Phone blacklisted

[MainMeat]

Hi everyone,

Perhaps someone can shed some light on this one. I have a old Samsung E370 that used to be on Virgin Mobile. The contract has now expired and Virgin claims the phone is not network locked or similar. However, when I insert a sim card (virgin or Vodacom - Vodacom clearly being the preference!) I get a message on the screen 'limited service'.

As I understand this can only be hardware related, or the phone is blacklisted. I called 124 for the Vodacom blacklist check service and the system claims there is no information for the phone. I then held the line for a operator, but sadly 30 minutes later I was still on hold and gave up.

So, how can I confirm if the phone is blacklisted...why is it blacklisted...and how do I remove the blacklist so I can use the phone?

Any advice or help appreciated!!

 

[Fantastic1]

take it to one of the corner cellular stores and they could unblacklist it for you ....


Vodacare can do this for you at around R 350.00 to unblock the phone, only if you can proove you the owner and do not owe Vodacom any money

 

[Ockie]

I could be wrong, but this does not sound like a blacklisted phone to me. Normally when a phone is blacklisted it will still pick up the network etc...but when trying to make a call it will make a few beeps in your ear and disconnect. I dont see how a corner shop will be able to assist in unblacklisting, as you need access to Vodacom/MTN/Cell C systems to unblacklist a phone. It is dont on the network, not on the phone itself. That is why if a South African blacklisted phone jumps the border over to ZIM, it will work again, because it is not blacklisted there.

 

[ginggs]

I dont see how a corner shop will be able to assist in unblacklisting, as you need access to Vodacom/MTN/Cell C systems to unblacklist a phone.

It is possible, although illegal, to change the IMEI number on the phone.

 

[morkhans]

Are the SIMs you inserting new pre-paid SIMs? Might be RICA?

 

[ginggs]

I have a old Samsung E370 that used to be on Virgin Mobile. The contract has now expired and Virgin claims the phone is not network locked or similar. However, when I insert a sim card (virgin or Vodacom - Vodacom clearly being the preference!) I get a message on the screen 'limited service'.

Is it possible that the phone has a SIM-lock enabled?
This is a user security setting where the phone itself will refuse any SIM other than the one it was locked to. To undo it, you'll need to insert the original SIM and then look in security settings. If you don't have the original SIM, you might need to take it to Samsung (or one of Fantastic1's dodgy corner cellular stores) and have the phone factory reset.

 

[VodacomData]

HI

Limited service has nothing to do with blacklisting

send me your imei

Regards
VodacomData

 

[happychappy]

I bought a phone through a local forum, cost me 1.5k... a month later it was blacklisted (could not join nerworks)

turns out that A-hole sold me a phone his cousin got on contract, and he never paid and then he left the country.

I had to return the phone to them and now they have vanished and not one of their phone numbers work... going to report them to the police soon.

(lol sorry for being off topic)

 

[JimM]

Assuming it did actually work on Virgin Mobile, then it was running on Cell-C's network which is 1800MHz. Vodacom/MTN 2G is predominantly 900MHz. It is possible that the handset is faulty on 900MHz but OK on 1800MHz. I'd first put a Virgin or Cell C SIM into the handset just to check that it is still working on 1800MHz.

If you get no service with a Virgin or Cell C SIM check that the IMEI is OK with *#06# as some service codes can wipe the IMEI to 000000000000000 and that will not be accepted onto the network by any provider and will give you the Limited Service message.

If you don't mind the loss of all numbers and settings it's worth doing a full reset using *2767*3855# ensure you battery is reasonably charged before you attempt this! You'll need to get your WAP/MMS settings again after this procedure.

If your IMEI is all zero's it can be corrected so that it matches the IMEI shown on the handsets label only. Most dealers will do this as it is quite legal for them to correct a corrupted IMEI.

 

[JimM]

Is it possible that the phone has a SIM-lock enabled?
This is a user security setting where the phone itself will refuse any SIM other than the one it was locked to. To undo it, you'll need to insert the original SIM and then look in security settings. If you don't have the original SIM, you might need to take it to Samsung (or one of Fantastic1's dodgy corner cellular stores) and have the phone factory reset.

If this were the case the handset would ask for a security code...

The E370 is post ICASA ruling on SIM Locked handsets so a network lock is not possible if it's a RSA ICASA approved handset. Even if it were to be networked locked the handset would ask for a NCK Code.

 

[Sackboy]

Information about blacklisting can be wrong. I tested a phone once and the operator said "stolen". It was working on MTN and Vodacom. I then rang again and they said "all fine, no problem".