I know this is the AT&T thread, so I apologize. I got my Note 3 while in Germany, last month. It is still factory sealed in the box and is carrier unlocked.
I have done all kinds of reading about the region lock. I have access to a SIM that has been activated in Germany. If I were in Germany with the phone, I would simply put the SIM in the phone, use the phone for five minutes of talk, and the phone would be forever unlocked.
My question is, what if I am in the U.S. when I power on the phone for the very first time out of the box?
Although the SIM is already activated on a German cell provider, the phone will be roaming since I am in the U.S. Will the region unlock procedure still allow me to use the phone for five minutes and be permanently unlocked? Or, does the procedure of using the phone for five minutes with a German SIM also have to be accomplished while the phone is in its home region?
In other words, the SIM will be from the same region that the phone is from, but the initial power on and use will be outside of the region. Will it matter? Does the phone/SIM need to latch onto a carrier from its own region?
Thank you!
JOFTAA said:
I know this is the AT&T thread, so I apologize. I got my Note 3 while in Germany, last month. It is still factory sealed in the box and is carrier unlocked.
I have done all kinds of reading about the region lock. I have access to a SIM that has been activated in Germany. If I were in Germany with the phone, I would simply put the SIM in the phone, use the phone for five minutes of talk, and the phone would be forever unlocked.
My question is, what if I am in the U.S. when I power on the phone for the very first time out of the box?
Although the SIM is already activated on a German cell provider, the phone will be roaming since I am in the U.S. Will the region unlock procedure still allow me to use the phone for five minutes and be permanently unlocked? Or, does the procedure of using the phone for five minutes with a German SIM also have to be accomplished while the phone is in its home region?
In other words, the SIM will be from the same region that the phone is from, but the initial power on and use will be outside of the region. Will it matter? Does the phone/SIM need to latch onto a carrier from its own region?
Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You just need to activate with that SIM card.
Agent said:
You just need to activate with that SIM card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you, very much. So you are under the impression that it won't matter that I will be roaming and hitting a cell tower in the U.S.
I plan on giving this a try on Sunday (22nd), so unless I hear otherwise from anyone, I'll be reporting back with results at that time.
Thanks, again!
JOFTAA said:
Thank you, very much. So you are under the impression that it won't matter that I will be roaming and hitting a cell tower in the U.S.
I plan on giving this a try on Sunday (22nd), so unless I hear otherwise from anyone, I'll be reporting back with results at that time.
Thanks, again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know it will work I have a client that was in the exact same boat you are in and I watched him do it. Let us know how it turns out for you.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I467 using Tapatalk 4
Agent said:
I know it will work I have a client that was in the exact same boat you are in and I watched him do it. Let us know how it turns out for you.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I467 using Tapatalk 4
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome! Thank you very much for your answer. I will post back on Sunday after I see the look on my son's eyes. :good:
Slight delay. I got a SIM from Italy to use, but the provider forgot to give me the PIN. I will get it, tomorrow.
Ok... I have the answer for anyone who is interested.
I got a SIM from an Italian cellular company. I got the SIM from a place called CellularAbroad.com. I inserted the SIM into the Note 3, powered on the phone and used my Google Voice account to call the Note 3 and used the phone for a five minute phone call. Upon completion of that call, I removed the Italian SIM, inserted my U.S. T-Mobile SIM, and the phone works just fine.
The key is to use a SIM from the region the phone was intended to be used in. This has to be the FIRST SIM the phone sees. If you use a SIM that is not from one of the EEA countries, your phone will lock. This assumes you bought your phone in Europe.
Countries in the European Economic Area (EEA):
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania , Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK, Switzerland, Croatia
Related
I'm preparing for an International trip and requested the unlock code from T-Mobile which they provided. Today I received the foreign SIM that I pre-ordered for the trip. I went ahead an put it in, so I could apply the unlock code.
It never prompted me for the unlock code. The only warning prompt was for me to re-enter my Google password which occurs whenever I swap the SIM, even if it's another T-Mobile SIM.
