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Unlocking mobiles - advice please (UK specific)

Right: Kitewife has bought me a mobile for my impending 40th. It is a Sony Ericsson W710i, locked to Vodafone pay-as-you-go. However, I currently use Virgin pay-as-you-go. All my friends know this number, the tariff suits my usage profile. I asked Vodafone for the codes to unlock the phone, but they want me to pay £20 (about $40) to not have to do business with them. I see many websites offering much lower-priced unlocking services, but I don't know which to try / trust. Does anybody have any advice / experience that would help me free up my nice new phone?

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subasri says: Apr 17, 2012. 5:09 AM
hi codes are the best solution to unlock your Sony Ericsson Mobile from network .to get codes visit http://www.simpleunlocking.com/ here they ask you the country and the network name to which your mobile is locked then the imei number of your mobile .finally they send you codes to unlock your mobile.along with the instruction about how to use the codes in your mobile.
Hawaii00000 says: Dec 7, 2007. 1:23 PM
I wouldn't think it would be that hard you could do it yourself if you do a little googling.
164
Kiteman (author) says: Dec 8, 2007. 9:47 AM
I did the googling, that's how I know about all the websites. What I wanted to know was which ones to trust.

Fortunately, I didn't need to go via that route - after I started copying my emails to the Mobile Ombudsman, Vodafone suddenly offered to unlock the phone for free as "a gesture of goodwill".
Hawaii00000 says: Dec 8, 2007. 11:22 AM
That doesn't make sense "gesture of goodwill"
164
Kiteman (author) says: Dec 8, 2007. 11:28 AM
Basically, it's corporate-speak for "here is the code for free, please go away and stop telling the ombudsman about us". They accidentally revealed that the charge is a fake - one operator told me it was the fee the phone manufacturer charged to supply the code, another said it was the cost of the sim card and a third said it was the cost of administering the simcard. Since they did that in emails (that I still have), their claim that it cost them £19.99 to unlock a phone lost all credibility.
164
Kiteman (author) says: Dec 8, 2007. 11:33 AM
I don't know if the same code will work with other handsets that are the same model, but here's the important part of Vodafone's private email:

NUC 1275865891853640

NUC Procedure:

1. Remove the Vodafone SIM from the handset. Replace the battery and switch on.

2.Move the jog dial left then press the * key twice and then move the jog dial left

3.Network appears on the screen

4. Then select YES

5. NCK will appear - key in NUC and Yes, phone should then be unlocked.

Should the unlock code not work on the first attempt - do not attempt to repeatedly enter the code as there is a risk the handset will become permanently locked.
Hawaii00000 says: Dec 8, 2007. 11:12 AM
Are you sure you can't find some thing like the iphone jailreak that will let you use another company. I "unlocked" my motorola w15 just by dailing the right numbers in the right order.
164
Kiteman (author) says: Dec 8, 2007. 11:17 AM
The trick is to get the numbers - I've got them, and my phone is now unlocked.
164
Kiteman (author) says: Nov 20, 2007. 11:28 AM
Hmmm. I had an argument with Vodafone this morning, during which time they claimed that the various websites that offer to unlock phones are illegal. Anybody know?
3
NachoMahma says: Nov 20, 2007. 11:40 AM
. Not for sure. There are a LOT of places that offer to unlock phones (for a fee) - doesn't mean it's legal, but nobody seems to be trying to hide. . Illegal or not, I don't think I'd call it unethical to alter your own equipment to meet your needs.
164
Kiteman (author) says: Nov 20, 2007. 12:59 PM
Like Make magazine says - if you can't open it, you don't own it.

Time for a trip to the market, I think.
4
whatsisface says: Nov 20, 2007. 11:54 AM
We have a stall on our market offering unlocking cheaply, they'll do it while you're there etc... That's what I always use...
38
Goodhart says: Nov 19, 2007. 6:36 PM
I have some info at home, not really on the unlocking part, but on Virgin Mobile pay as you go service (not sure if it applies over-seas or not)....it will be tomorrow before I am able to have a look at it though *sigh* And sadly, it may not help out at all, but I have to re-read the article to make sure.
3
NachoMahma says: Nov 19, 2007. 6:33 PM
. Didn't see any way to do it for free. This appears to be one of the cheaper options.
2
thejrb says: Nov 19, 2007. 5:32 PM
Here you gogo. A simple Google search revealed that one. And it even has UK on there to. You might want to be careful though. You have to give them your phones imei number I have no clue what they could do with that though.
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