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Hi,
Awhile ago, I lost my XDA and claimed it lost. Through insurance I received a new one. Funny thing is that few days ago I ended up finding my old XDA but I had already locked the sim and the phone.
I called o2 regarding the phone to be "unbarded" but they refused as they said I have already made a claim.
I know its cheeky but does anyone know how to unblock the phone? Im not too bothered about the sim as i'll be using the o2 sim anyways.
Please if anyone can help.
Your title is slightly misleading. Usually when people talk about "unbranding" here they refer to removing cell co. customization.
In your case, since you reported the phone lost, its IMEI (an ID number unique to the phone) was blocked by the company. The lock is not actually on your phone, it is just black-listed.
Since in most countries cell companies share IMEI black lists there is no way to use your phone in your country without risking a prison sentence.
If you look in "Upgrading, modifying, unlocking" section for IMEI change tools you will find what you need, but you must read this first.
Hello everyone.
I've been searching the forums and have yet to find a solution (at least one that I can perform).
Any way, I have a Softbank X01HT which is a re-branded HTC Hermes.
I purchased the phone in September 2007 from a shop in Hong Kong. I live in the UK and have been using my phone happily for the past 5 months. My phone was blacklisted bout 2 days ago and despite having kept the original box and receipt from the store as a proof of purchase, it seems there is nothing my network (T-Mobile) is able or willing to do.
Is there anything I can do to legally lift this Blacklist of my phone? If not does anyone know how to change the IMEI.
At the moment, I feel very upset about all this because I have bought this phone legitimately and have been using it for 5 months, and NOW... someone can just blacklist my phone?
I have read that there is a solution by using 'Wizard Service Tool' but I need to do something like change it's SPL to 1.1.1. Does anyone know where to obtain the SPL 1.1.1 and how to install it?
Thank you for much in advance and please please please spare me from comments like 'ITS ILLEGAL'. I realize that by UK law it is a crime punishable by 5 years imprisonment. However I have a genuine phone that was purchased legally and I have everything to go with it! If changing the IMEI of a phone that I own to an IMEI of another phone I own is illegal.. well.. thats just stupid.
dont know of any way to change the imei but
you could try to contact the police and ask their advice
being that it's usualy them who have the stolen phone's
imei's reported to and who have them blocked
i would likely have some advice
screen rotation icon for imate jasjar
after having my imate jasjar upgraded to wm-6, i lost 2 things, my video calling and the screen rotation icon. does anyone here in the xda family have a link that will restore my screen rotation icon back
Isnt that a bit off-topic harrio?
Thanks for the advice Rudegar but I have already contacted the police. They can find no record of a stolen phone with that IMEI and they even reffered me to the Mobile Crime Unit, who dont have any idea about the number being blacklisted. They recomended I talk to my network who said they cannot/will not do anything.
it would make sense to be that there would be some higher place to take it
to make sure that no phone company blacklisted phones of people who simunlocked and
left the company for the compatitions
maybe thats a thing to look into
first step would prob be to try another network sim to make sure that it's a general blacklist
Yeh I have tried. It seems to be blacklisted on most netwokrs but works on Orange.. strange? The funny thing is I bought the phone without a contract already unlocked in Hong Kong so there would be no reason for the network to even blacklist it.
In Australia, we have a "Telecommunications Ombudsman" who we can escalate matters to after exhausting options with our phone company.
Is there something like that for you?
It does sound unfair - good luck with it.
Oggy.
Contact the Citizens Advice Beaurau. There must be something you can do.
If all else fails get the police/mobile unit to give you some kind of written confirmation on headed letter paper that there is no ban on your number.
Send t-mobile a friendly worded but grievence stating email about there having banned your phone for an undescernable reason. State in it the dates and times of your previous calls.
Then get your hands on a legal 'Cease and Desist' letter template from somewhere and send something like this:
WITHOUT PREJUDICE: IMMEDIATELY CEASE AND DESCIST.
Dear Sir,
I am contacting your company (Herafter refered to as 'You') on behalf of *your name* (Hereafter refered to as 'The Client') to inform you that Your blacklisting of The Client's phone is unlawful. This letter calls for you to immediately cease and descist from all such unlawful actions.
Blah blah blah
You'll find templates and guidance for drawing them up on the net. Works much better if you can find the name of some applicable law to drop in.
Make sure you don't specifically state that legal proceedings will definately follow. State that if they fail to comply then legal actions 'may' follow and that their case will be refered to the business ohmbudsman, trading standards, and your local MP.