I went into the APN settings and it did show the network settings for the foreign SIM, so I know it's reading the SIM. But it never prompted me to enter an unlock when booting it up.
So I'm now a bit confused, as it seems the (subsidized) phone came to me already unlocked from T-Mobile. Or, I'm wondering if it's not coming up because I've rooted the phone and flashed it with a Cyanogen ROM.
Is there any other way to confirm the phone is unlocked? I just don't want to arrive at my foreign destination and find out that for some reason the phone is indeed still locked.
Thank you,
Tim
whrere do you live, where did you buy the phone? who makesthe forien sim?
I live in the U.S. and I'm traveling to China. The prepaid SIM is from China Mobile which I ordered from http://86callchina.com .
I ordered the phone as an upgrade (extending my contract for 2 years), directly from T-Mobile Sales over the phone.
Thank you,
Tim
X-i-phoner said:
whrere do you live, where did you buy the phone? who makesthe forien sim?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have a friend with an AT&T card try that one
and you can always take the unlock code with you
Yeah just take the unlock code with you, that way you can't go wrong
I bought my One in the UK and, as far as I'm aware, it's locked to Three (the network I bought it from). Since I've come to China and South East Asia, I do not get any signal on my phone. My girlfriend who has an iPhone 3Gs and is also on Three gets signal (or she did before she cancelled her contract).
Should I get signal out here? I thought the phone would be able to work anywhere in the world in spite of where it was purchased. Anybody know anything about this? It's rooted and I have a custom ROM and custom firmware installed. Pretty sure I also updated the radio manually too, but I can't remember.
melted_cow said:
I bought my One in the UK and, as far as I'm aware, it's locked to Three (the network I bought it from). Since I've come to China and South East Asia, I do not get any signal on my phone. My girlfriend who has an iPhone 3Gs and is also on Three gets signal (or she did before she cancelled her contract).
Should I get signal out here? I thought the phone would be able to work anywhere in the world in spite of where it was purchased. Anybody know anything about this? It's rooted and I have a custom ROM and custom firmware installed. Pretty sure I also updated the radio manually too, but I can't remember.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its not working because the phone is SIM-locked to Three network. You will have to SIM unlock the phone.
http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI..._cat=billing,varset_subcat=3772,Case=obj(4363)
Request an unlock code and continue the process. Then, your SIM will be unlocked and you will be able to use it anywhere
raghav kapur said:
Its not working because the phone is SIM-locked to Three network. You will have to SIM unlock the phone.
http://support.three.co.uk/SRVS/CGI..._cat=billing,varset_subcat=3772,Case=obj(4363)
Request an unlock code and continue the process. Then, your SIM will be unlocked and you will be able to use it anywhere
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Huh, I thought that would only happen if I tried to put a non-Three SIM in the phone. Thanks, man
If you have your UK SIM in there, maybe you need to activate roaming on the network. But you know what they're like, you can only do that whilst in the UK.
Get an unlock code from eBay or a website and buy a local SIM, it'll save you money in days or even hours given the stupendous price of data roaming.
So the weirdest thing happened to me. I bought my moto g on amazon, unlocked, global mode and i was using it in my country with no issues. So i took a vacation to the United States (Im from dominican republic) and bought an international simcard (lycamobile) wich works in many countries, and in the US it uses the tmobile network bands. The phone detected the sim and it was all good. Then i came back from my vacation and thats where it all started. When i inserted my local simcard, the phone did not grab signal at all, saying that it cannot connect to the carrier. Tried manual carrier lookout, automatic, wipe cache, factory reset, apn settings, but nothing seems to work. Went to my local carrier, and they told me that the phone might have locked it self to the international carrier. Talked to motorola and the international carrier, and they both told me that this is uncommon, that it shouldnt happened. now im using my simcard on another phone just to receive and make calls. If anyone has a clue, please let me know.
Thanks.
