Test the headphone jack and all buttons. Look at water damage indicators.
There is a sim unlock thread in development section have you tried it? The only way than would be to change your imei though thats ILLEGAL! As ILLEGAL as stealing and buying the steal!
mughalgxt said:
There is a sim unlock thread in development section have you tried it? The only way than would be to change your imei though thats ILLEGAL! As ILLEGAL as stealing and buying the steal!
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I tried that thread did everything correct but had no luck unlocking it.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
igotdez said:
I tried that thread did everything correct but had no luck unlocking it.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
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Does the wifi work fine? Hopefully it isn't a hardware issue!
Everything works fine the phone is practically new it came with the original box and everything. Its just block by T-Mobile carrier. I'll go check at a local cell phone shop and see if they can unlock it, to see if it works on another carrier. If it doesn't then got damnit I'm stuck with the phone way it is....
Sent from my HTC One S using Tapatalk 2
Making call., send text , .... On the phone before you buy still not enough. There are some asshole out there sell the phone;
1) then report stolen (assume they have insurance ) . Then whatever you do still meaningless.
2) they are on value plan ( they pay full price for thier phone in 20 month). Then they stop using tmobile.
=> both cases above will make tmobile lock your phone.
The most safety way to buy phone on craoglist now is have proof of purchase from the owner.
Sent from my HTC VLE_U using xda app-developers app
A proof of purchase from seller on CL does not insure you won't have these fraud problems.
To OP, I would file a police report.
baseballfanz said:
A proof of purchase from seller on CL does not insure you won't have these fraud problems.
To OP, I would file a police report.
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Click to collapse
no, with proof of purchase that shows the seller is the one who bought the phone from tmobile, then you can contact tmobile so they can unlock your phone and make the seller pays for what he/she did. If you file a police report, i assume they wouldn't do anything except you have to turn in the phone you bought. There are several topics on XDA discuss about this problem and the only loser is the buyer. I'm feel sorry for OP.
P/s: nasty things like this are happening more often on Craigslist lately, this is why i won't buy phone from craigslist anymore.
tritran18518 said:
no, with proof of purchase that shows the seller is the one who bought the phone from tmobile, then you can contact tmobile so they can unlock your phone and make the seller pays for what he/she did.
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What these people are doing is buying the phone on a payment plan. Sell the phone on CL and not make the payments to Tmobile. Sometimes phone will work for a month till it get BL. There's no disputing that it was bought from Tmobile but no payment to then equal BL phone.
baseballfanz said:
What these people are doing is buying the phone on a payment plan. Sell the phone on CL and not make the payments to Tmobile. Sometimes phone will work for a month till it get BL. There's no disputing that it was bought from Tmobile but no payment to then equal BL phone.
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Yeah, that's the case make me pissed off. By BL a phone because some one not pay money for them, Tmobile just wastes their phone, make the buyer become such a loser and pretty angry to tmobile them-self . however, the winner is the a**hole who sold the phone...
Weirdest thing is that it can't be unlocked ?? Gosh
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium
Not sure how it works in the States but here in the UK if your phone gets blocked it'll be blocked on all UK carriers.
If you put any sim card it checks against a database and notifies that it's barred.
No way around it apart from changing IMEI which is ILLEGAL.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
If I unlock a verizon htc touch pro 2 (Rhodium) will I be able to use prepaid sim card based unlimited plans on it? The kind you can get from walmart and stuff? I don't want to buy a new phone because I still love my touch pro 2 but having a verizon account isn't possible anymore so I would like to get some sort of prepaid plan for it. Thanks.
em0rox said:
If I unlock a verizon htc touch pro 2 (Rhodium) will I be able to use prepaid sim card based unlimited plans on it? The kind you can get from walmart and stuff? I don't want to buy a new phone because I still love my touch pro 2 but having a verizon account isn't possible anymore so I would like to get some sort of prepaid plan for it. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, if you do the SIM unlock and get a prepaid provider that uses (regular) SIM cards.
Note this is different from the hSPL process.
I already unlocked the spl a long time ago, using mighty rom on it. Would all providers work? I'm wanting to get one of those unlimited text things from like t-mobile or even verizon. Is there any free way to unlock the phone? If not do you know the best way to go about doing it?