I should state right off the bat that I'm not a lawyer - I'm a medic. But I have found that cease and desist letters are sufficient to make most organisations instantly start behaving themselves.
Don't forget the 'Without Prejudice' statement - I believe it means something along the lines of you do not wish anything said in the email to harm your rights to compensation etc....It's a very lawyerly phrase anyway so it's always good to chuck in the mix.
You should be able to find guidelines/templates for cease and descist letters on the net
Good Luck!
Citizens Advice Beaurau? Never heard of them. Are they a British organization?
Just to clarify, here is what I've done.
Contacted my provider T-Mobile. Provided them with Receipt of purchase and a box. They did nothing.
Contacted the police. They have no record of a phone being stolen with my IMEI number. They recomended contacting my provider T-Mobile.
Contacted the mobile crime unit in the UK. They said that that I would have to take it to my provider also as only the mobile phone companies in the UK can unblacklist.
Anything else I can do?
Does T-Mobile UK have shops like in Germany (called "T-Point")?
The people there were always friendly to me and helpful.
Randvegeta,
I would walk down your nearest high street, find a T-Mobile shop, walk in with all your evidence and don't leave until they have sorted it. It is essential that you are polite but firm.
One thing that puzzles me; you live in the UK but have never heard of the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)? Strange.
WB
wacky.banana said:
Randvegeta,
I would walk down your nearest high street, find a T-Mobile shop, walk in with all your evidence and don't leave until they have sorted it. It is essential that you are polite but firm.
One thing that puzzles me; you live in the UK but have never heard of the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)? Strange.
WB
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a hypothesis... it is only a hypothesis so please don't take offense. It can be tested, but maybe not easily. Here it is. You have been scammed, your hermes is not genuine it is a device that failed QC and was discarded by HTC. Your vendor in HK is dishonest. Contact HTC somehow and ask them about the IMEI, explain your situation and find out if they know anything. They should have a record of every phone they manufactured and may be able to tell you whether yours was sent to a retailer or to the garbage bin.
If I'm right at least you'll know for sure what's wrong.
If I'm wrong... well you know that too and maybe you can advance the ball a bit.
Good luck
Ive already been to a T-Mobile shop. Not helpful at all. I beleive Ive almost exhausted all legal options in the UK at least. I think there are only 3 more options.
1: Contact my supplier and ask for help/replacement.
2: Give up on my phone and let it be lost at my expense.
3: Hack/spoof the IMEI.
I think you'll find that T-Mobile don't have to help you as you purchased the phone from an indipendant supplier unless of course it was them who locked it, you are well within your rights to demand a copy of your account information under the Data Protection Act, this could include your account managent info which may identify whether they locked the IMEI or not. I guess the other option is to try and locate who exactly locked the IMEI, not even sure where to start unless you can find a very helpfuls service engineer at T-Mobile.
As said above, contact HTC, they may be able to help, but your first port of call should be the guy who sold you the device.
The shop I bought from.. im fairly sure is quite reputable. It has been arround for a while and is in in the Wan Chai Computer center. I will of course ask but I do not for a moment believe that they sold me a dodgy phone. And it certainly wasnt defective. It was in perfect condition and everything worked. Besides, there are hundreds of legit shops in HK selling the exact same phone. I just bought it from them cuz they had it in Black.
IMEI Barring.
The Flaw Is In The IMEI Blocking Procedure.
I Used To Work For Vodafone And All That Is Required To Bar A Handset, Is An E-Mail Containing The IMEI Only.
Unblocking A Phone However Is A Very Difficult Procedure. The IMEI Ban Database Is Shared Between All Countries Of The EU. Because Of This Most "Stolen" Phones Are Shipped To The Middle East And HK CH JP etc Who Dont Use This Database.
That Said And Done Tho They Should Know The Reason For The IMEI Ban And If Its Because Somebody Reported That IMEI As A Stolen One They Could Check Your Account And See That Your Account Has Been Using That IMEI for The Last 5 Months. And Therefore Couldnt Possibly Be The Stolen One As The IMEI Has Only Been In The Database A Short While.
Its TOO EASY To Make A Typo And Blacklist A Non Stolen Phone.
Prime Example. Your Phones Broke And Gone In For Repair, You Borrow Your Friends Expensive XDA For 2 Weeks While Your Phone Is Repaired, You Give Your Friend His XDA Back and Then Your Newly Repaired Phone Gets Stolen, You Report Your Phone As Stolen And When They Check The System Your Friends IMEI Is The Last One You Were Using On The Account, Employee Doesnt Check Propperly (Copies And Pastes Your Friends IMEI Into A Blacklist Email) And Your Friends XDA Gets Banned.
