Network Unlocking Advice

[kilobits]

Hello All

Help!

Am being given conflicting info regarding having a Samsung D500 unlocked from the Vodacom Network and allowing it to be used with MTN, Cell-C and Virgin SIM cards.

What is the easiest and best way to do this?

Vodacom say book it into their Midrand workshop... 3 to 10 days.
MTN want me to fill in a form to allow this to be done.
Cell-C say speak to Vodacom.
Virgin just do not even help.

What to do????

HELP.

It surely cannot be THAT much of a mission????

 

[webslave]

Its not that hard

Your problem is the networks in RSA are stupido, having an unlocked phone should be the users choice. If you were in the UK you could walk to any main road and get it unlocked for about R100. Your alternative is to take it to the supplier that supplied it and get them to unlock it, they will (in RSA) send it to Samsung RSA and then call you once it is done. DO you know where Samsung RSA offices are? Take your proof of ownership and id and get them to unlock it for you.

HTH

 

[Cadavre777]

Take it to a cellular repair workshop. They will have the necessary hardware to safely unlock your handset.

 

[bwana]

Are operators still locking phones to their networks? I thought ICASA put an end to that.

 

[vodacom3g]

I'm also surprised. I was not aware of any Vodacom locked phones.

 

[Skeptik]

It's probably Vodafone, in which case Vodacom will NOT help. I asked this at all the Voda outlets in Canal Walk and the answer was the same.

 

[kilobits]

Thanks for the advice...

Thanks all...

It is a Vodacom Network lock thing. I can use it perfectly with my vodacom SIM... But get "Limited Service" error with any other. A manual network scan finds all the other SP's, but "Not allowed" glares at me when I try to connect to them with any non-vodacom SIM.

It looks like a may just take it to a local cell-phone shop and see if they can help.

P.s. Vodaworld in Midrand now say 3 weeks to have it seen to... that as well as having that f@*ing grinning dude and meerkat removed from my Sony.

Why do they do that? Brand the thing with crap, annoying images, a looping video of a plane, a peeling vodafone sticker where "cybershot" should have been... then give you a run around because of the "reduced" functionality removing these will result in.

Why not make the freeking branding look cool... I feel like skinning that meerkat alive and ripping old smiling gogo dude's head off with the battery cover of my phone!!!!

AAArgh. I HATE cellphone providers!

 

[Skeptik]

So a free Meercat keyring would be out of the question then

Seriously, if it is Vodacom, it should not be locked and they have to unlock it within a reasonable period, not 3 weeks!

 

[JimM]

Thanks all...

It is a Vodacom Network lock thing. I can use it perfectly with my vodacom SIM... But get "Limited Service" error with any other. A manual network scan finds all the other SP's, but "Not allowed" glares at me when I try to connect to them with any non-vodacom SIM.

It looks like a may just take it to a local cell-phone shop and see if they can help.

P.s. Vodaworld in Midrand now say 3 weeks to have it seen to... that as well as having that f@*ing grinning dude and meerkat removed from my Sony.

Why do they do that? Brand the thing with crap, annoying images, a looping video of a plane, a peeling vodafone sticker where "cybershot" should have been... then give you a run around because of the "reduced" functionality removing these will result in.

Why not make the freeking branding look cool... I feel like skinning that meerkat alive and ripping old smiling gogo dude's head off with the battery cover of my phone!!!!

AAArgh. I HATE cellphone providers!

Limited Service on a Samsung means one of two things!

1. The handset is blacklisted! Call 082 124 from any phone or 124 from a Vodacom handset and have your IMEI number ready. It's an automatic service so just follow the voice prompts. If it is blacklisted the service will give you the date it was blacklisted and even the police case number! Good info to have if you're going to "ask" for your money back!!

2. Hardware - Usually the PA chip but can also be other parts, any decent cellphone repair shop should be able to effect a repair quite easily.

No D500 sold in SA were ever network locked...

Once in a blue moon I've had software issues so you could also try a full factory reset using the code: *2767*2878# but be aware you need a full battery and you'll reset EVERYTHING!

 

[kilobits]

You Are Quite Correct!

Vodacom could not advise... my Vodacom SIM worked on the D500.

However... calling MTN and waiting to speak to their technical department confirmed the above.

The handset was indeed blacklisted! It is not network locked!!!

I have just faxed off copies of the purchase, my ID number, SIM card s/n, Photostatted my DNA and fingerprints to MTN.