For me it's crazy never heard of that I've had two unlocked phones always changing sim when y travel to other countries never happened already in my old s4mini used a lycanmobile sim in Miami and claro in Dominican everything was flawless
Your carrier should be able to unlock the Sim or replace the Sim.
Sent from my GT-P5210 using Tapatalk
josesoto14 said:
So the weirdest thing happened to me. I bought my moto g on amazon, unlocked, global mode and i was using it in my country with no issues. So i took a vacation to the United States (Im from dominican republic) and bought an international simcard (lycamobile) wich works in many countries, and in the US it uses the tmobile network bands. The phone detected the sim and it was all good. Then i came back from my vacation and thats where it all started. When i inserted my local simcard, the phone did not grab signal at all, saying that it cannot connect to the carrier. Tried manual carrier lookout, automatic, wipe cache, factory reset, apn settings, but nothing seems to work. Went to my local carrier, and they told me that the phone might have locked it self to the international carrier. Talked to motorola and the international carrier, and they both told me that this is uncommon, that it shouldnt happened. now im using my simcard on another phone just to receive and make calls. If anyone has a clue, please let me know.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or its blacklisted by operator.
robdevil said:
Or its blacklisted by operator.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nah, i called and they checked, they dont register the phone.
Hi all. My friend got a new P20 Pro, which he though was network unlocked but it isn't. Is it possible to unlock? Do the many unlock sites work with this phone? Any recommendations if so? Thanks!
I am also looking for a solution as I am due to travel to asia next month. Mine is locked to EE. I can carry two phones but I really wanna avoid this for safety reasons and also because when holidaying i'm always carrying other valuables like passports, cash, external battery bank, sunglasses etc etc.
subhani said:
I am also looking for a solution as I am due to travel to asia next month. Mine is locked to EE. I can carry two phones but I really wanna avoid this for safety reasons and also because when holidaying i'm always carrying other valuables like passports, cash, external battery bank, sunglasses etc etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A network lock does not mean it cannot be used in another country, you can still travel else where and use the phone with locked network, well it's actually called SIM Lock not network lock, when SIM is locked it means it only accepts 1 provider to be used on the phone. But when you travel it can still borrow other networks systems so you will still be able to call and send sms and such as you can do now.
So let's say you live in UK and got provider called three and it's locked to three, then when you travel to asia it will automaticly borrow one of their network somehow but it will etc say three (vodafone) on the phone, that means it is borrowing network through vodafone in asia but billing will go via three and not vodafone. since vodafone will bill three and then three will bill you for the sms, calls and such.
Answer to OP: easiest way is to go to provider where your bought the phone from and have them unlocking your SIM lock on the phone. But it would cost you money for it thought. But be aware, if your phone is under a subscription deal then provider will reject the SIM unlock. Since they don't want you to try use another provider or try cancel current one while you got phone from them cheaper under a subscription. So this is why SIM lock is set on the phone to avoid this. But you can still use other networks called roaming with same SIM card, like i explained further up how it will go when you travel.
Jake.S said:
A network lock does not mean it cannot be used in another country, you can still travel else where and use the phone with locked network, well it's actually called SIM Lock not network lock, when SIM is locked it means it only accepts 1 provider to be used on the phone. But when you travel it can still borrow other networks systems so you will still be able to call and send sms and such as you can do now.
So let's say you live in UK and got provider called three and it's locked to three, then when you travel to asia it will automaticly borrow one of their network somehow but it will etc say three (vodafone) on the phone, that means it is borrowing network through vodafone in asia but billing will go via three and not vodafone. since vodafone will bill three and then three will bill you for the sms, calls and such.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply, Jake. I was hoping to use a local sim on my holiday in Asia and then to Egypt... as data is a LOT cheaper using a local sim instead of roaming on my UK EE sim. If it is network locked, it would mean I cannot use a local sim abroad, correct?
subhani said:
Thanks for the reply, Jake. I was hoping to use a local sim on my holiday in Asia and then to Egypt... as data is a LOT cheaper using a local sim instead of roaming on my UK EE sim. If it is network locked, it would mean I cannot use a local sim abroad, correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
never heard of something called network locked, but i have heard of sim lock. sim lock is diffirent to network lock, it means you can only use carrier you got phone off. But it will still use function called roaming what so ever when you travel to be able to connect to your carrier through other carriers systems.
