Mobile phone lock question

[bindi]

Hi all,

Here's our sorry story. Back in January my son found a mobile on a train. It had no sim card so we put ours in to try it. It worked for a message, then it had call barring on it. Obviously whoever lost it had reported it lost to the phone company and they barred it.

So I thought ok well it's fairly useless so I did the right thing and handed it into the cops a few weeks later.

Yesterday a cop called to tell me that the three months was up, they hadn't located the owner and did I want the phone? I said yeah ok and picked it up.

It still had the barring on it so I rang vodafone (who we're with). They told me from the Imei number that it was reported lost and was through Optus. I called Optus. They said they couldn't undo the bar cos the person who reported it lost was the only person who could undo it. But I pointed out that the cops said it was legally mine, so since I am now the owner I would like the bar removed. Nup, no luck. So I said fine, could you then tell the person that I have their phone and that I will give it back to them?

Now here's the best answer - "No, we can't do that under the privacy laws". I said but he's your customer, wouldn't he want to get his phone back? Apparently their hands are tied and I can't a) give it back and b) I can't use it (nobody can now). How friggin ridiculous is THAT!!!

SO! My question is... does anyone know of any unlocking codes or software? It's a pretty decent phone and it works fine, I'd hate to send it to the scrapheap.

What is the Phone brand and model?

[Casper]

Sorry Bindi, its a paper weight.
I had a phone stolen and once it gets locked down its useless. I was told it cant be unlocked even if I got it back.

[MAD]

A friend of mine was just in a similar situation... she found a relatively new samsung phone, no sim card etc, tried to use it, got deactivated/barred on the network.

Anyway she handed it into the police, got a phone call 3 months later from them telling her it was hers now that no-one had claimed it...

Rang a mobile repair place near work, and $75 later and its working again.

[M14A-Mclaren]

Lol, funny story, But I wouldnt say its a paper weight, you can get new firmware flashed on too many phones, I know a guy whos gonna flash my Sony Ericsson V800 to Z800 firmware (when I got it) because the V800 and Z800 are same hardware but the V800 is locked into vodafone so there is a vodafone firmware limitation, Its fairly similar to what happens with the barring. Need to know the phone model though.

[cArSiK]

The IMEI and SIM serial is communicated with the network when when a GSM phone is turned on , CDMA phones transmit their ESN number as they have no sim (this is the equivalent of the IMEI for CDMA phones). I find it hard to belive that a phone shop could flash new firmwear to fix this as the IMEI will still be identical , and will be transmitted to the network once turned on....the only way i could see it working is if they replaced the guts with another phone with a differant IMEI... Im with casper on this one , youve scored a nice rechargable paperweight!!!

james

[bindi]

Originally Posted by ArgonEF

What is the Phone brand and model?

A Nokia 6100.

NOOOOOO! I have to get this thing working now, it's the principle!!! It's officially mine and I want it working (my son needs a phone).

[b2tf]

Ask around but i dare say it will be useless as has been said.

Actually, ask useless!lol.

[BuuBox]

Take it to a local market, where there's always a dodgy mobile stand. They should be able to flash the eprom, and with a bit of luck, you should be able to use it.

http://www.nokiafree.org/forums/ might be of help.

I'd be surprised if you couldn't get it working again, but don't know if it'll be worth the cost.

[MAD]

Originally Posted by cArSiK

The IMEI and SIM serial is communicated with the network when when a GSM phone is turned on , CDMA phones transmit their ESN number as they have no sim (this is the equivalent of the IMEI for CDMA phones). I find it hard to belive that a phone shop could flash new firmwear to fix this as the IMEI will still be identical , and will be transmitted to the network once turned on....the only way i could see it working is if they replaced the guts with another phone with a differant IMEI... Im with casper on this one , youve scored a nice rechargable paperweight!!!

james

It can be done. The networks do not use the identity of the phone to bar it from use, otherwise they could easily un-bar it on request (in the right circumstances).

From what i've read/heard/etc, the phones are actually deactivated, therefore to get it working again its a simple process of re-flashing the phone with a new firmware. The IMEI is still retained by the phone, and all other identifying numbers, but now the phone is active as the firmware hasnt been shutdown.

[MAD]

Just did a quick yellowpages search in the area of blue mountains (nfi what is close to you, I'm a mexican), but here's a few places I found that would be worth a phone call...