They may be able to assist after all in UN-blacklisting the thing.

The seller has been very, VERY silent. I doubt that he will respond.

Well, a negative rating on BOB for him!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[ic]

The handset was indeed blacklisted! It is not network locked!!!

Very interesting.

Somehow I suspect you might have bought a stolen handset, it might be an idea for you to post a link here to the seller's profile on BoB...

 

[diabolus]

So the amusing part here is, is blacklisting only network dependent? If i don't phone EVERY SINGLE network in this country to tell them my phone is stolen, it will still be usuable on the network i missed ?

I would have thought this would be a central/integrated thing? Blacklisted on one network, should blacklist you on all of them....

 

[Syndyre]

So the amusing part here is, is blacklisting only network dependent? If i don't phone EVERY SINGLE network in this country to tell them my phone is stolen, it will still be usuable on the network i missed ?

I would have thought this would be a central/integrated thing? Blacklisted on one network, should blacklist you on all of them....

Its supposed to be centralised AFAIK.

 

[ic]

So the amusing part here is, is blacklisting only network dependent? If i don't phone EVERY SINGLE network in this country to tell them my phone is stolen, it will still be usuable on the network i missed ?

I would have thought this would be a central/integrated thing? Blacklisted on one network, should blacklist you on all of them....

Its supposed to be centralised AFAIK.

I was also wondering about that, why the handset still worked with a Vodacom SIM Card, but SIM Cards from the other networks did not work in the handset, i.e. simulating network-locking symptoms from a user's POV. Also this particular handset is loaded with a Vodacom firmware version - although we don't know if the handset originally had that firmware or a firmware version from MTN or CellC - maybe the Vodacom firmware version was loaded afterwards for some reason - perhaps there is a way for criminals to bypass a handset blacklisting that way when using a Vodacom SIM Card.

There are too many unanswered questions surrounding this issue.

@kilobitsperyear, I have sent you a private message.

 

[kilobits]

Stranger and Stranger

I have just heard from MTN... they claim that the phone is blacklisted by Vodacom!!!! Not them!!!

I must now speak to Vodacom again for info!!

BUT, my Vodacom SIM works 100% on the phone!!! The MTN SIM is a no go. How can they explain that??

http://s135.photobucket.com/albums/q127/kilobitsperyear/Blacklist/

Geeeez.

Running in circles.

Vodacom 111 can only direct me to their accounts dept. Tomorrow.

No details or confirmations can be supplied by them OR any reason why a phone blacklisted by them will work on their network.

Curiouser and curiouser...

 

[GTi]

I think you should go directly to a Vodacom shop and have them call the custumer service and help u out or if you in JHB ,go to Vodaworld.

 

[kilobits]

And On and On it goes...

Well... if only it were that simple, to go into Vodaworld.

I must now get an affidavit from the police stating that I bought the phone in good faith, that I am not the one responsible for its blacklisting and that I request Vodacom to consider "un-blacklisting" it... and get this stamped and signed by a Commissioner of Oaths along with copies of the sales documents, my ID and an invoice from the seller detailing handset IMEI number and serial number.

This I must then fax off to Vodacom's blacklisting department for consideration.

Sigh.

The seller has gone into hiding.

I guess I have not many options.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I will try all the above and send it through anyway, even without the seller's input and see what transpires.

Thanks again for the input.

I guess we all live and learn.

 

[ic]

@kilobitsperyear, I suggest also faxing the postal delivery proof or whatever you have available to show that the phone was sent to you and from where it was sent.

 

[kilobits]

An Endi In Sight...

Hiya

It emerges that the handset was indeed blacklisted... in 2005. Previous owners bad dept resulted in the blacklisting. His number was "recycled" and given to the seller on contract. The seller was unaware of the number's history or in fact that it had even been recycled.

The strange part here is how her contract handset itself became blacklisted. Go figure?

I was eventually contacted by the seller and she has managed to do in one morning more than I could do the past week.

I was given quite a shunting by the cellphone providers. She managed to get all this information this morning.

Vodacom have since removed the blacklisting and the handset should be operation in 24 hours.

My questions to Vodacom still remain.
How can a VODACOM blacklisted cellphone still work on a Vodacom network ???

How can cellphone shops legally bypass this for between R300 and R500 ???

How can a 2005 Vodacom number blacklisting affect a contract subscriber in 2007 ??

Why could Vodacom not tell me this last week ??

What gives.

At least this seems to be nearing an end.