K800i unlocked SIM free and Three [Archive] - 3G forum : your 3G community and resource.

PerranOak

23-09-2006, 05:05 PM

I asked Three customer services if I could use an unlocked K800i with a PAYG SIM on Three WITHOUT them locking it to Three.

They said that only a handset issued by Three could be used on the Three network but they could unlock it!

I couldn't really make them understand the question.

Does anyone know whether an unlocked K800i with a Three SIM PAYG will:
a. work
b. get locked by Three

Cheers.

pav

23-09-2006, 05:47 PM

People are using unlocked / generic 3G phones on 3, but you may not be able to access all of 3's features. What you can not do is use a 2G phone on 3.

On point 2, the locking a phone to a network is a feature built into the phone by the phones manufacture at the request of the networks. To prevent you using the phone on another network, in the past phones were fairly easy to unlock, while some the newer phones can only be unlocked by the network.

What 3 have done is when they have detected people using a 2G phone on 3 is send them a text / letter warning them of 3 terms & conditions. Then if they continue to use a 2G phone is then to send a replacement usim that will only work in a 3G phone.

pav

23-09-2006, 05:52 PM

Also if you use a 3G phone and lock to GSM mode, this feature is disabled on most of 3 supplied phones. 3 will also detect this and remind you of there terms and conditions. and if continue they will send you a replacement usim.

PerranOak

01-10-2006, 04:06 PM

Thanks for that.

So, I'm being a bit thick, that means my sim free, never locked K800i will work (although maybe not all Three's features) on a Three PAYG sim AND, most importantly, they don't lock it?

Ta.

pav

01-10-2006, 04:42 PM

Yes your K800i will work on 3 as it is a 3G phone, but at your own risk of disconection

If the phone was a 2G phone then you can not use it on 3 as they will soon remind you of their terms and conditions via a text message.

If you look at 3 terms and conditions though they say you must use an approved 3 phone on their network. People are reporting that they are using unlocked / generic 3G phones on 3.

It now looks like people who are are using a 3G phone that is not an official 3 phone have received received warnings about using such phones on 3.

Junglizt1210

01-10-2006, 04:58 PM

Yes your K800i will work on 3 as it is a 3G phone.

If the phone was a 2G phone then you can not use it on 3 as they will soon remind you of their terms and conditions via a text message.

If you look at 3 terms and conditions though they say you must use an approved 3 phone on their network. People are reporting that they are using unlocked / generic 3G phones on 3.

I dont know if people that are using a 3G phone that is not an official 3 phone have received any warnings about using such phones on 3.

pav,

the photo I took of my own phone precisely meets that criteria.... 3 are cracking down on any phone, regardless 2G or 3G.... my phone is a 3G phone imported from Japan, and it too got that message (and for that reason, that is why i started that thread as well as posted a picture of my own phone). Note that I have been using it on 3G, i.e. 3's own network, not roaming at all. I prefer 3G due to the better voice quality over 2G (this is a personal opinion) and thus I have had no need to set my phone to use 2G only. I also prefer the faster internet speed of UTMS.

My opinion on this matter is that, YES any 3G phone will work (just like my own, which were unlocked from Vodafone Japan), however just be careful with 3 sending you messages. My service is still active, and I'm still using my 3 USIM in a non-3-issued UTMS phone, although probably doing so at a risk, and it is using UTMS, not GSM. I also keep it on Offline Mode most of the time to stop 3 from keeping tabs on my 24/7.

If you want to use your own phone that isn't one from 3, then it will work, but just bear this small note in mind. I'm happy to take this risk, and if you don't mind, the K800i is a great phone to have.

Dan

pav

01-10-2006, 05:27 PM

Thanks Junglizt1210 I have found your thread and made it a sticky, link to that thread below.

http://www.3g.co.uk/3GForum/showthread.php?t=45677

PerranOak as per Junglizt1210's thread it looks like 3 have started to clamp down on none 3 approved phones. So you use your K800i at your own risk of getting a message from 3 and possable disconnection.

pav

01-10-2006, 05:36 PM

I have now corrected my earlier post to reflect the information supplied by Junglizt1210.

