Hello,
I recently bought a S5 in the netherlands (i live and use the phone in belgium). Started it up, everything works fine. I make one phonecall as required for the regionlock, works fine.
Then something strange happens, after the one phonecall required, i cant accept or make phonecalls anymore.
I get a message "your phone has been locked due to security reasons"
Now the weird thing is, if i use a simcard from another carrier, the phone just works fine, no locking whatsoever...
Called Samsung support, told the story, they tell me phone is region locked and i need to get a code, but the phone never asks me for a code nor can i put one in anywhere.
So i called my provider, they tell me the phone is blacklisted probably but they cant check that...
After some research i found out the phone is actualy from UK with an international firmware on it: G900FXXU1ANG2 (countrycode BTU)
Anyone have an idea how to get rid of this problem?
I dont want to root the phone just yet in case i have to exchange it for another one.
Would it help to get the countryspecific stock firmware installed for my country? (Belgium)
thanks a lot for the help
thale
You'd get better help if you gave us more details, notably verbatim error messages, rather than paraphrasing.
Your provider can certainly tell you if your phone is blacklisted since an IMEI blacklist is under their direct control. So ask them again to clarify that. Region locking is much more likely though. Samsung region locks phones to prevent grey market sales, which is exactly what you've tried to do. The region lock is released after you use the phone a short while with a provider in the original region, which sounds like the UK in your case. Region locking is also a type of blacklist, although that term is almost always used to refer to carrier IMEI blacklisting unless otherwise specified.
As you didn't make any preliminary calls in the UK, nor apparently did the previous owner (or vendor), the phone is now restricted. You could travel to the UK and use your phone there for a day to dissipate the region lock. Or a lot of people claim that a regular SIM unlock code, such as you can buy on Ebay or any number of other places will also remove the region lock (unconfirmed). Or you can root your phone and circumvent the region lock by editing the blocked regions in your customer.xml file.
There are lots of existing threads on this subject, as you would know if had you done a search. Refer to those for further elaboration or you can search my post history as I've posted in detail how to remove the region lock in previous posts.
.
Thanks for the reply, this forum was my last resort since i didnt understand the problem.
I dont get any error messages at all.
provider A in S5 --> while calling i get the message phone blocked for security reason
provider A in S4 mini --> works perfectly
Provider B in S5 --> works perfectly
so i thought problems lies with faulty simcard, exchanged it but problem stays
when i call samsung they tell me its a provider problem
when i call my provider they say its a phone problem
in europe shouldnt matter realy where you buy your phone since there's free traffic of goods and services. I wonder if the webshop knows they are selling UK phones, ill talk to them about it tomorrow.
thanks again for the reply ill try to get the problem sorted, if that doesnt work at all, i guess ill just root it and fix the problem
kind regards,
thale
Humh, sounds weird.
Use the code *#7465625# (*#SIMLOCK#) to check for the lock status. On some devices this code needs root to launch.
thalekick said:
Thanks for the reply, this forum was my last resort since i didnt understand the problem.
I dont get any error messages at all.
provider A in S5 --> while calling i get the message phone blocked for security reason
provider A in S4 mini --> works perfectly
Provider B in S5 --> works perfectly
so i thought problems lies with faulty simcard, exchanged it but problem stays
when i call samsung they tell me its a provider problem
when i call my provider they say its a phone problem
in europe shouldnt matter realy where you buy your phone since there's free traffic of goods and services. I wonder if the webshop knows they are selling UK phones, ill talk to them about it tomorrow.
thanks again for the reply ill try to get the problem sorted, if that doesnt work at all, i guess ill just root it and fix the problem
kind regards,
thale
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I understood you correctly, your SIM card works properly in other phones. So your SIM card shouldn't be the issue. If your S5 is SIM unlocked (carrier unlocked), you could try someone else's SIM card in your S5 to rule out less common problems e.g. bent SIM socket.
And regardless, in your place, I'd open a support ticket with your provider. That should cover anything like a IMEI blacklist. All in all though it does sound like region locking. Which is Samsung blocking a phone from being used in a different region unless it has been first activated (i.e. used for a few calls) in the original region first. I wouldn't think that a region lock between two parts of Europe would be intentional, but it is still something to look into.
Without any explicit error messages, it is difficult to narrow down the cause. You might consider installing a logcat app to capture the system log which may have more information about the error.
Also try dialing *#06* and ensure that you have a valid IMEI (not all zeros)
And dial *#0011#. You should see a (IMEI) certificate "Pass"if at the end. If it says IMEI CERTI: FAIL or NA you may have a flash error or IMEI blacklist.