What do you mean by "regular" sim cards? I've never used anything but Verizon cdma on someone else's actual account so I'm not sure about sim cards. I've had lots of phones but they have all been on verizon and cdma.
em0rox said:
I already unlocked the spl a long time ago, using mighty rom on it. Would all providers work? I'm wanting to get one of those unlimited text things from like t-mobile or even verizon. Is there any free way to unlock the phone? If not do you know the best way to go about doing it?
What do you mean by "regular" sim cards? I've never used anything but Verizon cdma on someone else's actual account so I'm not sure about sim cards. I've had lots of phones but they have all been on verizon and cdma.
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Click to collapse
Not all sim cards are the same size/shape. There are some adapters out there for sale, but I don't suggest going that route. If it is a major carrier, and the sim card fits your phone, and your phone is sim unlocked it should work.
em0rox said:
I already unlocked the spl a long time ago, using mighty rom on it. Would all providers work? I'm wanting to get one of those unlimited text things from like t-mobile or even verizon. Is there any free way to unlock the phone? If not do you know the best way to go about doing it?
What do you mean by "regular" sim cards? I've never used anything but Verizon cdma on someone else's actual account so I'm not sure about sim cards. I've had lots of phones but they have all been on verizon and cdma.
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Click to collapse
Verizon = CDMA.
You need a GSM provider that uses standard size SIM cards. Some providers use different sized cards (as noted previously), but most use standard size cards.
I know verizon is cdma but the touch pro 2 has a sim slot as well because it was sold as a "world phone". So as long as I unlock it and the sim card I get fits it should work? I've only seen one type of sim card before but from a bunch of different phones and they were all the same size as the touch pro 2 takes.
As for the second part of my question I'm still a bit confused about. Is there any free way to unlock the phone? If not do you know the best way to go about doing it? Should I take it to a provider with a local store, use a site that does it, etc?
em0rox said:
I know verizon is cdma but the touch pro 2 has a sim slot as well because it was sold as a "world phone". So as long as I unlock it and the sim card I get fits it should work? I've only seen one type of sim card before but from a bunch of different phones and they were all the same size as the touch pro 2 takes.
As for the second part of my question I'm still a bit confused about. Is there any free way to unlock the phone? If not do you know the best way to go about doing it? Should I take it to a provider with a local store, use a site that does it, etc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First question has been answered several times. Yes.
There is not a free way to unlock the phone.
However, if you had looked at the stickies... In this very section... You might've noticed this thread. I hope...
No reason to be rude man... I just didn't want to spend $20 on unlocking it then another $40 on the card just to find out it won't work. Not all of us are "well off", can't just throw away money like that... I could eat for weeks off that money lol...
Also I didn't look for anything on how to unlock it because, like I said, I wanted to know if the prepaid things would work on it in the first place. Thanks for all the answers though guys it has helped a lot. My phone was on my ex wife's mother's plan and the 2 year contract just ran out so she closed the account. I can't afford a new phone to go with a prepaid plan. Just trying to find a way to have a phone again so I can talk to my children and want to make sure I don't spend money I don't have on something that won't work.
em0rox said:
No reason to be rude man... I just didn't want to spend $20 on unlocking it then another $40 on the card just to find out it won't work. Not all of us are "well off", can't just throw away money like that... I could eat for weeks off that money lol...
Also I didn't look for anything on how to unlock it because, like I said, I wanted to know if the prepaid things would work on it in the first place. Thanks for all the answers though guys it has helped a lot. My phone was on my ex wife's mother's plan and the 2 year contract just ran out so she closed the account. I can't afford a new phone to go with a prepaid plan. Just trying to find a way to have a phone again so I can talk to my children and want to make sure I don't spend money I don't have on something that won't work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just take your time and read as much as you can.
Wish there was a 'free way' to unlock the phone, but Olinex is still allowed to charge for that privilege... Sorry.
Mind explaining the whole unlock thing? It seems to me there are "official" sites, random people, companies, local stores, pretty much anyone can do it... Do they have to have a license to register the code on some global database or what? I've softmodded and hardmodded just about everything I've ever owned since my sms (yea that's kinda funny talking about phones but I meant sega master system...) flashcart but I don't really get this... From what I've read you get a code from someone (which can be anyone who can do it I guess) and that unlocks your device. So does that unlock your device 100% or only on networks that person/company has license to unlock on?
em0rox said:
Mind explaining the whole unlock thing? It seems to me there are "official" sites, random people, companies, local stores, pretty much anyone can do it... Do they have to have a license to register the code on some global database or what? I've softmodded and hardmodded just about everything I've ever owned since my sms (yea that's kinda funny talking about phones but I meant sega master system...) flashcart but I don't really get this... From what I've read you get a code from someone (which can be anyone who can do it I guess) and that unlocks your device. So does that unlock your device 100% or only on networks that person/company has license to unlock on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't really understand how the SIM unlocking process works unfortunately... I know Oli's works for our devices, so if you're going to pay for one that's the one to go with.