It Could Prove Quite A Pain To Resolve This Issue..... But...
Call Your Customer Support Desk For Your Mobile Network.
Ask For A TEAM LEADER/MANAGER ( They Can Do Anything For A Customer To Keep Them Happy, Their Privaledges Exceed Those Of Normal Staff And They Can Sort Problems Beyond The Means Of Your Average Callcentre Staff)
If A Problem Gets Escalated To A TEAM LEADER/MANAGER It MUST Be Dealt With. (Company Policy)
They Might Offer For A Team Leader To Call You Back As Their Usually Busy, Althought Your 100% Guaranteed To Get A Callback By A Team Leader As Long As They Werent Jus Fobbin You Off.
I Wish You The Best Of Luck Sorting Out This Mess.
Hey OllieD,
Sound very in depth. Ive already spent hours with T-Mobile with no luck.. but will Vodafone help me out? At least tell me who blacklisted me.
As for this database, is it only Europe wide? Or is is World wide? And if it is EU wide.. are you 100% sure?
Just to clarify to people reading, I am using a SOFTBANK, (Japanese Brand) purchased in Hong Kong, and have been using it since September.
If it is an EU database and not a world wide one, I will need to find out who blacklisted it and contact them.
Thanks very much!
Since you are using Softbank, so it should not be blacklist as it should not be used in EU before. please check carefully your IMEI on the phone label match your IMEI inside the ROM, I think the shop clone a English rom to your phone before selling to you (original Softbank should be Japanese rom) and this clone the IMEI also which IMEI reported as blacklisted. (they clone the rom because of sim locked and change English, what they called it is hard-modify not soft-modify)
I stayed HK and I had 2 phones with same situation (label IMEI were difference to the ROM) but still can be used in China and HK, 5 more phones buy from another shop without problem.
The shops you buy the phone with the phone came from the same dealer, so no luck to change, only some shops you can trust.
clean imei
Randvegeta said:
Hello everyone.
I've been searching the forums and have yet to find a solution (at least one that I can perform).
Any way, I have a Softbank X01HT which is a re-branded HTC Hermes.
I purchased the phone in September 2007 from a shop in Hong Kong. I live in the UK and have been using my phone happily for the past 5 months. My phone was blacklisted bout 2 days ago and despite having kept the original box and receipt from the store as a proof of purchase, it seems there is nothing my network (T-Mobile) is able or willing to do.
Is there anything I can do to legally lift this Blacklist of my phone? If not does anyone know how to change the IMEI.
At the moment, I feel very upset about all this because I have bought this phone legitimately and have been using it for 5 months, and NOW... someone can just blacklist my phone?
I have read that there is a solution by using 'Wizard Service Tool' but I need to do something like change it's SPL to 1.1.1. Does anyone know where to obtain the SPL 1.1.1 and how to install it?
Thank you for much in advance and please please please spare me from comments like 'ITS ILLEGAL'. I realize that by UK law it is a crime punishable by 5 years imprisonment. However I have a genuine phone that was purchased legally and I have everything to go with it! If changing the IMEI of a phone that I own to an IMEI of another phone I own is illegal.. well.. thats just stupid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://my.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MyeBayAllSelling&ssPageName=STRK:ME:LNLK:MESX
I clean them.
and i am wondering a few things..
i have heard of some shady craigslist people selling IMEI banned phones. If i get one by chance..is it possible to change IMEI? or am i screwed with a paperweight. I have seen some RIFF-box tools claim to be able to do it, but this is a pretty new phone so I am not sure if its supported.
Will T-Mobile work with a customer that accidentally came up on a banned phone? Does t-mobile actually ENFORCE the ban on the IMEI? I know of some people that had a supposed banned IMEI and it worked just fine.
Any information will be greatly appreciated!
Rather than potentially go through all of that, try calling T-Mobile when you meet the seller and verify with them if the phone is able to used without issue and hasn't been banned.
Also, talk of hacking and changing ESN/IMEIs are not allowed in the forums.
ricky05 said:
and i am wondering a few things..
i have heard of some shady craigslist people selling IMEI banned phones. If i get one by chance..is it possible to change IMEI? or am i screwed with a paperweight. I have seen some RIFF-box tools claim to be able to do it, but this is a pretty new phone so I am not sure if its supported.