So try asking your provider again is it network lock or sim lock. They could of meant sim lock and not network lock. If they say this then you are good to go and can use your SIM card anywhere, but then it will show on phone something like Three (Other operators name) since it will automaticly borrow through another carriers system. But you will be charged via your local carrier for the calls, internet use and so on.
So as stated, mine was locked to EE and they wouldn't unlock it.
I used https://www.unlockunit.com and got some unlock codes in less than 24hrs. My o2 card now works!
I assume now it's sim unlocked, that any card from any country would work. But that's a guess on my part.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
rendez2k said:
So as stated, mine was locked to EE and they wouldn't unlock it.
I used https://www.unlockunit.com and got some unlock codes in less than 24hrs. My o2 card now works!
I assume now it's sim unlocked, that any card from any country would work. But that's a guess on my part.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is very exciting! Your EE locked P20 Pro got unlocked using a code from that website? Now you can use an o2 sim in it?
Please confirm.
Yup! That's what happened. Basically, a friend purchased the P20 from a third party site (ie, not EE) with the intent to sell it (to me in the end). He assumed it was unlocked, which it wasn't on arrival. EE wouldn't unlock it until 6 months in.
I put the details into that site and honestly expected nothing. Less than 24hrs later I got a bunch of unlock codes, first one worked. Very happy
subhani said:
This is very exciting! Your EE locked P20 Pro got unlocked using a code from that website? Now you can use an o2 sim in it?
Please confirm.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
they even don't have mate 20 pro on list just mate 20 lite.
So it's impossible to take out simlock with this fake site
Network / SIM lock, same thing.
Basically you just want to use another SIM than was originally intended, for travelling purposes or for if the phones sold and the buyer wants to use another SIM.
There are a tonne of services on the high street and online, eBay etc who can do this.
Should be quite cheap.
EE will provide it for £20 so long as the phones over 6 months old. Least that's what it used to be.
They can do it for free but you'd have to sweet talk them.
It's your right to have it unlocked, mobile networks shouldn't be able to lock them down, certain shops like carphone warehouse offer unlocked phones so I'd recommend buying from them in the future.
OEM's also offer the device unlocked.
hello everyone, I bought a note 9 in UAE and brought it as a gift to my wife without knowing about this regional lock issue, would some one please tell me where I can buy a code to unlock the phone, it is an annoying serious issue. thanks in advance.
Dark Obsessions said:
hello everyone, I bought a note 9 in UAE and brought it as a gift to my wife without knowing about this regional lock issue, would some one please tell me where I can buy a code to unlock the phone, it is an annoying serious issue. thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you talking about region lock or carrier lock? If region lock, then I believe you need to make a 5 minute call from the region of purchase. If talking about carrier lock, then either your carrier or one of those third-party online unlocking services should do it.
i want to ask this.... what should i do before travel to usa ir order to use my note 9 over there? the phone was bought
and are being used on chile actually.
sefrcoko said:
Are you talking about region lock or carrier lock? If region lock, then I believe you need to make a 5 minute call from the region of purchase. If talking about carrier lock, then either your carrier or one of those third-party online unlocking services should do it.
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Click to collapse
I am talking about the regional lock, I am no longer in that region to make that phone call, and don't have a sim card from that region either.
The region lock cannot be unlocked with a code. You are required to use a sim card from UAE and make atleast a 5-10 minutes phone call through the sim card from UAE. To remove the region lock.
This lock is on the phones temporarily, to prevent the phones being sold outside UAE and same with other countries.
What if he flash using a generic XSG firmware, won't this remove the lock
Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk
grtmoby said:
What if he flash using a generic XSG firmware, won't this remove the lock
Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
I don't think so. Since lock is most likely hardware based, which is why you gota do the phone call for 5-10 minutes for it to unlock.
