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Carrier unlock?

Hi everyone. I've got a question. So my friend has a Droid 2 Global purchased with a bad ESN. Is it possible to change this? Would it be a matter of changing the ESN number? And what exactly is the difference between ESN, IMEI, and MEID? They all uniquely identify the phone, correct?
And if it is not possible to change the ESN or whatever needs to be done, can the device be unlocked to work on AT&T, T-Mobile, or Sprint?
Thanks.
-Zane

ESN is the “old style” MEID. When you're talking about “bad ESN” that's effectively “bad MEID”.
IMEI is a GSM phone's unique ID, MEID is it's CDMA counterpart; MEIDs are only blacklisted by a single carrier while with IMEI, carriers (or even governments) can have agreements established to prevent cellphone theft.
There are no really affordable ways to change the MEID of a D2G.
To use a D2G with AT&T and T-Mobile you have to:
1. Unlock it via an unlock code (normally provided by VZW Global Services if the phone is active on an account in good standing for the last 6 months). The codes are sold on eBay (and specialised websites) and are a hit&miss kind of thing. If a code bought off eBay didn't work, don't bother buying from another seller. They're the same.
2. Perform a band unlock. AT&T and T-Mobile GSM networks are blacklisted in the baseband of D2G. Team Black Hat does a band unlock for a $100 fee; you have to mail the phone to them for the procedure, and you will be unable to update the firmware; it has to stay at 2.4.29 for the band unlock to work. Custom ROMs are ok, though.
As far as I remember, it's definitely possible to flash the D2G to use Cricket. Sprint, I'm not sure since I don't know which exact CDMA revision Sprint Nextel uses.

able chance ESN bad to good
1. root the phone(look on http://www.xda-developers.com for tutorials)
2. Flash a custom rom
3. connect the phone to any WiFi internet connection so you have access
4. Download an app on the app market called "MSL READER" this is the code you need in order to edit your settings.
5. go to the dial pad like your about to make a call and hit "##3282#" then click edit settings and enter the MSL NUMBER the app gave you
6. Well now you need to look for further details HINT: YOU MUST HAVE AND THIS IS REQUIRED... QPST TOOLS OR CDMA WORKSHOP TO CHANGE THE ESN/DEC NUMBER.. Use Port 7 or 28 to connect. You need to find a good ESN to replace the Bad one. Two ways to do it. You can look on ebay at phones like the one your want to activate and find a seller who has posted the ESN. Get that ESN and use it to replace your Bad one. Keep in mind who ever ends up with the phone on ebay will get the message, "Sorry, the phone you are trying to activate is active on another line." There is nothing he can do about it. You activated it first. If you have moral issues with theese directions that always work here is another way you can try. I have had success doing this with LG, SAMSUNG and Motorola phones. Simply change the last digit of the ESN number and only the last digit. Example: A000001769214F8 = BAD ESN Change to A000001769214F6 = Even for even Odd for Odd numbers. Works.
however, i don't know how to unlock ... anyone else can unlock it pls show me how to do that ... thanks

unock
the dg2 can be unlocked, but you can´t use U.S. sim card

daraf said:
the dg2 can be unlocked, but you can´t use U.S. sim card
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tool or code?

[Q] Sprint Galaxy S4 with bad ESN

Hello everyone, im looking forward to buy a Galaxy s4 sprint phone, with a bad ESN. After hours of research i wasnt able to find an answer to my question. I can carrier unlock this phone with software, thats not a problem it doesnt need a unlock code. But a phone with a bad esn will work with a GSM carrier? Its a Samsung Galaxy S4 SPH-L720T
It has a sim card slot, already had one in my hands and unlocked it, but it had a good ESN and worked perfectly on Costa Rica with a sim card. But, will a bad esn one work too?
Thanks for your answers

worms45 said:
Hello everyone, im looking forward to buy a Galaxy s4 sprint phone, with a bad ESN. After hours of research i wasnt able to find an answer to my question. I can carrier unlock this phone with software, thats not a problem it doesnt need a unlock code. But a phone with a bad esn will work with a GSM carrier? Its a Samsung Galaxy S4 SPH-L720T
It has a sim card slot, already had one in my hands and unlocked it, but it had a good ESN and worked perfectly on Costa Rica with a sim card. But, will a bad esn one work too?
Thanks for your answers
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By bad ESN number you mean that it has been blacklisted? This usually means that the device has been lost or worse stolen and most carriers will block access from any blacklisted devices. The blacklisting has worked remarkably well in curtailing the trafficking of stolen devices, and changing the ESNs to by pass this blacklisting is against the law in most places and should not even be discussed on xda...:good:

Factory imei

Is it possible to now factory (stock) imei in my A9 or changed?

youre trying to write the original imei back to the device? if thats the case, it can be done as long as you know the imei that it came with

The phone was used and not new factory imei. Is it possible to find somewhere factory ?????

i do not understand this question.
hmm - it is possible to write imei with tools - for example xtc2clip can do this job.
As i wrote: i don't understand your question...

JochenP said:
i do not understand this question.
hmm - it is possible to write imei with tools - for example xtc2clip can do this job.
As i wrote: i don't understand your question...
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Try unlock it from AT&T by code from HTC premium service and fail, so i think imei was changed before.....is it possible to find stock(factory) IMEI??? after it changed.