PerranOak

01-10-2006, 07:50 PM

I don't get it. If I buy a Three SIM and PAYG credits why would they try to disconnect me?

PerranOak

01-10-2006, 08:22 PM

pav

01-10-2006, 08:24 PM

I can only offer an opinion on part of this. Unlike other networks 3 do not have their own 2G service and when you roam on to a 2G network they have to pay O2 for this service, this will change to orange soon.

So if you use a 2G phone 3 will have to pay O2 / orange for all the calls you have made. So when they detect that you are using a 2G phone they send you the warning text. If you then continue to use a 2G phone 3 will then send you a usim that will only work in a 3G phone. Or 3 could terminate your contract if you are on a contract, which would then leave you to pay off what is remaining of the contract.

Also as far as I am aware most if not all the newer 3 supplied phones are permantely locked to duel mode, which means you can not manually switch the phone to GSM mode (roaming on to O2).

Any unlocked phones off another network or generic phones have the option to switch / lock the phone to GSM mode.

I assume that if you are using an unlocked / generic phone that is not an official 3 supplied phone, 3 dont want people to use these phones as people could lock them to GSM mode costing 3 money. In some areas of the country where 3 reception can be patchy or have a low 3G signal which can cause phones to switch between 3G and GSM which can result in calls being dropped in the switch over. In these areas it is an advantage to switch the phone to GSM mode.

Junglizt1210

01-10-2006, 08:34 PM

It might be because I am on a contract. That's what's tying me down. If you got such an email, you're a lucky person :D

I still have no idea where the "full range of our products and services" because quite obviously, if you're not running a K800i with 3 firmware on it, you won't.

Still, at least, you have nothing to hold you down on, unlike me, I'm bound to my contract's Terms & Conditions.

pav

01-10-2006, 08:34 PM

Hey, I just got this from Three customer services:

I am happy to inform you that it will be possible to use a 3 Pay As You Go Sim Card in your unlocked Sony Ericsson handset. When doing this you will be able to use the full range of our products and services. If you wish to purchase a 3 Sim Card, please visit our website www.three.co.uk or a 3 store where you can purchase one for £9.99.

Stange I have just read my 3 payg terms and conditions and they say along the lines of 3 usim's may only be used in phones that are enabled for use on 3 services and authorised for use on 3.

pr1ncess

23-10-2006, 07:45 PM

i'm getting so irritated by 3's crappy customer service, i'm gonna sue them if they don't give me the unlock code!
we have legal rights to obtain these codes!! will be deffo taking this up with my lawyer

PerranOak

24-10-2006, 11:03 AM

Can someone just explain this locking thing one last time please.
They lock the phones so that you can't use them on other networks while you are under contract to them.
This is so that they make sufficient profit to pay for the phone, etc. and give them a return.

Now, isn't that what the contract is for? If you have a monthly pay contract then you will pay £25, £35, £45 per month whether you use the phone or not. In fact, if you don't use it, it's cheaper for them as they don't have the cost of connecting you.

So, the locking seems like profiteering from a restrictive practice.

Have I missed something?

pr1ncess

24-10-2006, 11:05 AM

what if its on pay as u go???? like mine is

pav

24-10-2006, 05:36 PM

what if its on pay as u go???? like mine is

I think you will find the unlocking fee will vary, if they will provide the unlock code.

What they will pobally take into account is

1. How much did they sell the phone for as these are normally sold at a subsidised price.

2. How much the phone actually costs.

3. How much are you spending with them.

This can vary from £15 to several hundred pounds according to what has been reported previously.

The only way to see how much they will charge is to ring 3.

LoopGTI

25-10-2006, 02:57 PM

I have just bought a K800i off Ebay locked to 3.

Id rather it be on Vodafone but im not too bothered, the thing that is bugging me is all this 3 crap all over my phone (sliding Adverts etc).I like to use the MP3 player.

If i debrand my phone will the headphone button be a shortcut to the music player ?

And will i be able to use all of the phones features 3G, MMS, Email etc ? can the settings be put in manually ? im not interested in Planet 3.

I thought about ringing up 3 to ask about getting my phone unlocked, but i think my phone might be off the back of a lorry, would they know this and blacklist my phone ?

