79 replies to this topic

[duncan888]

Has anyone unlocked there C500 to allow the use of other networks yet?

if so, how?

Will orange take off the lock, will they charge a fee?

Thanks

[shadamehr]

Quote

Has anyone unlocked there C500 to allow other networks yet?

if so, how?

Will Orange Unlock (OTA) it, will they charge a fee?

Thanks

BUMP ^

Florin, how long?

[duncan888]

no one planning to unlock there phone then?

[Rolfe_WJ_2]

Application unlock?  Well, I just get 'do you trust this software.....etc etc' and I can install unsigned applications without problem so far. Maybe you dont need to unlock?   :shock:

[duncan888]

I dont mean application lock, I mean to network lock so that you can use Vodafone or O2 etc on the C500

[Rolfe_WJ_2]

Sorry, I should have read your post properly.    :roll:  :oops:

[shadamehr]

bumping again - its very quiet...

No interest whatsoever in a c500 for me until it can be unlocked...

[Disco Stu]

If you're not on O, wouldn't you just buy the QTek ?
(Sorry if I've missed something obvious  :wink: )

[Pinga]

Quote

If you're not on O, wouldn't you just buy the QTek ?
(Sorry if I've missed something obvious  :wink: )

Maybe they want the black version, witch is only available via Orange. Or maybe the qtek will be out a lot later than the C500 (seem's to be that way).

[duncan888]

yes that is the obvious, the qtek or the imate isnt out yet

[theevaluator]

i also think quite a few people in the US would pay a pretty penny for unlocked c500's- i know i'd pay quite a bit for one rather than wait for the imate to be released, whenever that is.

i would think the approach would be to re-flash the phone with a completely new ROM rather than SIM unlocking it.

has anyone unlocked orange spv's before?  i don't know whether its even possible, but i seem to recall people doing it.

[grantd]

I just spoke to Orange customer services (after 30 minutes holding) who advised me to go into any orange retail shop and request my c500 to be SIM unlocked. She said that they will happily perform the service and charge me £20 for the privilege.

I asked for this when I upgraded to the c500 last week & the guy in the shop looked at me as if I was a criminal. I told the helpful woman on the phone at orange about this and she said I should try a smaller shop?!

So Im going to call a few shops and see if they do it.

keep you posted....

...and if you find a way to unlock yours please let us know.

[JasonKenny]

Grantd,

Very very keen to hear how you get on with the unlock

Jay

[grantd]

It seems the nice lady I spoke to at orange customer services didn't know what she was talking about (advising me to go to any Orange retail store and paying £20 to unlock my c500). I called 5 stores and they all denied being able to perform the service.

So after another 20 minute session holding for Orange customer services the Guy I spoke to said the only way I could unlock my c500 on its new contract was to fully pay it up. Then they could request the unlock code from HTC and charge me £20 to give it to me. He volunteered that I could reduce my contract tariff to £13.99 a month before I paid it up, then change it back to my original contract once I had the phone unlocked. So all up it will cost me £187.88 to unlock the phone.
I guess charging me this much would be fair if I was not going to continue to make calls with Orange, but in my case I am. So the experience has left me feeling a little frustrated.

Im sure the talented blokes working on an unlock crack for the c500 will sort it soon [-o<

Among others these guys have assured me they are currently working hard on it:
www.imei-check.co.uk

[duncan888]

This is a reply from www.imei-check.co.uk when I asked them about unlocking the C500


      "We don't have a c500 yet, we order few of them and as soon we receive
      them, will start to work at the solution."

[inspectorgadjet]

If I'm not mistaken, you're not allowed to downgrade your price plan for 3 or 6 months if you've bought your phone from an Orange shop. They're always the most expensive anyway. Sooner or later an unlock method will appear somewhere.

[JasonKenny]

Can you use Orange customer service rules against them?

If you have to buy out the remainder of your contract then anyone who has just successfully talked OCS into UPGRADING their phone to an e500 rather than cancelling the contract will get a cheap way to sim unlock.

My understanding is that - subject to orange direct having c500 handsets - all OCS staff have discretion to grant free phone upgrades in month 11 of a twelve month contract.  If you politely threaten to cancel then you are put through to cancellations who have discretion to do a deal and I'm aware of people in month 10 getting a free upgrade.

That means in month 11 you can get a sim unlocked c500 for circa £34 (free upgrade, £20 unlock code and one month's lowest charge of £13.99).

What a bugger for those of us who just cancelled my orange contract and took out a new one.

Jay

[agent.m]

I remember the crap I went through to get my classic spv unlocked hours before they phoned to give me the code I got the unlock program from here  

[sebset]

any news about unlock process? even if not legal.. i don't care.

[dylanlewis2000]

what about some of these unlocking programs going round some dodgy place and places like taht. Orange unlocked my SPV E100 for free...