.
Hello,
phone is an unlocked one, i used 2 different simcards from 2 different providers.
imei certificate passes so thats good!
im gonna make some phonecalls today and keep you all posted
kind regards
thale
Try to use Provider A with another sim card?
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
Had another talk with the helpdesk from the provider, they told me the phone is blacklisted but couldnt give me a reason why.
Im only blacklisted with provider A, if u use the phone with another simcard from another provider it works like a charm.
Ive had to send them my proof of purchase, and they will unblock the phone...
Havent had any feedback yet from the shop i bought it from, so maybe they can shine a new light on the whole deal!
Try
How about contacting the retailer? I think you'd better not root the phone or fix it by yourself.
Related
Never a nice thought some one is flicking thru your contacts and private photos.
No they can onlu IMEI block it to prevent it making calls, consider using the built in password options.
they can imei bar it but the orbit works without a sim in terms of browsing stuff so I guess so, unless you set up a handset pin as well as a sim pin
What happens if they put a different sim card in there before i tell O2?
Can you still search around on the device with Active Sync if there is a lock.
it will still imei bar the handset, I would guess so re the active sync q, bes thing is to put a handset pin in
i take there is a hack to unlock the IMEI after they have blocked it.
No there is no hack unless you phyically flash the phone to change the IMEI as i amware this is not possible.. well probably but more likly to completely f*** the phone up.
Now there is a small thing there is no INTERNATIONAL blacklist for IMEI i think the EU or atleast many EU countries are linked so you cant just go to France from UK and use a bared IMEI but i know it u go to like Thailand you can (gave my girlfriend a phone i had when she was on holiday and it worked that was bared here because i reported it stolen and then it turned up).
Anyway no-one on here will help you change an IMEI its to risky for all they know you may have stolen it. (this is not an acusation in ANYWAY) However there are those that will try this sort of technique.
Firstly, hello everyone.
I recently bought the Orange SPV M3100 on eBay, and can not for the life of me get it to connect to Vodafone with my contract SIM.
So far I have:
-Sim unlocked and superCID'd the phone.
-Installed WM6 (via CUSTEL).
-Tried 3 different Radio versions.
-Attempted to install Vodafones official update (which failed for reasons unknown).
-Played around with just about all network settings.
Basically, the device acts as if it's trying to connect to the network, but doesn't (PC speakers pick up inteference etc).
With automatic network selection it just doesn't do anything.
With manual network selection it gives all four big UK providers (allowing for signal - I live in the North York Moors) including Vodafone, but won't connect to any of them.
If I click 'set networks' I get a HUGE list of providers. Vodafone UK (if it appears at all, for some reason O2 and TMobile seem to appear on the list more often) is nearly always unchecked at the bottom. Checking it doesn't fix the problem. When I go back there later it has sometimes lost that setting and Vodafone is unchecked at the bottom again.
I should probably mention that any setting I change here results in a 2 minute "Sending new settings to the network", and on a couple of occasions has caused it to crash.
If I go onto band settings, originally they were both set to auto. Infact, I've just gone onto it as I type, and they have gone back to auto. Before it had got stuck on GSM/UMTS band type 'GSM(900+1800)+UMTS(2100)' (gave an error message unable to change band etc if I tried to change it to anything else). I cannot change the network type or GSM band otherwise without the same error message appearing.
So anyway, as you can see I've gone through a lot and read a lot unlike your typical n00b, and my prospects with this new phone are bleak.
Can anyone help me or suggest anything else that could get this phone onto Vodafone?
I have a worrying thought that this phone could have originally been half-inched (the eBay seller seemed a tad on the dodgy side), been reported, and is now serial-blocked from UK networks, if that's possible?
[edit] I don't know if they are or can be serial blocked, but in which case, assuming you trust and sympathise with my story, is it possible to hack & change the serial number?
Sounds possible that its been blocked. Yes there is a way but you probably won't find any help on this site to do it as it is illegal. Thats not to say you can't search the site, you may find something that may help... Search is your friend...
Cheers...
Yeah reading into the problem reveals a possible 'IMEI' block.
Time to contact the ebay seller I think.
Have spotted an obvious hole in my theory:
The thing came in it's original box (s/n sticker confirmed) with all manuals and accessories.
So back to original problems; is there anything else I have missed?
[edit]
Phone is unblocked according to http://www.amta.org.au/default.asp?Page=405.