Mobile Phone Hospital
Level 1, Shop L01 K17, Penrith Plaza, Penrith NSW 2750
ph: (02) 4721 8674 Mobile Telephones--Repairs & Service

Mr Mobile The Digital Network Pty Ltd
130 Princes Hwy Ulladulla NSW 2539
ph: (02) 4454 5080 Mobile Telephones--Repairs & Service

Network Communications
Imperial Centre Mann St Gosford NSW 2250
ph: (02) 4325 7455 Mobile Telephones--Repairs & Service

Network Communications
91 Prince St Grafton NSW 2460
ph: (02) 6642 3002 Mobile Telephones--Repairs & Service

Network Communications
96 Byron St Inverell NSW 2360
ph: (02) 6721 1998 Mobile Telephones--Repairs & Service

Network Communications
Chittaway Centre Wyong Chittaway Bay NSW 2261
ph: (02) 4388 5111 Mobile Telephones--Repairs & Service

Network Communications
Gowrie St Mall Singleton NSW 2330
ph: (02) 6571 1166 Mobile Telephones--Repairs & Service

Network Communications
City Plaza Peel St Tamworth NSW 2340
ph: (02) 6761 2900 Mobile Telephones--Repairs & Service

Network Communications
Lake Haven Shopng Cntr Lake Haven NSW 2263
ph: (02) 4392 4555 Mobile Telephones--Repairs & Service

[svo347]

Do a search on google, you'd be surprised the little tricks you can find...

[Paris Hilton]

I've tried everything and have gotten nowhere fast...

If you find a way tell me :(

Originally Posted by cArSiK

The IMEI and SIM serial is communicated with the network when when a GSM phone is turned on , CDMA phones transmit their ESN number as they have no sim (this is the equivalent of the IMEI for CDMA phones). I find it hard to belive that a phone shop could flash new firmwear to fix this as the IMEI will still be identical , and will be transmitted to the network once turned on....the only way i could see it working is if they replaced the guts with another phone with a differant IMEI... Im with casper on this one , youve scored a nice rechargable paperweight!!!

james

there is software available that allows people (crims) to rewrite the imei/esn, so it is definately possible to get this phone working again....

[Falchoon]

http://search.ninemsn.com.au/results...ock+nokia+6100

[Dave_au]

Originally Posted by bindi

"No, we can't do that under the privacy laws". I said but he's your customer, wouldn't he want to get his phone back? Apparently their hands are tied and I can't a) give it back and b) I can't use it (nobody can now). How friggin ridiculous is THAT!!!

A). Postage is too much effort
B). He may have had the phone insured with Optus. If so, he would have been given a replacement. Therefore, optus should be the new owner of the old phone. If so, optus has no time for second hand phones, especially when you consider their retail margin they gain on new phone sales...

[Peuty]

Tend to agree with others here, nice colourful paperweight. If your son needs a phone, then trot on down to Retravision and pick up a Motorola prepaid for $39.00, with $10 inc calls.

Quick, cheap, and most of all, EASY!

[needturbo6]

have a look at this link: it has a few codes for nokia phones
this one might help/work

IMEI Displays the phones IMEI Number *#06#

from here:

http://www.scanaustralia.bigpondhosting.com/phones.html

[santoitaliano]

i'm a mobile phone technician, legally i am unable to do it.. but PM me or email me and i'll see what else i can do..

the nokia 6100 is a dct 4 phone, which is the newer software version. The imei's on these phones are stored on the UEM chip, which is a write-once only chip. In order to write a new imei, the chip must be first removed, using a hot-air gun, and a new chip must be placed on. Then the phone must have new firmware loaded to it and a new imei loaded at the same time.. should down the track the same thing happend again, (highly highly unlikely) the chip can be reprogrammed. To undergo this service is normally about $60... The only problem which can present itself is the associated risk of changing the chip. It is possible that other components may bugger up when put to the temperature is needed to remove the old chip.

but when it comes down to the crunch, the phone is unusable. If it buggers up during teh repair, nothing is lost. If it doesnt, for ~$60 you have a full working phone..

PM me and I'll see if i can point you in the right direction as "legally" im unable to perform the service.

cheers,

santo

Hi Santo after reading the above posts, I have a Nokia 7250 and live in Melbourne could you point me in the 'direction' to resolve my issue with the UEM chip

Cheers