Unlocking mobile phones from networks

[Calaber]

I have just returned from a month in the UK and Europe. In London, I saw a large number of mobile phone shops who advertised phone unlocking, but have never seen them here.

Are there stores in Aus where mobiles can be unlocked from networks and does anybody have any idea of the cost of this process?

A further question regarding bluetooth connections on mobiles. I have a Motorola V3X which has a fault with its bluetooth - it can receive but not transmit photos. Is this sort of fault common with mobiles and can anybody suggest where it might be fixed?

[SAV_117]

little secret but with a telstra mobile all you have to do is take it to a telstra shop and activate it for international roaming and it unlocks the phone dont know about other companys though

[HamaTime™]

You can unlock it through the carrier that the phone is locked with. i.e. Telstra, 3, Optus, Virgin etc...the fee is about $60 I think...legit. I'm pretty sure there is a illegal way of doing it but don't ask me what it is lol.

[Vee-ard]

little secret but with a telstra mobile all you have to do is take it to a telstra shop and activate it for international roaming and it unlocks the phone dont know about other companys though

SAV, I work in a telstra dealership. This is horseshit. Your phone would have already been unlocked and you just didnt know it if this was the case.

Also, on all telstra phones, international roaming is on by default unless you ASK for it not to be. It also has nothing to do whatever with the unlocking code you will need to remove network locking from a phone..

[Calaber]

You can unlock it through the carrier that the phone is locked with. i.e. Telstra, 3, Optus, Virgin etc...the fee is about $60 I think...legit. I'm pretty sure there is a illegal way of doing it but don't ask me what it is lol.

You can't do it if the contract has expired. I have two mobiles originally purchased with the "3" network. The contract has lapsed some time ago and "3" don't want to know about them.

Once the contract has expired, and the phone becomes your personal property, there is no real reason why you can't legally unlock it to use any network of choice. "3" seems to be the worst in this regard, which is why I have placed this thread.

[Grennan]

3 pretty much flat out refuses to unlock their phones. You have to hop 3 times, skip around the store twice, pick your left nostril and say a chant before they even entertain the notion of them unlocking it, and even then its usually no we wont do it.

Other networks Ive never had a problem with unlocking, Optus have done it for me a couple of times, as has Vodaphone for about 50 bucks give or take.

There are other ways, usually your local market has people that do phone unlocking, or if you go into a no name/small phone repairs store or small phone seller they can and will do it for about the same price - which is how I got my current phone unlocked which was on the 3 network (I went to the 3 store first and asked them, they said it cannot be done, i came back the next day showed him my optus sim card and went along my merry way).

[HamaTime™]

hmmm. Thats gay. one of my good mates is a manager at 3. I'll give him a piece of my mind about that. Honestly that's a bit shit, seriously, you paid them money for the service, the least they could do is to unlock the phone for you when your contract expires, after all they're getting an extra $60, and who knows, you might even renew a contract with them in the future....gaayy

If you can't unlock it any other way, you could sell the handsets and buy new one's that are unlocked (same model phone) but thats a bit of a bitch I guess.

Other than that I don't know how to help. Sorry mate

[Calaber]

hmmm. Thats gay. one of my good mates is a manager at 3. I'll give him a piece of my mind about that. Honestly that's a bit shit, seriously, you paid them money for the service, the least they could do is to unlock the phone for you when your contract expires, after all they're getting an extra $60, and who knows, you might even renew a contract with them in the future....gaayy

If you can't unlock it any other way, you could sell the handsets and buy new one's that are unlocked (same model phone) but thats a bit of a bitch I guess.

Other than that I don't know how to help. Sorry mate

Actually, I did just that - purchased a similar unlocked phone on e- bay for $50, but find that the bluetooth isn't working as it should, as I mentioned.

I still have the 2 locked V3X's sitting here gathering dust. It's a good phone model, and I find it frustrating to not be able to use them, unless I get a pre-paid "3" SIM, but as I have a new contract with another firm, that doesn't make any sense.

I just find it interesting to see that so many places in the UK actively advertise phone unlocking while it seems to be a black science out here.

[Grennan]

Yeah its relatively low key here. They are everywhere but they dont seem to be advertised.

I remember my first 3 phone. Was a great phone but it was when 3 just started out so the service was absolutely horrible, after the plan finished I went to get it unlocked so I could move back to optus and they wouldnt let me. Bought a phone off ebay a few months back, locked the 3 network (despite the person telling me its unlocked), went to them hoping that they would just let me unlock it, wouldnt, went to the local market the next day and it was done within an hour.

[nick3110]

vodafone and optus both allow you to unlock.. i think its free after 12months or you have to pay like $100 or something.. been a while since i've used them..

3 are just arseholes, u can never escape them..