Will T-Mobile work with a customer that accidentally came up on a banned phone? Does t-mobile actually ENFORCE the ban on the IMEI? I know of some people that had a supposed banned IMEI and it worked just fine.
Any information will be greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
bring your sim card with you and slap it in before you hand over the cash. When I sold my Droid on Craigs List I actually met the guy at the verizon store to make sure he didn't have an issue getting it activated. Its not much to ask..
i completely understand about imei changing not allowed..
i was mostly asking if it was POSSIBLE..not how to do it really..but ok
and thanks for the reply about meeting the guy there..thats probably what I will do.
I've worked for tmobile for a long time, they do not block imei's.......that is sprint and verizon which block esn's. Your safe to buy the phone.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk
You'll be fine with any GSM Carrier... Imei doesn't mean anything.
Just be sure your getting a Legitimate phone.
SmartHat said:
You'll be fine with any GSM Carrier... Imei doesn't mean anything.
Just be sure your getting a Legitimate phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless it is on their blacklist an a stolen phone.
I bought a Motorola Cliq from CraigsList about a year ago... Turns out the guy I bought it from was a T-Mobile employee who had stolen the phone. I got a phone call from someone at T-Mobile asking me about the phone. I gave them all the information I had on the guy and then asked what it all meant to me.
I was told that because I had purchased the phone legitimately and had done nothing wrong that I could keep the phone and that T-Mobile had no interest in punishing a customer for someone else being dishonest.
As someone else said, pop your SIM card in the phone when you meet and see if it works.
Make sure you check that speaker phone works. I bought mine from a guy on craigslist for 275 and the speaker didn't work. I could hear out of the phone speaker (the one in front) but not out of the one in the back (above and to the right if the HTC logo behind the phone). So just check that the phone rings, that you can hear speakerphone, and that you can hear music.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
ricky05 said:
i completely understand about imei changing not allowed..
i was mostly asking if it was POSSIBLE..not how to do it really..but ok
and thanks for the reply about meeting the guy there..thats probably what I will do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If u change the imei then u will have one of someone else phone.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
Can't the guy just report it stolen after you put your sim in to see if it works? This is the main thing stopping me from getting a G2 or Nexus on Craigslist. Will everything be perfect if it works when you put in your sim?
I would ask the seller to email the IMEI to me, and verify it with TMo. If all is good, double check it when you meet with the dude and you should be OK.
djsinco said:
I would ask the seller to email the IMEI to me, and verify it with TMo. If all is good, double check it when you meet with the dude and you should be OK.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the response!
but even after checking the imei with tmobile, couldn't he just write down the imei number and report it stolen after I check it with the sim and buy it?
The concern to me is that the seller stole it. you could have TMo document the IMEI search in your notes, that and a printout of the CL post would cover you.
Youll be ok. I've never hear TMo blacklist any phones...even ones that were reported lost/stolen.
You bought it...just keep records of all your interactions with the seller.
Posted from my HTC Vision via XDA App
I have purchased and sold numerous phones over Craigslist.
I would recommend that you meet in an area that is well-lit and very PUBLIC. I typically try to meet at a coffee shop or something. I have heard of horror stories in my area about people setting up robberies through CL so be careful and aware of your surroundings.
Spend a few minutes using the phone... I.E. make a test phone call, send a text message, test sound output, etc. If the seller is not okay waiting a few minutes while you do these things, hand them the phone back and find a different seller. If there is nothing to hide, this process is reasonable.
Thanks for all the responses guys but my main concern is with the imei number. What is a sure way to know that it will not be blocked later on by a person?
Bbe1367 said:
I've worked for tmobile for a long time, they do not block imei's.......that is sprint and verizon which block esn's. Your safe to buy the phone.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is nothing you can do to prevent a seller from calling customer service and giving them the IMEI saying that its stolen, BUT that doesn't have any impact on you.
ESN's are used on CDMA phones and those can be blocked to prevent service reaching a device. IMEI's do not work the same way. Regardless of whether or not the phone is reported as stolen, it would continue to work.
Just keep a record of your communication with the seller in case he tries to scam you down the road saying you stole it from him, but that is highly unlikely. Just be sure to check the device and make sure everything is working.
I take a gun with me when I go pay/pick up my item.
johnnyham89 said:
Thanks for all the responses guys but my main concern is with the imei number. What is a sure way to know that it will not be blocked later on by a person?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
T-mobile DOES NOT block IMEI numbers AT ALL,
Sprint and Verizon use CDMA networks, hence you have to give them your ESN number.... which they CAN block.