I appreciate any answers to my questions.

pr1ncess

27-10-2006, 09:51 PM

hiya u should be able to get that debranded....
try a google search, i don't think k800i should be a problem!!
but as far as unlocking goes, i'm writing to watchdog to let them know about 3's mobile service and how they don't give 2 craps about their customers!! no other mobile providers are bothered about giving out unlock codes.... its just 3 they don't like customers using their mobiles on other networks, even a 3 mobile shop have admitted this!

LoopGTI

27-10-2006, 10:03 PM

Yeah i agree totally not on at all. But im not sure about legal ownership of the handset before your contract is up, or if you bought somebodys upgrade off them.

Maybe when the K800 comes out on PAYG, 3 would have to unlock it for you ?

Can they tell from the serial number etc, whether or not it was a contract or a PAYG phone ?

pr1ncess

27-10-2006, 10:04 PM

i bought it from someones upgrade,, its a joke, but ifu can private message gunner4life he can get an unlock code from a cousin of his that works on 3

pr1ncess

27-10-2006, 10:36 PM

this was posted by gunner 4 life
29-09-2006, 09:52 PM
Replies: 20 sony ericsson k800i
Views: 569 Posted By gunner4life
Re: sony ericsson k800i

yep im getting the unlock code from "3"

the code will be here in 3 days iv been told (my cousin works for "3" so that helped me on that front)

LoopGTI

27-10-2006, 11:11 PM

If his cousin works for 3, then it comes as no suprise he managed to blag a code.

Doubt he's gonna hand them out to everyone tho :( give one away and everybody wants one.

pr1ncess

28-10-2006, 10:57 AM

yeh i suppose!! well maybe if we can blag to 3 we know someone that has got the code already so why can't we have it???

pr1ncess

30-10-2006, 06:16 PM

can anyone get in touch with gunner4life and ask him>

dezzi_83

09-11-2006, 09:17 PM

That would be nice... dont u have to give ur imei number tho? I might get a ob with three for a week:speechles

pr1ncess

10-11-2006, 05:13 PM

whats an OB

LoopGTI

10-11-2006, 05:14 PM

Think he means Job

dezzi_83

10-11-2006, 05:48 PM

yes she does mean job!! hehe. jus be on the phone with 3, im trying to trick them into telling me there is an unlock code for this gawd dam phone
:p

LoopGTI

10-11-2006, 06:18 PM

Oh sorry, diddnt realise :o

I rang 3 (PAYG helpline) and she said yes we can unlock it for you, then she said hold on ill have to ring you back in 24 hours because it is a new handset and im not sure.

24 hours later she told me it couldn't be unlocked (only the contract customer can have it unlocked). I said what about when it becomes a PAYG phone ? she said she cannot say, but most probably yes.

Might try offering a bribe, £20 is alot of money to one of them.

dezzi_83

10-11-2006, 10:31 PM

pav

10-11-2006, 10:37 PM

ha!! so they did say they could unlock it?? omg they are so full of it!! The guy on the phone to me they hadnt bought the liceience!! arrrrrgh!! Liars!! shall I say to them 'hi Im a contract customer can u unlock my k800i?' will that do it...

Another problem you would encounter is if the K800 was on contract, is that as the K800 is a recently released phone and not yet 12 months old. 3 will only unlock phones when you are in the last month or out of your min contracted period.

LoopGTI

10-11-2006, 10:57 PM

Well im not fussed TBH, their pricing seems OK, Planet 3 is pretty cool, And they have the best 3G coverage, earn a few pence when someone contacts me.

Not going on Holiday for a couple of years so itll be unlocked by then.

eethon

29-11-2006, 03:04 AM

Im on three and just got a k800i on upgrade. I want to give it to my girlfriend who is on orange but cant unlock it. Does the guy having problems with his unlocked one want to swap with mine? It would be mutually benificial and you`d have all of three`s settings.
james

HairyHaggis

30-11-2006, 04:15 PM

Very very interesting thread indeed .... agree on the customer service as I had to call them when I was getting no service message on my K800i which I got from 3 for free.

Anyway .... recently got a SE P990i, stuck in my 3 sim, and all is well so far ... well except from the MMS function, which I am trying to find solution to at the moment.

