I suspect '3' have just blocked my phone

etccarmageddon · 09-04-2004, 01:25

my phone has packed in tonight and I suspect the reason is that 3 have put it on the lost/stolen list because I purchased it on '3pay' via the carphonewarehouse but unlocked it and put in my orange sim! either that or it has become faulty!

when I turn it on I get no signal and if I try to manually select the operator it comes up with a list of operators but wont allow me to connect to any.

my sim works in another phone and I've tried another orange sim in this phone and it wont work. initially I thought the phone might be faulty but now I suspect '3' have bared/delisted my IEMI number! I contacted orange who checked the IEMI number and said it doesnt appear on their computer as a valid IEMI number and to contact '3' - that raised my suspicions.

if this is the case, I suspect there will be a LOT of people complaining to OFCOM about 3 in the coming weeks!

is this legal?

I dont think so, as firstly I own the phone because I bought it on pay as you go and therefore have not signed a contract for it. secondly at the time of time of purchase didnt agree to only use it on the '3' network - carphonewarehouse mearly offered me a phone which would work on the '3' network. also, I have checked and unlocking a phone to other networks isnt illegal.

Also (assuming it has been blocked) the 'block' was applied weeks after purchase probably makes it illegal. Restrictions on a product must be in place at the time of purchase.

anyone else had an experience of unblocking a phone and then finding the original network has put it's IEMI on the 'delisted/lost/barred' list?

Bifta · 09-04-2004, 01:28

Certainly sounds like they've blocked it via the IMEA no. If it's PAYG though I'd get in touch with them and give them an earful.

Chris W · 09-04-2004, 01:30

www.3hell.com

i don't think 3 should be able to do this, but even if they have done, then there are ways to change the IMEI number, so if you get desperate and get nowhere with 3, you can do that to get it working again.

Bifta · 09-04-2004, 01:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by monkeybreath

www.3hell.com

i don't think 3 should be able to do this, but even if they have done, then there are ways to change the IMEI number, so if you get desperate and get nowhere with 3, you can do that to get it working again.

Tinkering with the IMEA no. is uhm ... illegal

Quote:

The Mobile Telephones (Re-Programming) Act 2002 states quite clearly that it is considered an offence if this number is altered or interfered with in any way. It is also illegal to have software or devices which would enable the user to change or interfere with a mobile phone's IMEA number

Chris W · 09-04-2004, 01:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bifta

Tinkering with the IMEA no. is uhm ... illegal

oops... didn't know that!

i take back the suggestion...!

etccarmageddon · 09-04-2004, 01:36

thanks for the 3hell link - I've checked there and it has no relevant topics and to be honest its more for people who have 3 phones!

as for changing the IEMI - I'd rather go down the route of a test case/complaint about 3 via OFCOM if needs be.

Russ · 09-04-2004, 01:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by etccarmageddon

thanks for the 3hell link - I've checked there and it has no relevant topics and to be honest its more for people who have 3 phones!

Set up a new topic

MovedGoalPosts · 09-04-2004, 01:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by etccarmageddon

my phone has packed in tonight and I suspect the reason is that 3 have put it on the lost/stolen list because I purchased it on '3pay' via the carphonewarehouse but unlocked it and put in my orange sim! either that or it has become faulty!
<snip>

This might be standard practice to protect you, the consumer. It's not that long ago that everyone was complaining about the theft rate of mobiles, because of the ease with whcih they could be unlocked.

However, I would expect that a simple call to 3, should set the record straight and confirm to them that you are he legitimate owner of the phone, and thus it should not be blocked. If that simple phone call don't solve it, then that's the time to call in Ofcom.

etccarmageddon · 09-04-2004, 08:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ D

Set up a new topic

done!

etccarmageddon · 09-04-2004, 08:40

found a possible answer here...

http://www.3gnewsroom.com/phorum-3.4...=16570&t=16570

Quote:

the CPW "3" nokia 7600 is set to lock onto a 3G network, in preference to a GSM network, if available. So with 3, it will lock onto the 3 3G network in preference to the O2 network; with Orange, it will try to lock onto the Orange 3G network in preference to the GSM network, etc, etc.....

If there is no 3G coverage for that network, then it has no problems connecting to the GSM network.

If there is 3G coverage, say for Orange 3G, the handset tries to connect to it, and as the SIM is not identified as a Orange 3G tester SIM, it will be booted off the network. The handset doesn't know what to do about that because its still reading a strong 3G signal, instead of dropping down to the GSM network, it will try reconnecting to the 3G network.

Simfree Nokia 7600s sourced elsewhere don't have this problem as they haven't been engineered for 3.

At least thats my interpretation of whats happening.

Neil · 09-04-2004, 09:14

You haven't actually told us what phone you bought-up until your last post I thought it was a Motorola A835.

etccarmageddon · 09-04-2004, 09:29

sorry mate - it's a nokia 7600 and I now have found lots of info all over the net forums about this problem. the carphonewarehouse 7600 3pay phone has a menu option 'removed' from it which allows you to select 2g or 3g networks... so if I enter an orange 3g signal area it auto links to that signal but because orange havent put my sim on the orange 3g trial, I am refused network access!

the solution appears to be - take phone to nokia service centre and ask for the menu option to be put back - probably by resetting the phone.

Bifta · 09-04-2004, 11:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by etccarmageddon

sorry mate - it's a nokia 7600 and I now have found lots of info all over the net forums about this problem. the carphonewarehouse 7600 3pay phone has a menu option 'removed' from it which allows you to select 2g or 3g networks... so if I enter an orange 3g signal area it auto links to that signal but because orange havent put my sim on the orange 3g trial, I am refused network access!

the solution appears to be - take phone to nokia service centre and ask for the menu option to be put back - probably by resetting the phone.

Ahhhhhh now that makes sense.

etccarmageddon · 09-04-2004, 14:09

http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Feb2004/6646.htm

"Orange 3G network live in over 20 cities including London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cannes, Toulouse and Lille"

so when I'm in manchester it picks up the orange 3g signal and trys to connect me to it but fails because i'm using a sim which hasnt been authorised to access the orange 3g network!