[sycvs]

a telstra or optus mobile on a plan comes unlocked its just prepaid thats locked thats why its cheaper if you buy a phone out right from a dealer they come unlocked to

[Vee-ard]

a telstra or optus mobile on a plan comes unlocked its just prepaid thats locked thats why its cheaper if you buy a phone out right from a dealer they come unlocked to

Also not true. All Telstra phones are locked to Telstra by default. Prepaid or not. Doesnt matter whether it comes from a dealer or from Telstra directly

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Funny you should say that about the V3X, I have one too that I don't use any more, but I can't find other handsets via Bluetooth. I can find it, but it can't find others. It used to, but it stopped doing it. Not locked either by the way.

If you look at howards forums, they usually have links to unlocking certain phones.

[hwy747]

a telstra or optus mobile on a plan comes unlocked its just prepaid thats locked thats why its cheaper if you buy a phone out right from a dealer they come unlocked to

You are right about optus phones, they are unlocked if purchased on a plan (just has their software and settings on it) and Telstra are locked regardless. My work phone is a Telstra phone and can't use any other sim! 3 though, good luck!!

[danja]

I recently went on a Vodafone contract, came with locked phone.

I went to their website and they gave me the unblock code free of charge, the very same day I signed the contract.

[vy_storm]

Had no issues unlocking my 3 phone very early into my contract and it is even stated in most of their contracts that no fee applies. All I told them was that I was travelling overseas and needed to use another sim in it.

[Grennan]

Had no issues unlocking my 3 phone very early into my contract and it is even stated in most of their contracts that no fee applies. All I told them was that I was travelling overseas and needed to use another sim in it.

You didnt do the voodoo dance I described?

[vy_storm]

You didnt do the voodoo dance I described?

haha no, just had to deal with the indian accent. Being part anglo-indian I understand them pretty well, I can picture the head wobbling on the phone too.... lol

[Calaber]

Every issue raised in this thread regarding 3 has been my experience. Their coverage in my area just south of Newcastle is poor and the nearest 3 shop is 50km away in northern Sydney. That's why I changed to Virgin at the expiration of the 3 contract period.I tried to unlock it via their service number but gave up because of their Mumbai or whatever location and being asked why I wanted to disconnect etc. Their service is non-existent and this locked phone issue is typical of their attitude towards their customers.

Virgin don't lock their post-paid phones, although they do with the pre-paid.

Not an Abba fan - same thing here. I can detect some devices sometimes, but it is intermittent, though other devices can detect my V3X every time and hook up to it and send pictures. My laptop can send music to it without hassles. My previous V3X worked fine with bluetooth in both directions and could also MMS - this one can't do that either. My son had the same probs with his V3X. They are a good phone but the bluetooth is very inconsistent.

Okay, so it's been suggested that I try the local market. I would if such a thing existed. Do phone repairers unlock them? What is the "howards forums" website address - I have never heard of them.

[Grennan]

Lol Calaber, I lost my phone somewhere in my room. I tried calling it from my house phone, it did not work as it was out of range.

I then sat on the bed and the phone was on top of the covers but I couldnt see it because the phone was black as is my sheets. Now that is service Thats why I refuse to go back to 3, that and their horrible customer service, any phone call to them ended in my wanting to bash my head in with a rolling pin.

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

Here is the link for howard forums HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource

[HamaTime™]

Lol Calaber, I lost my phone somewhere in my room. I tried calling it from my house phone, it did not work as it was out of range.

I then sat on the bed and the phone was on top of the covers but I couldnt see it because the phone was black as is my sheets. Now that is service Thats why I refuse to go back to 3, that and their horrible customer service, any phone call to them ended in my wanting to bash my head in with a rolling pin.

Haha, I've heard that their customer service is fairly shit. Although one of the main attractions that I have to 3 is that they do give quite a bit of value for your buck. Plus you can watch the cricket on your phone

[D_BLOCK]

If your computer savvy check this site out [Guide] Flashing And Making Backup of Your Z6 - ModMyMoto - Software Modding Forums and Updates for Motorola Phones
I unlocked my new motorokr (actual name, just a motorolla spin off since its geared up for MP3 use mainly) the other day by re-flashing it, it was connected to crazy johns. They have good phones but crap top up deals.

Good luck either way.

[Calaber]

Here is the link for howard forums HowardForums: Your Mobile Phone Community & Resource

Thanks mate. Went there, only to find that the V3X is one of the models that on-line unlocking doesn't seem to be an option for.

Tried to re-install the phone software on the pc. Fine, seemed to work ok, but cannot connect to the phone via either bluetooth or cable. Suspect that the phone software is too old for Vista, being 2005 vintage.

Whilst my current (new/old) V3X works ok as a phone and SMS sender/receiver, I would like to do the following to fix it completely.

1. Get rid of the old Telstra skin that obviously comes from its previous user.
2. Get MMS to work, as my old phone used to do.
3. Get Bluetooth to work properly.

Some would say "get a new phone", but I have tried a number of different phones and keep coming back to the V3X because I like the flip-phone design and its functionality, plus it seems to be well made and robust.

[Calaber]

Haha, I've heard that their customer service is fairly shit. Although one of the main attractions that I have to 3 is that they do give quite a bit of value for your buck. Plus you can watch the cricket on your phone

That's true, their charges are reasonable. It's their coverage that's shit.