IMEI 'unlock', but it will only help a few people!

[Guest]

Just want to stir up something and also get some information from experts on this.

 

 

 

As far as I understand, the IMEI code from the phone is send together with the identification on the SIM card into the 'air' to request a connection to a base station. The Sim identification data and the IMEi is checked against the database of the proverder (AIS/DTAC/TAO) and if this does not match they will not accept you. This is actually the thing that will be 'unlocked', so they just will ommit the test on IMEI in their database.

 

 

 

A second thing, the SIm lock, is a piece of software in the phone that does tell the phone to only accept a SIM card from a certain provider. That makes it impossible to use this phone for 'pay as you go' schemes because it only accepts the SIM card of the company who sold you the phone. I has this last year in South-Africa as I thought to buy a MTEL pay as you go card and my AIS phone did not want to accept this car. I think this is not going to change right now, thus preventing AIS customers to switch to DTAC or TAO quickly.

 

 

 

So lookes nice for the few farangs who can import a cheap handset from abroad, but does not have much impact for the average thai.

 

 

 

Right? Wrong? Somewhere in between

[adikgede]

I think that doing away with Thai IMEI requirements will definatley bring the prices down. Look at the guy in classifieds who is trying to sell an Ericsson t28 for around USD150 in Indonesia were we don't have SIM locked phones a phone like that goes for USD60-80 a new T39 cost less than $200 with a SIM. In Batam (just south of Singapore) you can buy used phones from Singapore for a song. A nokia 3210 or a Mot 180 for example would cost $60-$70 with a SIM card. The card alone costs between $50 and $70 if purchased seperately. With new grey market phones coming in from other countries, it doesn't seem unlikely that new handsets well be cheaper as well.

[jingjoh]

I think u are right, Singapore you can buy a T29s for 200 bucks, or 4800 baht, will now work no problems on AIS or Dtac, in fact any phone bought anywhere in the world without a contracted connection will work immediately. There will be alot of cheap phones available soon, second hand prices will come down, in Australia you can buy a Nokia 3210 for about 2000 baht, in Singapore cheaper without the connection.

 

 

 

Companies which sim lock the phone to the card suck, but the card can be used in other phones, as was proven to me this week when we put my mates Vodaphone card out of his locked sagem phone into a nokia 6210 and it worked no problem.

 

 

 

 

 

Now all they need to do is sort out the connection costs and service and really remove the AIS stranglehold on the country's phone system..

[Hamokhamok]

Just out of interest. I have a Vodafone Nokia 6210 mobile here in Ireland. Rang Vodafone to-day re Sim Lock because I want to put in a Thailand Sim or an Australian Sim in the next week or so. I was told that it was possible but Nokia would have to send me codes and instructions (would you believe by registered post) within the next five working days. I will advise further when I get it and let you know what is otherwise involved. All I hope is that it arrives before Saturday next because after that date it will be too late.

[Hamokhamok]

Further to my previous message the following is the result of my verbal request to have my phone unblocked. Hope this is some help to people. For obvious reasons I'm not showing the codes, although having said that the codes are linked to the IMEI number so are useless to anyone unless they had my 'phone. I'm sure most if not all providers will or can do the same. I believe there is no charge for this service. Let me know if you can get the same results from your providers. The test will be if it works in Thailand and Australia. It works with a Meteor SIM card here.

 

 

 

"Thank you for request for your NAC code.

 

Below is the code with instructions on how to unblock your phone.

 

Step 1 Power on your phone(enter your PIN code if requested to do so)

 

Step 2 Key in (the code which was received)

 

'Sim restriction off' will appear on the display of the phone. (p is obtained by keying the star button 3 times, w is obtained by keying the star button 4 times and + is obtained by keying the star button twice, * is the star symbol and # is the hash symbol on your Nokia phone)

 

 

 

(This NAC code is applicable to the IMEI number of your phone as supplied by you). If this information is not correct,

 

please contact FreeFone 1907. Do not proceed with the unblocking procedure.

 

 

 

Your phone is now no longer assigned to the Vodafone GSM network and you have the capability to operate your handset on any GSM network of your choice.

 

However, you must purchase a SIM card for the other Network you wish to use.

 

 

 

Note: If the incorrect Vodafone Network Assignment Code is entered 5 times, the phone will be permanently blocked. In such an event, you must then contact the helpdesk on 1907.

 

 

 

We hope that you continue to enjoy using the the GSM service and we would appreciate any feedback you have that may help improve the overall quality of

 

our service."