So unless they're wrong, why can't I connect to Vodafone and what else can I try?
did you try *#06# on the phone to be sure the S/N on the stickers and phone is the same as the actual phone S/N?
Yes, they are.
Would Vodafone be of any help on this issue?
Depends if they supply that model of phone.
Do you have a network configurator app cooked into the rom you are using or are you using a stock rom?
Might be an idea to look for a network configurator cab if you're using the stock rom and see if that helps. Also if you are using a stock rom, and its not setup for vodaphone, it MAY (don't quote me on this) be affecting the network settings and making it incompatable with the carrier you want.
Just a thought...
I'd also try to run the sim unlock app again, just remember it has to be the SPL that was supplied with the sim/cid unlock tool. Make sure you install Hard SPL V7 back after checking this...
vodaphone will help you if you ring them up using a the sim card in a working phone and ask them to check if its imei is blocked, they do it totaly free of charge.. had to do this with a viewty i bought from a work buddy shorty before he forgot to tell me he did not pay the contract bill and t-mobile blocked it. well annoyed, but they told me it was reported Lost or stolen.
found a few places on the net that offer a check for £10 sod em lol
luckly got me cash back selling it for parts hehe
What a bloody carry on!
Vodafone told me it was blacklisted; reported stolen.
The eBay member is highly upset at being called a theif and very convincingly tells me otherwise (I'm 90% sure I can believe his story, and feel bad for my accusation).
Orange (of whom I'm not even a customer) then tell me "I'm sorry it's blacklisted for an unknown reason ... <click-click> ... there you go sir I've removed it from the blacklist!"
Well, if it starts working again in the next 48 hours I couldn't give a monkeys what's gone on. I just want the bugger to work!
the only reason that a phone would be blocked is if it was reported.......have you tried another sim from o2 or orange etc.
the question has been asked before about imei changing and as you know its illegal,but can be done so if all else fails search elsewhere,not here, i would suggest that unblocking a phone is never likely to be an achievable goal.the networks are not known for their magninimity
please can anybody help me. i bought one htc elf in dubai and i went then to turkey am trying to make it work in turkey but in vain. it is always searching for network and not finding anything.
have you tried flashing a different radio? Or, have you go into phone settings and tried to select a network manually?
i couldn't upgrade my radio version it is always arriving 79%, stopping and giving error.
Whats the error, make sure to post as much information as possible, people wold be able to help better then.
Have you checked the error codes in the ROM section?
Stu
no actually am sorry but i did not know about that section before. so it is error 270.
thanks actually i found that error solution but nothing changed still my phone is searching for network in vain. even am trying to find a network manually it is writing cannot read settings from the network try viewing settings later or disconnect data connection and try again.
where did you buy the phone from in dubai? Was it from a market etc or a store? It could be blacklisted in turkey? Just thinking that could be a possibility.
i bought from jumbo electronics in dubai it is a distributer of consumer electronics. so what can we do if it is blacklisted.
i doubt it would be blacklisted if from a shop. If it is blacklisted, theres pretty much nothing you can do about it, apart from change the imei - which may well be illegal, i know it is here in the UK.
mm is there any way to change the imei like software.
for that, i would not help. you can however search forums to see if you can find anything for it.
google checkmend as well, that tells if the phone is blacklisted etc, but maybe only for us and uk, not sure. costs $2.99 USD though.
actually there is something strange i have one sim card from UAE, when i use it the signal of network is coming and when i put any sim in Turkey no signal is coming. do you think it is blacklisted?
the turkey sim may not be registered? I wouldn't be able to say if it is blacklisted - i'm still learning these phones too
About IMEI
If you bring a cell phone from out of Turkey you need to register it in cell shop called like "Turkcell Extra".
You need your phone and your passport. The personal'll look at the dates in your passport and check the invoice date in shop after he/she will register your phone to Turkey Network. after a copule of days you can use it complately...
to my knowledge it may be because of the the frequency of the signal u r receiving in ur country. elf and elfin are triband phones.. they dont have a frequency range of 850 Mhz .. may be ur provider is giving the signal in that frequency.. try with gsm sim of other service provider may be it will help u...
thanks alot but i think my phone now is blacklisted cause as i remember i came to turkey before long time and it was working but now it is not anymore even i tried different sim cards like vodafone and turkcell but in vain. i have other phone am using now and i registered it on my passport it is working but i want to use my elf actually i dont wanna use other phone cause i love that phone that is all.
first unlock your device, then install the newest radio.
