How do you get a cell phone unlocked?

[droopydrew19]

I grabbed a cell phone from a fellow CP'er (for free - thank you) as one of our other phones is pretty much dead.

Upon putting my sim card in it, it is asking for a code to activate it. Calling my service provider (fido) has solved nothing. All they did was try to push a new hand set.

I was wondering if anyone here has any insight on how to unlock the phone? Where can I get a code? Searching the internet has found many dead leads.

Any ideas?

[photon]

Depends on the phone model, some are easy to find software that will generate an unlock for, some more difficult.. Sometimes those small kiosks in malls that sell phones will do it for you as well.

[HelloHockeyFans]

Yeah some kiosks will do it for you at the mall. Or go to a cell phone store in an Asian mall, and they should get it unlocked for you... be careful though, they'll definitely try to sell you something lol

[The_Dude]

Depends on the model. I got my BlackBerry 8800 unlocked on Ebay. SOme phones you just get the code and some you physically need to have hooked up to a computer.

[Super-Rye]

Did you try the last 4 digits in your phone number? That's usually the default.

[ricosuave]

what kind of phone?

[droopydrew19]

the one I am trying to unlock is a LG 1150

[Hack&Lube]

Many websites will do it but they will charge you money for the process (which can be complicated). I just googled and it doesn't seem to be a very popular phone and it doesn't seem that there are readily available unlocks for it.

You can also buy a data cable off ebay ($5-$25 but it seems your phone doesn't have readily available data cables either on ebay) for your phone but you are out of luck without the right factory software. Basically, if your phone isn't a popular model, you often won't be able to unlock it because nobody has hacked it or stolen the software from the manufacturer. If you get a more popular phone, unlocking is as simple as going down to Chinatown to one of the cellphone stores. They will do it for $20-$50 depending on model if it is a common one and they have experience with it.

But you've already looked online and I've looked too, I don't see any successful unlocks with this phone, I'm betting you are out of luck on this model. Who is the original carrier for this phone?

[Flames_Gimp]

samsung a950 anyone know how to unlock it?

[droopydrew19]

I think it was a rogers phone. But should work on Fido too... They share the network. I am pretty much at the end of trying to figure this out myself and have to re-consider if it is worth taking in somewhere.

Thanks for those who did some quick research on my behalf.

[jar_e]

Sorry to thread jack...but with a sim card...can it go into any unlocked phone? IE. I'm currently with rogers and have a rogers sim card in my current phone...can I just put it into a new, unlocked phone and voila i'm in service?

[Maritime Q-Scout]

droopydrew, all Rogers phones come locked (to my knowledge) which means you need to unlock it (as you already know). Off hand I'm not certain, but I'll look into it for you (no garuantees though but I'll see if I can find someone).

jar_e, yep if you put a SIM card into an unlocked phone she's set and good to go. All your account information is on the card itself so no worries there. Your phone book and contacts might be saved either to the phone or card (you'll have to check your settings). So you can even have your contact list with you, which is great if your phone dies and you need to call someone who's not on your buddy's contact list.

[prarieboy]

That's exactly what I did in the past. I had an unlocked Nokia and just went to Rogers and got a Sim Card and was good to go.

Originally Posted by jar_e

Sorry to thread jack...but with a sim card...can it go into any unlocked phone? IE. I'm currently with rogers and have a rogers sim card in my current phone...can I just put it into a new, unlocked phone and voila i'm in service?

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Super-Rye

Did you try the last 4 digits in your phone number? That's usually the default.

That doesn't make any sense. Unlocking a GSM phone would mean you could use any SIM card. The phone number stays with the sim card!

[Super-Rye]

Originally Posted by kermitology

That doesn't make any sense. Unlocking a GSM phone would mean you could use any SIM card. The phone number stays with the sim card!

OOO I thought he said his phone was locked, as in key locked. My bad.

[STAMPEDRED]

I unlocked mine through howardforums.com

Mine was a treo 650. It cost about $15 but worth the savings in the end compared to what Rogers was hosing me from month to month on end.

Howardforums is a forum. It takes a little searching, but there is a good chance you will find unlock cell phones and your brand of cell phone. It will probably take you to a web site that will show you how to check to see if your phone will unlock first (for free) and then you pay to get the code and voila, you've got it!

[ruddstud]

Default will be 1,2,3,4

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by ruddstud

Default will be 1,2,3,4

Sim card unlock.. not key gaurd.

I know the unlock code for my razr was quite a few digits. But my company paid to have it unlocked when I got it.