Why is it that market stall holders and key cutting shops appear to be 
able to unlock phones for a small fee but the big mobile stores such as 
carphone warehouse don't touch them.

A few years back I unlocked numerous Nokias using data cables and free 
software but nowadays it seems a difficult procedure.

I've got two mobiles, both well out of contract and locked to T-Mobile 
but the signal is awful where I now live so I need to change but I am 
reluctant to trust 2 decent phones to some market trader.

Any advice appreciated.

Geoff Lane

"Geoff Lane"  wrote in message 
news:h7u7c3$pvm$1@news.datemas.de...
> Why is it that market stall holders and key cutting shops appear to be 
> able to unlock phones for a small fee but the big mobile stores such as 
> carphone warehouse don't touch them.
>
> A few years back I unlocked numerous Nokias using data cables and free 
> software but nowadays it seems a difficult procedure.
>
> I've got two mobiles, both well out of contract and locked to T-Mobile but 
> the signal is awful where I now live so I need to change but I am 
> reluctant to trust 2 decent phones to some market trader.
>
> Any advice appreciated.
>
> Geoff Lane

Take them to your local market and get them done.
Google will give you all the answers and sites for equipment you will ever 
need.

"Geoff Lane"  wrote in message 
news:h7u7c3$pvm$1@news.datemas.de...
> Why is it that market stall holders and key cutting shops appear to be 
> able to unlock phones for a small fee but the big mobile stores such as 
> carphone warehouse don't touch them.
>
>
Maybe cos CPW doesn't want to go to war with networks who want to
protect the very phone subsidies that CPW exist on?

But it does seem stupid of manufactures like Nokia who have done
very well though extra phone sales by the accidental theft of their DCT4
lock algorithm going public, going to to the trouble of making locks harder

After all the locks only have to satisfy networks that their phone subsidy 
is safe

Steve Terry

"Steve Terry"  wrote in message 
news:h7unbj$8uh$1@news.albasani.net...
> "Geoff Lane"  wrote in message 
> news:h7u7c3$pvm$1@news.datemas.de...
>> Why is it that market stall holders and key cutting shops 
>> appear to be able to unlock phones for a small fee but the big 
>> mobile stores such as carphone warehouse don't touch them.
>>
>>
> Maybe cos CPW doesn't want to go to war with networks who want 
> to
> protect the very phone subsidies that CPW exist on?
>
> But it does seem stupid of manufactures like Nokia who have 
> done
> very well though extra phone sales by the accidental theft of 
> their DCT4
> lock algorithm going public, going to to the trouble of making 
> locks harder
>
> After all the locks only have to satisfy networks that their 
> phone subsidy is safe
>
> Steve Terry
>
>


Of course you can buy the phone from CPW or Asda in the first 
place as all of their phones are unlocked.


-- 
Woody

harrogate three at ntlworld dot com

"Woody"  wrote in message 
news:YxJom.35669$I07.23650@newsfe04.ams2...
> "Steve Terry"  wrote in message 
> news:h7unbj$8uh$1@news.albasani.net...
>> "Geoff Lane"  wrote in message 
>> news:h7u7c3$pvm$1@news.datemas.de...
>>> Why is it that market stall holders and key cutting shops appear to be 
>>> able to unlock phones for a small fee but the big mobile stores such as 
>>> carphone warehouse don't touch them.
>>>
>>>
>> Maybe cos CPW doesn't want to go to war with networks who want to
>> protect the very phone subsidies that CPW exist on?
>>
>> But it does seem stupid of manufactures like Nokia who have done
>> very well though extra phone sales by the accidental theft of their DCT4
>> lock algorithm going public, going to to the trouble of making locks 
>> harder
>>
>> After all the locks only have to satisfy networks that their phone 
>> subsidy is safe
>>
>> Steve Terry
>>
>>
>
>
> Of course you can buy the phone from CPW or Asda in the first place as all 
> of their phones are unlocked.

Nope.  CPW is generally unlocked and GSM stick.  Most handsets sold by Asda 
are definitely locked.

-- 
  Unlock Your Phone's Potential
        www.UselessInfo.org.uk
   www.ThePhoneLocker.co.uk
     www.GSM-Solutions.co.uk

Geoff Lane wrote:
> Why is it that market stall holders and key cutting shops appear to be 
> able to unlock phones for a small fee but the big mobile stores such as 
> carphone warehouse don't touch them.
> 
> A few years back I unlocked numerous Nokias using data cables and free 
> software but nowadays it seems a difficult procedure.
> 
> I've got two mobiles, both well out of contract and locked to T-Mobile 
> but the signal is awful where I now live so I need to change but I am 
> reluctant to trust 2 decent phones to some market trader.
> 
> Any advice appreciated.
> 
> Geoff Lane

Well, you could always ask T-Mobile for the unlock codes.  They have to 
provide them for a 'reasonable' fee.

On Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:32:50 +0100, Geoff Lane wrote:

> Why is it that market stall holders and key cutting shops appear to be
> able to unlock phones for a small fee but the big mobile stores such as
> carphone warehouse don't touch them.
> 
> A few years back I unlocked numerous Nokias using data cables and free
> software but nowadays it seems a difficult procedure.
> 
> I've got two mobiles, both well out of contract and locked to T-Mobile
> but the signal is awful where I now live so I need to change but I am
> reluctant to trust 2 decent phones to some market trader.
> 
> Any advice appreciated.

FWIW I've unlocked a fair number of phones on the local market in High 
Wycombe, never had a problem. I know my brother and his missus have done 
the same in Blackburn without problem 

Mike P

"Richard Colton" <usenet@ NO TINNED PORK PRODUCTS 
uselessinfo.org.uk> wrote in message 
news:TQJom.76121$OO7.51937@text.news.virginmedia.com...
>
> "Woody"  wrote in message 
> news:YxJom.35669$I07.23650@newsfe04.ams2...
>> "Steve Terry"  wrote in message 
>> news:h7unbj$8uh$1@news.albasani.net...
>>> "Geoff Lane"  wrote in message 
>>> news:h7u7c3$pvm$1@news.datemas.de...
>>>> Why is it that market stall holders and key cutting shops 
>>>> appear to be able to unlock phones for a small fee but the 
>>>> big mobile stores such as carphone warehouse don't touch 
>>>> them.
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Maybe cos CPW doesn't want to go to war with networks who 
>>> want to
>>> protect the very phone subsidies that CPW exist on?
>>>
>>> But it does seem stupid of manufactures like Nokia who have 
>>> done
>>> very well though extra phone sales by the accidental theft of 
>>> their DCT4
>>> lock algorithm going public, going to to the trouble of 
>>> making locks harder
>>>
>>> After all the locks only have to satisfy networks that their 
>>> phone subsidy is safe
>>>
>>> Steve Terry
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> Of course you can buy the phone from CPW or Asda in the first 
>> place as all of their phones are unlocked.
>
> Nope.  CPW is generally unlocked and GSM stick.  Most handsets 
> sold by Asda are definitely locked.
>
> -- 
>  Unlock Your Phone's Potential
>        www.UselessInfo.org.uk
>   www.ThePhoneLocker.co.uk
>     www.GSM-Solutions.co.uk
>
>
>


Then howcome Asda actually <advertise> that their phones are 
unlocked? (Assuming they are on the Asda tariff.)


-- 
Woody

harrogate three at ntlworld dot com

"Woody"  wrote in message 
news:XkNom.73119$e%2.4557@newsfe13.ams2...
> "Richard Colton" <usenet@ NO TINNED PORK PRODUCTS uselessinfo.org.uk> 
> wrote in message news:TQJom.76121$OO7.51937@text.news.virginmedia.com...
>>
>> "Woody"  wrote in message 
>> news:YxJom.35669$I07.23650@newsfe04.ams2...
>>> "Steve Terry"  wrote in message 
>>> news:h7unbj$8uh$1@news.albasani.net...
>>>> "Geoff Lane"  wrote in message 
>>>> news:h7u7c3$pvm$1@news.datemas.de...
>>>>> Why is it that market stall holders and key cutting shops appear to be 
>>>>> able to unlock phones for a small fee but the big mobile stores such 
>>>>> as carphone warehouse don't touch them.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> Maybe cos CPW doesn't want to go to war with networks who want to
>>>> protect the very phone subsidies that CPW exist on?
>>>>
>>>> But it does seem stupid of manufactures like Nokia who have done
>>>> very well though extra phone sales by the accidental theft of their 
>>>> DCT4
>>>> lock algorithm going public, going to to the trouble of making locks 
>>>> harder
>>>>
>>>> After all the locks only have to satisfy networks that their phone 
>>>> subsidy is safe
>>>>
>>>> Steve Terry
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Of course you can buy the phone from CPW or Asda in the first place as 
>>> all of their phones are unlocked.
>>
>> Nope.  CPW is generally unlocked and GSM stick.  Most handsets sold by 
>> Asda are definitely locked.
>>
<snip>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> Then howcome Asda actually <advertise> that their phones are unlocked? 
> (Assuming they are on the Asda tariff.)

Their own branded handsets on an Asda tariff may well be now (they didn't 
used to be though), but they do sell phones locked to all the other 
networks.