So the matter goes like this -
I bought a GS 7 Edge (SM-G935F single SIM International unlocked variant) from Ebay India recently. Everything is OK with the phone except that it is unable to search and connect to any Indian mobile network. It shows "NO SERVICE" even when a SIM is inserted and do not search for networks anyhow. After some search I came to know that it is Middle East specific variant so no Indian SIM card is working in it. So I guess it is suffering from that infamous "Region Lock" issue. I know the "5-minute call in region/home network" solution but unfortunately it is impossible to me to go to middle east just for this.
Is there anyone out there who had/has this issue and got it solved anyhow (other than 5-minute call method).
Please anyone including our great forum modders and devs, I request you to help me out from this awkward situation.
I think you can just get a sim card (turkish for example) from ebay? that will cost you like 10$
Apologies if im wrong
When you insert an indian sim does it ask for a SIM unlock code?
If it doesnt then its not a region lock problem. Your phone has a defect and youshould either return it or get it checked at a service centre.
If it does, then just contact the samsung middle east through e-mail, they'll help you out with the PIN
No it does not ask for any code.
Some more questions, please can some one answer?
1. Can I flash the phone with an Asia Pacific (which is my region) stock ROM?
2. If the answer is yes and everything is successful then will it remove the region lock?
3. Does anyone know whether the region lock is a hardware or firmware based restriction?
Any help is highly appreciated.
Unfortunately nothing worked for me. I successfully flashed the phone with Indian Stock ROM but the problem persisted. As a last resort I rooted the phone and used the "Region Lock Away" app. But unfortunately it did not work either giving "Unexpected error occurred" message. Now I think I can't do anything about this other than shelling out money at a Samsung service center.
@samsung - I must say Samsung, you are not doing it right at all by region locking the devices. It is the most stupid and bad-for-business move from your part. I mean come on! A user buys your phone spending a lot then he/she must be free to use it anywhere and anyhow without any restrictions. Why on earth I spend more money buying a SIM card, you are selling phones or promoting regional network operators along with it. Disappointed as I am, I will no longer buy a Samsung phone in the future and will make sure no other in my family and circle buys one. Besides being a blogger and social media influencer I will do as much as I can to make people aware about this restrictive and monopolistic attitude of yours. You will have to pay for this.
I'm with u
i bought it from India, and back to Singapore...
cant use it alerady a week. and Singapore samsung saying they cant help. contact indian operator / samsung service centre.
hi all
i have a uk model s8 on the o2 network which was originally locked to o2.
so i took it the local market to get it unlocked which the market trader did and it accepted another uk sim
but wont connect to any network now. states emergency calls only, even with my original o2 sim.
i cant even search for any networks. when you try to search for networks by choosing the phone option, nothing happens, just states not available at this time. same thing when you try to choose manual or automatic search.
it accepts any sim now but wont connect to any network.
i thought it may have been barred even though i bought it 2nd hand and had it over 8 months so i checked imei on the net and it comes up clean. so not barred.
he couldnt also understand why you cannot search network, why this option cannot be selected.
so i come on this forum for some help, and a member did help me and got it working by flashing something to it via remote team viewer but after a few hours it stopped catching a signal because i downloaded an app onto it to hide root which worked but caused the phone to loose the signal again. and then when i contacted the member, he refused to do it again.
i pleaded with him to flash again or do whatever he did but after days of waiting without a phone he was not available to help. so please can anyone help and tell me what he did so i can fix my phone.
i know from users on here, you can have root hiding apps running on an s8 and still be able to perfom the fix to the problem on my phone.
i know it has something to do with imei not being registered on phone and it showing a NG next to imei.
any help or guidance would be appreciated
regards,
Margaret acey
Anyone?
ace.1 said:
Anyone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
don't O2 unlock phones for you free of charge? That is how it used to be when I was last in UK.
I really wouldn't trust anyone to remotely download/fix phone, they could do all sorts, hopefully you got a good guy but the fact they won't do it again seems suss to me.
Have you done this,
https://www.technobezz.com/fix-samsung-galaxymobile-network-available/
I suggest you flash stock o2 rom and take it to O2 to unlock phone, this will" clean" your phone so if the helpull member installed anything he shouldn't have it'll be wiped. Also check white o2 if your data etc has being used by someone else ie cloned your phone. (but there may be some other issue as the trader couldn't search for a network)
Thsnks for the response.
Its not locked anymore. As it accepts all sims which it didn't anymore.
This has something to do with the imei not been registered.
The imei status is NG when it should be OK.