Jake.S said:
I don't think so. Since lock is most likely hardware based, which is why you gota do the phone call for 5-10 minutes for it to unlock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep your right there is no way aorund without the 5 min call!! His only option is, he will have to fly back to UAE and make the 5+ min call, that's your only option! Alot of people have run into this issue, it sucks!
N1NJATH3ORY said:
Yep your right there is no way aorund without the 5 min call!! His only option is, he will have to fly back to UAE and make the 5+ min call, that's your only option! Alot of people have run into this issue, it sucks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Major bummer. I remember when Samsung introduced the regional locks, was it on note 3 or note 4 days?
I dont think USA ones are region locked though.
Hopefully the OP can post his note 9 to the UAE and have someone do the 5 mins call for him.
Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk
Limeybastard said:
Major bummer. I remember when Samsung introduced the regional locks, was it on note 3 or note 4 days?
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Click to collapse
It was introduced during the end of the Galaxy SII's life cycle. So around the SGSIII's release. But it could be easily bypassed by making a 5 minute phone call after you have registered your device with Samsung after putting your SIM into your device.
iceepyon said:
It was introduced during the end of the Galaxy SII's life cycle. So around the SGSIII's release. But it could be easily bypassed by making a 5 minute phone call after you have registered your device with Samsung after putting your SIM into your device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That isn't a bypass. If you bought a phone in like Sweden, then you must do a 5 minutes call in Sweden with a swedish sim card. Then the lock will be removed.
Samsung have made it like this so phones sold in etc Sweden, Norway and Finland it cannot be used outside these countries if it's sold outside. Same with ones sold in USA will be region locked in USA until you do a call there to with a sim card from USA. It's a protection to prevent China or other countries selling other versions of the phones.
Jake.S said:
That isn't a bypass. If you bought a phone in like Sweden, then you must do a 5 minutes call in Sweden with a swedish sim card. Then the lock will be removed.
Samsung have made it like this so phones sold in etc Sweden, Norway and Finland it cannot be used outside these countries if it's sold outside. Same with ones sold in USA will be region locked in USA until you do a call there to with a sim card from USA. It's a protection to prevent China or other countries selling other versions of the phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont believe the USA ones are region locked.
Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk
Jake.S said:
That isn't a bypass. If you bought a phone in like Sweden, then you must do a 5 minutes call in Sweden with a swedish sim card. Then the lock will be removed.
Samsung have made it like this so phones sold in etc Sweden, Norway and Finland it cannot be used outside these countries if it's sold outside. Same with ones sold in USA will be region locked in USA until you do a call there to with a sim card from USA. It's a protection to prevent China or other countries selling other versions of the phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah. But once you have made the call. You can use your device anywhere in the world. Allot of Grey Import Retailers do the same thing when they sell their devices.
I managed to solve the problem using Dr sim website, costing about 20 bucks, thank you all for your help
If you live in Europa just go to the nearest Samsung service center with the phone and proof of ownership, I'm not that lucky as I live in USA and my phone is from Singapoore = 0 help anyways, i tried 3 different 40-50 USD online lock removal programs without luck, i did get the money back as they were unable to remove the regional lock , so Here's how I fixed my "out of region blocked" Samsung note9 bought at Amazon.com USA: I found a nice person in Singapore there could mail me a used postpaid Singapore sim card with a few $ on it, I installed the fake gps position app and made my phones gps think it was in Singapore, installed the Singapore sim card and couple of fax numbers out there I found on the internet (no answer no charge) and left the note9 on data roaming overnight with the 2 dollar Singapore sim card in slot 1, restarted the phone a couple of times overnight insured the gps showed it was in Singapore, in the morning I shut down the phone removed the Singapore sim and mounted my US Tmobile and Mexican Telcel sims and started the phone, sim card showed me and us numbers and all worked now as normal with wifi calling and Volte and now with the latest updates etc. so I guess my way to regional lock removal worked as I was out there in Singapore using my phone for a little while and hereby removed the lock.