Since you are with T-Mobile... this scenario DOES NOT, I repeat DOES NOT apply to you.
just be careful about the phone itself, Making sure EVERYTHING works fine, scratches, dings.
Like somenone said... if there is nothing to hide than he WILL wait for you to test out the phone until you are satisfied. Meeting in a coffee shop or a public spot will do you good!
Hi, i bought a Samgung Galaxy Tab P1000L 7"
but it comes with IMEI blocked, can anyone helps me to unlock ?
Thank
Hugo.
Was it locked the first time you turned it on?If it was yhen take it back to the shop where you got it and explain the problem and if they can't fix it than request a new one.IMEI locks are specific for carriers and are used to lock a stolen device.So if it is locked that means the carrier activated the lock and only they can deactivate it.
Sent from my LG-P350 using XDA premium
http://www.danasoft.com/ sig/****yeah287168.jpg
i bought it from another guy, and he dont says to me it was locked, he find it and i think the people who loses block it...
Well there you have it.Who knows where did he find it.If it was in your country perhaps you can go to your carriers and see if they know who is the real owner.(You might get a prize ) Otherwise the tablet is as good as dead flashing a custom ROM wont help as it is impossible to change your IMEI.And if you dont want that then ask the guy for a refound.For all you know he might have stolen it.Sorry but those are your options.Too bad its a good tablet.
with IMEI blocked, you can still use it as a wifi only tablet.
Changing the IMEI, is illegal in most European countries.
If you believe it to be wrongly blacklisted/blocked contact your carrier and the police.
In the UK, if you report a handset stolen and it has been registered by your carrier it will be blocked. You might want to get your money back from this "other guy".
Thread Closed.
All,
I recently purchased a Galaxy Note III in Australia.
A few hours later, I left my phone in the local KMART counter by accident. After searching for the phone for a whole day. I reported my phone as lost to my carrier and they IMEI blocked my phone.
2 days later, the local KMART store called me to let me know that someone has handed in my phone in.
I called up my carrier to let them know I found the phone, unfortunately however I was advised after 24 hours of the phone being reported as lost or stolen and IMEI blocked it cannot be restored/undone.
I am now stuck with a dead Galaxy Note III that I cannot use to make calls and a 24 month contract I cannot cancel with my carrier.
Can someone please help guide me the process I need to follow in order to change IMEI number on my phone permanently?
I have seen several guides on the internet however they are related to the S3/Note II and nothing on the Note III.
I'm really needing someone to help me with this. I appreciate the help.
gekrem said:
All,
I recently purchased a Galaxy Note III in Australia.
A few hours later, I left my phone in the local KMART counter by accident. After searching for the phone for a whole day. I reported my phone as lost to my carrier and they IMEI blocked my phone.
2 days later, the local KMART store called me to let me know that someone has handed in my phone in.
I called up my carrier to let them know I found the phone, unfortunately however I was advised after 24 hours of the phone being reported as lost or stolen and IMEI blocked it cannot be restored/undone.
I am now stuck with a dead Galaxy Note III that I cannot use to make calls and a 24 month contract I cannot cancel with my carrier.
Can someone please help guide me the process I need to follow in order to change IMEI number on my phone permanently?
I have seen several guides on the internet however they are related to the S3/Note II and nothing on the Note III.
I'm really needing someone to help me with this. I appreciate the help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is illegal to change the IMEI of a phone in Oz... No-one here on XDA will give you those instructions....
If u are the ph owner with proof ...then go shout bang and whatever at yr carrier and ask them to fix or replace the unit.
Teleported from my SM-N9005 from the Enterprise
They wont do it. It's my fault and it can't be unblocked.
Can be unblocked
Since You Purchase the Handset on Contract, Just go back to the original Store of Purchase and explain the situation to them.
They will have all your details on the Computer. (Your Name, Address, IMEI of Handset.) They can make a call or give you the Information to prove Ownership.
I saw this on many occasions. Customers misplacing handsets and having them Blocked only to find them after a frantic search.
If You can show Proof of Ownership IT CAN BE UNBLOCKED.
I used to work for Telstra and know for a fact that they can be unblocked. Just need to prove that You are the Original Owner and have a Store Receipt and/or Contract Details.
More Info here - http://www.amta.org.au/pages/amta/FAQs.on.mobile.security
Mod Edit
Discussing,advertising,advocating changes or replacement of imei numbers is not allowed on XDA.
Thread closed
malybru
Forum Moderator