18 replies to this topic

[roundajr2579]

Hi All.

I was just wondering if anyone HAS actually managed to get their Orange Monte Carlo unlocked and if so what route did you take?

Did you take the "Official Orange" route and if so how open were they giving you the code?....

Also, does anyone know if Orange charge for this code or do they offer a charge to buy the code straight away?

Andy.

[gitf@ce]

roundajr2579, on 16 September 2011 - 10:03 AM, said:

Hi All.

I was just wondering if anyone HAS actually managed to get their Orange Monte Carlo unlocked and if so what route did you take?

Did you take the "Official Orange" route and if so how open were they giving you the code?....

Also, does anyone know if Orange charge for this code or do they offer a charge to buy the code straight away?

Andy.

Er... no.

Just take a look around, you'll find a myriad of answers to your questions.

[roundajr2579]

Thanks for your helpful reply.

[dadashi]

I phoned orange and was told they would give the unlock code 3 months after the sale...

I was also told the unlock codes would be sent to orange from ZTE on request and then to costumer....so orange doesn't have the unlock codes, they get them from ZTE on individual requests...

obviously ZTE has the unlock codes for each imei in it's databank or uses an algorithm ....

Edited by dadashi, 16 September 2011 - 10:57 AM.

[Chris_67]

dadashi, on 16 September 2011 - 10:52 AM, said:

obviously ZTE has the unlock codes for each imei in it's databank or uses an algorithm ....

I suppose it's a combination of unlock algorythm hidden inside the msm7227 and a random number defined by the provider (Orange in this case).

[dadashi]

Chris_67, on 16 September 2011 - 11:04 AM, said:

I suppose it's a combination of unlock algorythm hidden inside the msm7227 and a random number defined by the provider (Orange in this case).

which random number from orange?

...when i bought my OMC they swapped the contract sim printed on the box to another paygo sim with other serial number ...so there is no record of which sim or imei they've sold together or which costumer......

[Chris_67]

I somwhere read (could take some time to find the original text), that the unlock-mechanism of the Skate is the same as in the Blade, extended by a random number (secret code) defined and only known by the provider.

That would explain why ZTE (as they stated) can't  give the unlock-code directly to the customer: It has to be "(de)scrambled" by the provider by using their secret code for the Skate to accept it.

[gregorv]

no unlock, no purchase

i hope someone will find a solution....how was the blade unlocked, who unlocked it, maybe the same person could achive something.

[Frankish]

The Blade had an easier to find algorithm for the codes.

[gregorv]

, that's not goot to hear, I gues I will have to search for skate alternative

[gitf@ce]

gregorv, on 19 September 2011 - 09:23 AM, said:

, that's not goot to hear, I gues I will have to search for skate alternative

It's a shame you can't hang on a bit Gregorv... I have to say that after stripping all the Orange bloat from the stock rom, this is one helluva phone! I must be in lucky mode at the moment, as I got mine for free (agreeing to renew my daughters Blackberry account) plus I have just managed to extract twenty quids worth of credit due to Orange goof up's .

I'm sure someone will get this thing cracked within a few weeks (maybe less) There must be loads of online unlock companies having a go at being the first one to offer an unlock. Maybe even ZTE will let something slip out once they realise it's hurting sales?

[gregorv]

I can wait till beginning, middle of October, after that I must buy a phone (it will be a gift).
I hope someone will crack it.

[Paul Shirley]

dadashi, on 16 September 2011 - 11:09 AM, said:

swapped the contract sim printed on the box to another paygo sim with other serial number ...so there is no record of which sim or imei they've sold together or which costumer......

Since it's the phone that's locked (not the SIM) and you need to give them the IMEI when you ask for an unlock, so why would that be a problem? The lock code checks fields specific to all Orange SIMs, not the one you bought with it.

gitf@ce, on 19 September 2011 - 11:38 AM, said:

Maybe even ZTE will let something slip out once they realise it's hurting sales?

If the lock is hurting sales, it's only hurting low profit sales via Orange. ZTE might consider that an opportunity to sell you an unlocked phone direct with much more profit for themselves

More likely there really aren't as many people box breaking as you think and not many sales to lose. You're on a forum full of atypical users, easy to draw exaggerated conclusions.

[gitf@ce]

Paul Shirley, on 19 September 2011 - 11:46 PM, said:

If the lock is hurting sales, it's only hurting low profit sales via Orange. ZTE might consider that an opportunity to sell you an unlocked phone direct with much more profit for themselves

More likely there really aren't as many people box breaking as you think and not many sales to lose. You're on a forum full of atypical users, easy to draw exaggerated conclusions.

Point taken
The huge number of hits the unlocking thread is attracting is most probably the same few people using auto 'refresh'

[dadashi]

he has got a point you know...there are about 10 or 20 core OMC "owners", me included, constantly trolling the forum, everyday hoping for an unlock break through...

...look at the list of posters, the same few generaly moaning about the sim lock, me included ... Id sell my OMC right now if I wouldnt make a loss, now Im only keeping it in the hope of selling it unlocked...

I should have bought the HTC HD2 when I had the chance...

[Skip Tracer]

Paul Shirley, on 19 September 2011 - 11:46 PM, said:

If the lock is hurting sales, it's only hurting low profit sales via Orange. ZTE might consider that an opportunity to sell you an unlocked phone direct with much more profit for themselves

More likely there really aren't as many people box breaking as you think and not many sales to lose. You're on a forum full of atypical users, easy to draw exaggerated conclusions.

  Not sure if that is true as I know from personal experience that many folk brought the Orange San Francisco because they knew through the grapevine that the phone was easy to unlock and I know from fact that these OSF users have never been to the Modaco site.

[roundajr2579]

listening to all the feedback on all the posts here and on other sites too, I have given up the idea of getting a Monte Carlo and instead have purchased myself a mint condition second have HTC HD2 and loaded Android 2.3 on it and it runs like a charm, Fully unlocked and all the extras like a case, extra battery all purchased from eBay too for less than the cost of the Monte Carlo without the £10 top-up or any costs to Orange to get the unlock code.

[dadashi]

UMmmm, great..just I was thinking of doing...

How does it compare to OMC?

1- Plays Flash out of the box?  BBC iplayer, Catchup, etc...
2- Camera any good...video camera?
3- GPS reception good?
4- App speeds in comparison to OMC? quicker and smoother?
5- Screen quality, colors, viewing angle...any better than OMC?
6- Everything working, sensors, bluetooth, wifi etc...?
7..any other big differences?

[roundajr2579]

Well i cant really comment on the Monte Carlo as I haven't actually seen once running in the flesh, the Orange store near me only had a dummy phone when I went in.

I must say though when I was looking the HD2 is one of the closest specs to the Monte Carlo apart from the 1ghz processor which I believe the HTC currently has and the ZTE may be getting shortly.

As for the screen exactly the same size 4.3" and resolution is the same too.  Screen viewing angle is awesome really bright and viewable from really tight angles too.  All  features and sensors are currently running as far as I can tell, the GPS on the Cyanogen Rom is a little slower than the previous ROM i installed however the lock is to 1m - 2m which is much better than I have ever got from any of my previous Android GPS phones.

Overall I'm impressed.  I just didnt fancy buying the OMC now and not being able to use my 3 sim in it for 3-4 months depending on how long Orange take to get the unlock code to you, and seen as from what i understand regarding the unlock code being a mixture of two separate keys / algorithms then there is no guarantee that anyone will break the cypher without a large enough data set of both codes... which could take a while.

For anyone fed up of waiting (like me) i can recommend the HTC HD2 (just as long as you quickly ditch the Windows Mobile OS)