Hey everyone, I have seen someone Samsung Galaxy S3's on craigslist for like $300 and their IMEI is blocked. Meaning either stolen, blocked, or the owner didn't pay a bill.
I honestly can care less, I just want to know if T-Mobile blocks an IMEI if I can still use Simple Mobile on it, or I will have to unlock it to use a AT&T or other GSM carrier. My main concern is for Simple Mobile though since it is my current network.
Also, I have heard of changing the IMEI, can anyone provide information about that?
Thanks.
MasterGGM said:
Hey everyone, I have seen someone Samsung Galaxy S3's on craigslist for like $300 and their IMEI is blocked. Meaning either stolen, blocked, or the owner didn't pay a bill.
I honestly can care less, I just want to know if T-Mobile blocks an IMEI if I can still use Simple Mobile on it, or I will have to unlock it to use a AT&T or other GSM carrier. My main concern is for Simple Mobile though since it is my current network.
Also, I have heard of changing the IMEI, can anyone provide information about that?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would get the ESN and call to see if they would activate it. That's what we used to do when I sold cell phone years ago.
The imei is the gsm equivalent of esn. Anyway, call them before you buy, and simple mobile is a T-Mobile subsidiary so if it's blacklisted on tmo it won't work on simple because the towers refuse to work with you. I say just call tmo and they might help you, but don't tell them you want to use it on simple because they might not.
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk 2
No, it won't work on Simple Mobile, because Simple Mobile runs on T-Mobile. You're not allowed to discuss buying phones not owned by the seller. You don't own the phone if you pay the $200 to buy it and then stop paying the bills.
I have purchased CDMA phones on Craigslist for years now. I bought one phone with a bad ESN and learned the most important lesson with regards to buying a cell phone second hand...activate the phone before handing over any cash. If that means taking it to one of these places or meeting the seller at a place that unlocks phones (unless you have a laptop and the means to unlock it yourself prior to purchasing). Also even with the phone not activate it should still call customer service. Verify that the IMEI is good. If a seller acts shady when you tell them you are going to do this...save your gas.
how??
MasterGGM said:
Hey everyone, I have seen someone Samsung Galaxy S3's on craigslist for like $300 and their IMEI is blocked. Meaning either stolen, blocked, or the owner didn't pay a bill.
I honestly can care less, I just want to know if T-Mobile blocks an IMEI if I can still use Simple Mobile on it, or I will have to unlock it to use a AT&T or other GSM carrier. My main concern is for Simple Mobile though since it is my current network.
Also, I have heard of changing the IMEI, can anyone provide information about that?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can it be blocked when its a gsm? if its stolen you jus pop your sim in it and thats it it still works.
blocked imei i never heard of. can someone please clarify?
intrygue83 said:
How can it be blocked when its a gsm? if its stolen you jus pop your sim in it and thats it it still works.
blocked imei i never heard of. can someone please clarify?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can block an IMEI like you can block an ESN now if the phone is lost, stolen, or has an unpaid balance.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Product F(RED) said:
You can block an IMEI like you can block an ESN now if the phone is lost, stolen, or has an unpaid balance.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
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Click to collapse
I had a Galaxy S 3 stolen yesterday. There is no way for me to get it back, I can get over that. What I can't get over is someone having my 3 month old phone and being able to use it with no problems.
I contacted T Mobile on 3 separate occasions to see if they could block the IMEI number because I have the original packaging. I was told from 3 different account specialists that T Mobile CANNOT block the IMEI. Whoever stole my phone just has to pop in a new sim card and the stolen phone will work just fine, and there is nothing I can do about it.
If anyone knows how I can get my stolen phone blocked, I'd love to hear how.
Adam
boda05 said:
I had a Galaxy S 3 stolen yesterday. There is no way for me to get it back, I can get over that. What I can't get over is someone having my 3 month old phone and being able to use it with no problems.
I contacted T Mobile on 3 separate occasions to see if they could block the IMEI number because I have the original packaging. I was told from 3 different account specialists that T Mobile CANNOT block the IMEI. Whoever stole my phone just has to pop in a new sim card and the stolen phone will work just fine, and there is nothing I can do about it.
