I got my MPX220 SIM unlock code from U.S. Cingular

[Guest ManImCool]

Ok, I am going to Italy this summer, actually in a few days. And there is no chance that I was going to pay international roaming charges with Cingular, so I bought a prepaid Italian sim card to put in my mpx220. As I predicted, when I put the Italy sim card in my 220 it asked for an unlock code. I called Cingular, told them that I was traveling abroad, and that I was going to use a prepaid SIM. They asked me what country and I told them Iran and Yemen, because they both are NOT covered by Cingular's international roaming. The Cingular rep said she would put in the unlock code request, and to my satisfactory surprise, she called me back 3 days later with the unlock code.

Now I had heard of horror stories that if you enter in your unlock code incorrectly 5 times, your phone is blocked and rendered useless, so I was a bit scared entering in the unlock code. To my complete horror, the first time I entered in the unlock code it failed and said "incorrect code"! I tried the same number again in case I had entered it incorrectly and it still was wrong. Panicking, I called Cingular again, knowing that I only had 3 attempts left, and talked to a very knowledgeable phone technician. She got my IMEI number again and told me not to attempt to enter the number in anymore; for she was going to try and resubmit the IMEI in case there was some sort of error and I had the wrong code.

Now I'm hoping that Cingular just screwed up the first time and they will give me the correct code in a few days. But I am worried that perhaps, the problem could be on my end? Maybe my phone is corrupt? I am running on Cingular US 1.43 ROM with a bunch of 'normal' applications installed, like Betaplayer, a few games, etc. Is there any way that my phone is at fault? Like maybe a simple hard reset and deleting everything, and then attempting the unlock code again might do the trick? Does hard resetting the phone affect the 5-attempt limit on unlocking the phone?

One more question- a bit more stupid and obvious, but I have to ask. When I entered in the unlock code, the digits I entered in instantly turned into astericks like in password form *******, so there was no way I could see the number I was typing in. Is there anyway, that I was entering in letters instead of numbers, which would explain why the code wasn't working?

Sorry about overloading you with all this information, but any help would be greatly appreciated! i really don't want to have to have Cingular replace my phone because I got locked out after 5 failed attempts, especially since I leave the country in 5 days! Thanks in advance for any help!

[Guest smeg36]

It would seem that they gave you the wrong code the first time. A hard reset would change nothing for the SIM lock as they are seperate parts of the phone. If you flash the ROM, it won't change the SIM lock status. Don't worry about hard resettings, or the programs you have on the phone, they aren't effecting it. When you enter the code, it is automatically put in as numbers, which is why it goes straight to *. Lastly, I could be wrong about this, but I thought it was a 3 try limit before you got the PUK locked screen.

[Guest ManImCool]

Cingular told me it was 5; but who knows. I hope it is 5 and not 3. So what happens after 3 or 5 tries? The phone is useless? Is there any salvaging with the use of Cingular or codes without having to send it to them and have it replaced?

[Guest smeg36]

As I said, I could be wrong. I don't know for certain with the MPx220. I know the MPx200 was 3 tries. It could be different for the MPx220. After the allocated number of wrong entries, your phone is then PUK locked as well as SIM locked. Then you would have to get the correct PUK code from Cingular as well as the correct SIM code. It can be fixed with a code that you would enter in though.

[Guest ManImCool]

Does obtaining the PUK unlock code involve the same unnecessary effort as the unlock code; i.e. calling Cingular, telling them my exact phone information, and waiting a few days? Or is there a generic PUK unlock code? Does Cingular willingly give up the PUK code, or are they tough and unwilling like the unlock code?