Since I’ll likely be in China relatively soon, I’m taking care to make sure that all of my GSM phones are unlocked and ready to use with any carrier. Strangely enough, T-Mobile seems to think that their phone doesn’t exist:
T-Mobile Sim Unlock Request
Sim Unlock Reference: xxxxxxx
IMEI: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thank you for taking the time to contact T-Mobile. We have received your
SIM Unlock Request. Unfortunately, we are unable to process your request
at this time because the given IMEI is shown as “Unknown” in our SIM
Unlock Database.
To ensure that we have the correct IMEI, please obtain the IMEI directly
from the handset by pressing *#06#. Once this is obtained, please submit
a new request including the information below:
1. T-Mobile account and mobile number (required)
2. IMEI number, press *#06# on handset to get the IMEI (required)
3. Contact number or email address
4. Make and model of the phone
5. Carrier’s name (if the phone came from another carrier)
6. A brief reason for the request
7. Dealer Code (if the request is from a dealer on behalf of a customer)
NOTE: If this is not a T-Mobile handset, we would need to request the
unlock code from the other provider. Since T-Mobile is requesting an
unlock code from another carrier we cannot guarantee the response time
or that a unlock code will be provided.
Thank You,
Sim Unlock Department
T-Mobile USA, Inc.
So while T-Mobile does get props for haaving a Sim Unlocking department, the fact that it’s a T-Mobile branded sidekick makes me wonder about these people.
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Reminds of when I got some Cingular phones for my grandparents, and asked them whether or not the phones were unlocked. They claimed they were. So I stuck in a Virgin Mobile (from UK) SIM, the phone claimed it was locked. They didn’t know what to say. Luckily, they were Nokias, and there is a good little piece of software to generate an unlock code based on the IMEI.
Of course, I later returned the phones when I discovered that Cingular does not allow multiple area codes on the same plan. They’ve taken a step backwards since AT&T.
Nationwide Network my foot.
Comment by Mark Miller — 2/17/2005 @ 6:10 am