Unlocking mobile phones

[snakehips]

This is a subject about which I have managed to remain blissfully ignorant up till now.
However , I have just been given a new/unused Nokia 6300 with the Orange brand label on it.
Seems it is locked so I can't just put my Vodafone PAYG SIM in it and use it , which is what I did when I was given my present phone , a Motorola which is also Orange branded. The difference being that the Motorola had been used on the Orange network before I got my hands on it.
Dodgy looking market traders seem to offer an unlocking service , as do some web sites.
Does anybody have any experience of this sort of thing ? Any recommendations ?

TIA

 

[nigelnorris]

[I think that] You want debranding rather than unlocking. Unlocking refers to making phones usable without the security numbers, debranding means taking the operator software off so it can be used with any network - often makes the phone run quicker because all the crap that the service provider loads on isn't there using up space.

I had the Nokia software lying around at some stage but I can't put my hand on it atm sorry, I'll have a dig about and see if I can find it again. It's quite straighforward to do. Mind you I don't think it's all that costly to have a shop do it for you anyways?

 

[snakehips]

Nigel ,
If I put my Vodafone SIM in the Nokia I am asked for my PIN which it accepts. I am then told 'Phone restricted ' 'Enter Restriction code'
On the box it says 'The Nokia 6300 is SIM locked for an unlimited period and will only function with a Swiss Orange SIM card'
I agree there is probably some software on it that I wouldn't want. I was idly navigating around earlier and I was asked to confirm that I was prepared to pay £2 for an image of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. Of course if I had said yes it wouldn't have worked because I don't have a network connection .... yet.

 

[nigelnorris]

Sorry snakehips, Ive misunderstod. i don't have any experience of getting past that.

 

[fossyant]

Local market or a small independant mobile shop will do it for a small fee.

 

[HJ]

I took mine to an independent phone shop to get it done, didn't cost much...

 

[zimzum42]

Go to the market stall. it'll be done within a minute for somewhere between a fiver and a tenner. Don't get it done over the internet, some legit sites but a lot of scams too....

Never heard of this unbranding difference, everywhere I know just calls it unlocking...

 

[scook94]

I always used to use DavinciTeam when it came to unlocking and de-branding phones in the past. You can probably get it done cheaper but I always prefered doing it myself....

 

[HLaB]

Take it to the market. They've always managed it for me.

Or google for the unlock codes. Some phones will let you unlock them by following a sequence.

My colleague done that and unlocked his i phone.

Don't get it done over the internet, some legit sites but a lot of scams too....

That's the bit that would worry me.

I think I'd end up taking to one of the shops that offer the service and end up paying too much

 

[zimzum42]

You should never pay more than a tenner at a stall. Quick and easy, and someone to complain to if it doesn't work (and it should work right away, and is easy to test!)

 

[Bman]

IME Nokia are the easiest phones to unlock. There is a calculator somewhere that when you input a few numbers (like your IMEI) it generates a code you enter into the handset.

I'll see if i can google one....

 

[Bman]

http://www.topshareware.com/Nokia-Free-Unlock-Codes-Calculator-download-42084.htm

Heres one. Doesnt look the best (comes with adware apparantly), But you get my point.

I wouldnt pay a 10'er for a code a simple calculator can create