UAALEX said:
Try unlock it from AT&T by code from HTC premium service and fail, so i think imei was changed before.....is it possible to find stock(factory) IMEI??? after it changed.
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The only reason to change a phone IMEI is because the original one is blacklisted. If the IMEI is blacklisted then you are probably dealing with a stolen/lost phone and you should send it back to where it came from. The factory IMEI should be visible on the original box (which I guess you don't have if its a stolen/lost phone). It should also be printed in tiny characters somewhere on the SIM tray.
edit: I just read your other thread and this is a blacklisted imei phone. You should never buy blacklisted imei phones, there are a lot of reasons but the most important one: By buying a blacklisted phones on ebay you are supporting phones thieves. If the IMEI was blacklisted its for a good reason, not because the phone was apparently a demo phone...

alray said:
The only reason to change a phone IMEI is because the original one is blacklisted. If the IMEI is blacklisted then you are probably dealing with a stolen/lost phone and you should send it back to where it came from. The factory IMEI should be visible on the original box (which I guess you don't have if its a stolen/lost phone). It should also be printed in tiny characters somewhere on the SIM tray.
edit: I just read your other thread and this is a blacklisted imei phone. You should never buy blacklisted imei phones, there are a lot of reasons but the most important one: By buying a blacklisted phones on ebay you are supporting phones thieves. If the IMEI was blacklisted its for a good reason, not because the phone was apparently a demo phone...
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i realised it when bougth so now no way to return it. try to use it for overseas. if i change my imei unlock code will fork for?????

How to check if phone is blacklisted before buying for example on ebay?

SIM unlock S+

Hi,
Looking in this forum but can't see how to SIM unlock my S+. Phone was locked so I re-flashed with Odin but can't find guide to unlock SIM.
Phone is locked to UK Vodafone.
Can you send me please guide if there is some? Thanks

What is the message your phone displays when you insert a SIM card other than Vodafone UK (ie, a non-accepted SIM card) and try to place a phone call?
If the phone is locked, it will ask you for unlocking codes.

Yes, it's asking for unlock code. I could fix this with odin and some flash on my S7 Edge but how can I do this on S8+?

As far as I know you should buy the unlock code on eBay. Actually it depends on operator (each operator has its own way to lock it). For example Verizon doesn't lock GSM part on the modem for their phones at all. Sometimes remote unlock procedure is required (you will pay to third party and they will do it through the Teamview). The price depends on operator. There are 99% that you will not do it for free by yourself.
There is one chance to do it yourself only if your provider made some calling time lock. For example you have to insert Vodafone SIM card and make a phone call for some 5-10 minutes (but it shlould be done inside the country of phone's origin, UK in your case). Try to ask someone with a same Vodafone UK phone.
You can do it with Odin only if it was not really locked from the beginning but just had some carriers bloat, that was asking for that unlock.
What is exact model of your S8+? What does it says in Bootloader mode?

But actually I could do this with S7 edge. So S8 has some protection?
Ganibal_Lector said:
As far as I know you should buy the unlock code on eBay. Actually it depends on operator (each operator has its own way to lock it). For example Verizon doesn't lock GSM part on the modem for their phones at all. Sometimes remote unlock procedure is required (you will pay to third party and they will do it through the Teamview). The price depends on operator. There are 99% that you will not do it for free by yourself.
There is one chance to do it yourself only if your provider made some calling time lock. For example you have to insert Vodafone SIM card and make a phone call for some 5-10 minutes. Try to ask someone with a same Vodafone UK phone.
You can do it with Odin only if it was not really locked from the beginning but just had some carriers bloat, that was asking for that unlock.
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lew1s said:
But actually I could do this with S7 edge. So S8 has some protection?
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Was it the same Vodafone UK? What is exact model number of your S8+? What was original firmware and firmware you have feflashed with?

Ganibal_Lector said:
Was it the same Vodafone UK? What is exact model number of your S8+? What was original firmware and firmware you have feflashed with?
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no was Irish. Model: G955F and I used this guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qcBBQ4rwis

lew1s said:
no was Irish. Model: G955F and I used this guide:
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Based on other operators experience I would say you cannot do it by yourself as usually simple flashing will not unlock the phone. You will really need one of paid methods to unlock it. It is still better to ask someone with a same Vodafone phone. As unlockers on ebay etc. make money with those methods I don't really believe that someone here will tell you how to do that by your own.
There was a thread where the guy was discussing unlock for his Austrian locked phone. Finally he paid twice as first seller sold him some wrong unlock code and phone became network blocked completely. However he bought some "unfreeze" code from different seller and that worked for him. If it would be so easy to unlock operators phones they will never sell them cheaper than unlocked.
Another option is still to perform call with original Verizon UK SIM card for 10 minutes. After that you should reboot your phone and it should be unlocked. If it will not work you can approach Vodafone UK and ask them for unlock code. If there was no any financial issues for that phone and it is registered more than 6 months in the network they should provide you with unlock code for free.
Sorry if I didn't help you too much.

Bought a phone, checked IMEI online was clean, phone unable to connect to sim card.

With my Bday money I purchased a A32 5g off of FBM for $140, bought a month of service, got the t-mobile sim delivered and popped it in and it did not work, called T-mobile and some foreign speaking sale associate who could not comprehend anything other then her preset phrases told me the phone imei was "blocked" even though the look ups say it is clean. Well I have no idea what to do about this other then to stalk the guy who insta blocked me after I asked him to unlock the IMEI, and was wondering if you guys would be able to help with my options. Also wondering if it may just be network locked? which I couldnt figure out which carrier it would of been used by, it did have the tmobile app installed tho. IDK..

Wouldnt mind doing roots or what ever to get it running, just not sure which direction to go.

An IMEI - what is comparable to a chassis number - can't get locked / unlocked

jwoegerbauer said:
An IMEI - what is comparable to a chassis number - can't get locked / unlocked
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So that crosses out my thoughts of it being a sub branch like metro or something and network locked to only metro then?