-- 
  Unlock Your Phone's Potential
        www.UselessInfo.org.uk
   www.ThePhoneLocker.co.uk
     www.GSM-Solutions.co.uk

"Woody"  wrote in message 
news:YxJom.35669$I07.23650@newsfe04.ams2...
> "Steve Terry"  wrote in message 
> news:h7unbj$8uh$1@news.albasani.net...
>> "Geoff Lane"  wrote in message 
>> news:h7u7c3$pvm$1@news.datemas.de...
>>> Why is it that market stall holders and key cutting shops appear to be 
>>> able to unlock phones for a small fee but the big mobile stores such as 
>>> carphone warehouse don't touch them.
>>>
>> Maybe cos CPW doesn't want to go to war with networks who want to
>> protect the very phone subsidies that CPW exist on?
>>
>> But it does seem stupid of manufactures like Nokia who have done
>> very well though extra phone sales by the accidental theft of their DCT4
>> lock algorithm going public, going to to the trouble of making locks 
>> harder
>>
>> After all the locks only have to satisfy networks that their phone 
>> subsidy is safe
>> Steve Terry
>
> Of course you can buy the phone from CPW or Asda in the first place as all 
> of their phones are unlocked.
> Woody
>
>
Yes, but Geoff Lane suggested CPW should go ito the unlocking business

None of the networks like CPW using unlocked GSM stock,
but CPW say they have to do so to keep stock levels under control,
and are big enough to get away with it

Steve Terry

Woody wrote:

> Of course you can buy the phone from CPW or Asda in the first 
> place as all of their phones are unlocked.

Didn't know that.

I've just got an ASDA card for my unlocked nokia but relatives have a 
motorola and a sony ericsson both locked.

Geoff Lane

Steve Terry wrote:

> Yes, but Geoff Lane suggested CPW should go ito the unlocking business

No, that was not the intended suggestion, I was just wondering as to why 
CPW were not in the market.

Geoff Lane

Rupert Moss-Eccardt wrote:

> Well, you could always ask T-Mobile for the unlock codes.  They have to 
> provide them for a 'reasonable' fee.

My daughter was told they would supply the code free if she took out 
another contract or £15 if she wanted to leave.

Trouble is her signal is rubbish where she lives to a new contract is 
illogical.

Geoff Lane

On Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:53:05 +0100, Geoff Lane wrote:

> Rupert Moss-Eccardt wrote:
> 
>> Well, you could always ask T-Mobile for the unlock codes.  They have to
>> provide them for a 'reasonable' fee.
> 
> My daughter was told they would supply the code free if she took out
> another contract or £15 if she wanted to leave.

This may be suitable - they have others, so one ought to be. I have used 
two of these on Orange Nokia phones with complete success, now on Tesco 
SIMs.

 http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12167

-- 
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
 http://www.mirrorservice.org

Geoff Lane wrote:
> Rupert Moss-Eccardt wrote:
> 
>> Well, you could always ask T-Mobile for the unlock codes.  They have 
>> to provide them for a 'reasonable' fee.
> 
> My daughter was told they would supply the code free if she took out 
> another contract or £15 if she wanted to leave.
> 
> Trouble is her signal is rubbish where she lives to a new contract is 
> illogical.

They can't do that, as I understand it.  Ask them to write in those 
terms to you and then forward it to Ofcom.

To save some hassle I normally say I'm off to India and what to use a 
SIM provided by my hosts when I'm there, wich is almost always true.

"Geoff Lane"  wrote in message 
news:h868jb$10b$1@news.datemas.de...
> Woody wrote:
>
>> Of course you can buy the phone from CPW or Asda in the first place as 
>> all of their phones are unlocked.
>
> Didn't know that.
>
> I've just got an ASDA card for my unlocked nokia but relatives have a 
> motorola and a sony ericsson both locked.
> Geoff Lane
>
>
General rule of thumb is if they are network branded they are locked,
and if only manufacturer branded they are GSM stock and not locked.

Steve Terry

Bob Eager wrote:
> On Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:53:05 +0100, Geoff Lane wrote:
>
>> Rupert Moss-Eccardt wrote:
>>
>>> Well, you could always ask T-Mobile for the unlock codes.  They
>>> have to provide them for a 'reasonable' fee.
>>
>> My daughter was told they would supply the code free if she took out
>> another contract or £15 if she wanted to leave.
>
> This may be suitable - they have others, so one ought to be. I have
> used two of these on Orange Nokia phones with complete success, now
> on Tesco SIMs.
>
> http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12167

Very difficult (impossible?) to use on phones like Sony ericcson where the 
sim pushes into a slot

In article <h7u7c3$pvm$1@news.datemas.de>, datemasde.t1m@gishpuppy.com 
says...
> Why is it that market stall holders and key cutting shops appear to be 
> able to unlock phones for a small fee but the big mobile stores such as 
> carphone warehouse don't touch them.

Because it's frowned upon by networks and proper shops have to keep 
networks happy.

> A few years back I unlocked numerous Nokias using data cables and free 
> software but nowadays it seems a difficult procedure.

It's not difficult, you simply buy the hardware and do it. Some phones 
have yet to be cracked.

> I've got two mobiles, both well out of contract and locked to T-Mobile 
> but the signal is awful where I now live so I need to change but I am 
> reluctant to trust 2 decent phones to some market trader.

He's probably more experienced at unlocking than you are.
 
> Any advice appreciated.

Put aside your fear.
-- 
Regards
Jon