Interesting to read about the terminating contract thing ... will see if I get the txt or email or message, but to be honest, I dont care what 3 do, if the disconnect ... I have an O2 sim I can put in phone to keep me happy.

So far ... from a phone users point of view ... I cannot see an advantage of 3 network over O2 ... I moved to 3, but as soon as the contract up, I will port back to O2 ... never had problem with them, and regret the move !!!

Anyway .... will let you know if I receive a message from 3 !!!

:laugh:

dsmudger

25-01-2007, 07:56 PM

Anyway .... recently got a SE P990i, stuck in my 3 sim, and all is well so far ... well except from the MMS function, which I am trying to find solution to at the moment.

will see if I get the txt or email or message, but to be honest, I dont care what 3 do, if the disconnect ... I have an O2 sim I can put in phone to keep me happy.

I've done the same but was originally an Orange p990 - will prob. keep my SIM on whatever's their cheapest tariff, just in case, for the same reason :)

Anyway, one question I have -
1) is there a way to flash my P990i with a 3 firmware to avoid this problem (I gather they don't brand it that heavily, and having Planet 3 would be quite nice/an added bonus for me, plus, with generic firmware they block access to eBay via a re-direct in the browser to an error page, when they detect it's an unsupported browser/non-3 phone - my guess is their firmware has a custom user-agent...).

Also;
2) if I do so, will I be able to flash it back to generic SE firmware later? or would the three firmware make it 'un-debrand-able' :)

(the one I have, I paid to get unlocked and debranded from that truly horrid Orange firmware - I know it sounds silly to want to re-brand it to another network, but I will be wanting the X-Series tarriff add-on as soon as they make it available for p990 which I gather is quite soon now... and they refuse to enable it right now, since they think I have an older non-smart phone - only way they will do it is if I register with them the IMEI no. of a 3-branded N73 :) )

Barros

22-02-2007, 11:06 PM

This is a very interesting thread...

I am a paying 3 Contract customer and what really gets on my back is the fact that I cant go out and buy a new 3G handset and get it unlocked so that I can continue to use their service...

Things is, the handset I have bought from vodafone recently is the k800i phone which is a 3G model. How can they complain? I will be using another networks branded handset to use 3's services...and they will still block my sim...

Or have I got this the wrong way round?

dsmudger

23-02-2007, 10:53 AM

I agree - the cost of a p990i offline is not insignificant, and finding all this out after getting my contract, I do feel a bit hard done by :(

Oh well, at least I have a cashback deal on my line rental, and now I know how to get out of the contract if I want to/if they don't release a 3 branded version soon ;)

(i.e. ring up and say "so I've been using this p990 for the last few months...", if they let me off, do it repeatedly until they disconnect me - this is of course assuming I won't have to pay up until the end of the contract - bit hard to find out that sort of thing without being asked why you want to know!!)

Barros

23-02-2007, 11:20 AM

Well I dont see what the problem with using a 3G handset on the 3 network is, even if the handset was bought on the vodafone network...

I use my contract alot and I use the Planet 3 Feature quite often too so I dont see why they would block me for using their services...If they do block me then I will be extremely angry...

Or does this only apply to people using their 3 USIM on a 2g phone which will cost 3 more because they have to use the o2 network...

dsmudger

18-04-2007, 09:19 AM

miles_away

18-04-2007, 04:37 PM

Well, I don't know - I went to a three shop yesterday and the guy there said any offline phone was OK to use (but I won't be able to get the Planet Three stuff).

I even pulled my p990 out and said "what, so I can just put my SIM in this and order the X-series data package and I'll be fine? But your CS people told me it was against your T&C..." - but he seemed quite sure it was OK to use an unlocked phone. So I went back to work, ordered the unlimited data package, and amazingly it all works now, surfing the net just fine :)

I've seen posts on various forums about people getting the Planet Three stuff to work on various phones - I've tried, but haven't managed to replicate this on my P990 yet though...

If the phone has been adopted for use by Three then obviously the settings will be out there for it but Three never had the P990 and its quite a unique phone so I doubt you will be able to get everything to work correctly. I had a Nokia 6650 and that was the same - bit of a different phone so couldnt use another similar phones settings and not adopted by Three so got rid in the end.