If anyone knows how I can get my stolen phone blocked, I'd love to hear how.
Adam
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Click to collapse
Escalate it and tell them you need that phone marked lost or stolen. They do it for non-payment, they can do it for lost or stolen phones.
Product F(RED) said:
Escalate it and tell them you need that phone marked lost or stolen. They do it for non-payment, they can do it for lost or stolen phones.
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Thanks so much for the reply. On all three occasions I escalated the matter as high as I could. Have you had an IMEI blocked personally by calling T Mobile?
boda05 said:
Thanks so much for the reply. On all three occasions I escalated the matter as high as I could. Have you had an IMEI blocked personally by calling T Mobile?
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I'm on Straight Talk AT&T. I've never had experience doing that, but I know it's possible because people have been scammed and end up with lost/stolen/non-payment T-Mobile phones that won't register onto the network.
well..
boda05 said:
Thanks so much for the reply. On all three occasions I escalated the matter as high as I could. Have you had an IMEI blocked personally by calling T Mobile?
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Sorry your phone was stolen but doing that is not going to stop anything. If it was password protected then they won't has access to it.
until they bring it to someone like myself who can wipe it and reuse it. Its a GSM so all i have to do is wipe it n pop a new sim in it and wola.
That's just how it is
intrygue83 said:
Sorry your phone was stolen but doing that is not going to stop anything. If it was password protected then they won't has access to it.
until they bring it to someone like myself who can wipe it and reuse it. Its a GSM so all i have to do is wipe it n pop a new sim in it and wola.
That's just how it is
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Product F(RED) said:
I'm on Straight Talk AT&T. I've never had experience doing that, but I know it's possible because people have been scammed and end up with lost/stolen/non-payment T-Mobile phones that won't register onto the network.
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Yes I've read many stories about people buying a used phone from a person and the imei being blocked. I am just confirming/questioning that this isn't possible (whether it's a recent thing or ever) with T Mobile.
This seems like a good way for stolen phones to be blocked, but what about customers that report their phones stolen to t-mobile and then sell it on craigslist (I know a few people that do this)..the poor sucker that bought the phone will have it activated and by the time T-mobile blacklists the number they are left with a worthless phone.
euklid said:
This seems like a good way for stolen phones to be blocked, but what about customers that report their phones stolen to t-mobile and then sell it on craigslist (I know a few people that do this)..the poor sucker that bought the phone will have it activated and by the time T-mobile blacklists the number they are left with a worthless phone.
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People just neeed to do their research and take precautions. If you don't put in the extra time to figure out how to buy a used phone safely, you're going to be taking a chance - and you get what you get.
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Blacklisted
I work for a cell phone buy-back firm. Every since November of last year we have been running into blacklisted imeis. We've got phones coming back because the person who sold us the phone quit paying on a subsidized phone. Considering our agents call people all over the country attempting to buy their used or inactive phones, most people see us as way out. This hasn't been an issue with cdma phones because we can check esn. Two days ago checkesnfree.com added imei blacklisted. But what I don't understand is our audit department can put a live sim card in a blacklisted phone and make a successful test call. But when a customer tries to put it on an account, it can't be done. Can someone explain to me why this is. I understand the calls and text are using a different section of the tower than the data network uses. But any more than that I'm at a loss. Thanks
IMEI blocking is only inner company at the moment. If att black lists an imei it will not work on any carrier that piggy backs att towers. Soon it will become cross company and global.
Wayne Tech S-III
zelendel said:
IMEI blocking is only inner company at the moment. If att black lists an imei it will not work on any carrier that piggy backs att towers. Soon it will become cross company and global.
Wayne Tech S-III
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ok every one i have you this solved !!!! ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS UNLOCK THE PHONE BAD ESN/IMEI ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS UNLOCK THE PHONE i have gotten 2 Samsung Galaxy S III and a s4 off ebay with "BAD ESN/IMEI" unlocked them and working fine on simple mobile !!
juggalo818 said:
ok every one i have you this solved !!!! ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS UNLOCK THE PHONE BAD ESN/IMEI ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS UNLOCK THE PHONE i have gotten 2 Samsung Galaxy S III and a s4 off ebay with "BAD ESN/IMEI" unlocked them and working fine on simple mobile !!
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How would I unlock it, please share, I have a galaxy s3
Put in a sim from another provider and then search for an unlock code and your done its about $15-$20 normally
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