Sim Unlocked but IMEI Network Locked?

[Guest Hoovie]

Hi, this is a strange problem I have and am asking for advice here. It is an interesting little problem as well for the techie minded, so worth while reading on ;)

Before anyone replies, I would ask that they read carefully the symptoms, as the problem is not that obvious!

Orange SPV C500

I have had this a fair while - over two years - and one of the first things I did was to get it SIM Unlocked to use on the Vodafone network. This was fine and I have used it on both Orange and Vodafone for ages. The current network I am using it on is Vodafone.

Went to use this morning and I found I could not make any calls on it (worked fine yesterday, and day before that, and before that, and etc etc).

Tried other SIMS (Orange and Virgin) in the SPV C500 and they were no good either.

Plugged the Vodafone SIM into another handset (Lobster 700TV unlocked if anyone interested) and I can now make calls on the Vodafone net on the Lobster 700TV, so problem not with Vodafone SIM

Called Orange as it looked to me like the C500 handset had been blocked for some reason - They confirmed it had a block placed on it but couldn't say why. They then unblocked the phone and sent SIM update to the phone (I had plugged in my Orange SIM then to make it 'match' their records)

That got the phone working again, but now it ONLY works on the Orange net!

When I plug in a Virgin SIM in the phone, the display says it is Virgin; When I plug in a Vodafone SIM in the phone, the display says it is Vodafone, and etc with Orange.

Now, if the phone was SIM Locked again, the phone would not accept those SIMS, I believe, so I am sure the SPV C500 IS still SIM Unlocked. However, I cannot make or receive calls on this phone anymore using Non-Orange SIMS - and all these SIMS work in my Lobster 700TV Phone :D

I am assuming IMEI Blocking is inter-network, otherwise there would be little point in blocking stolen phones if all the toerags had to do with plug in another providers SIM. Therefore I called Vodaphone Corporate, told them the situation and asked them if they had any record of a IMEI block on this phone and they said no. Called Orange and they said their unblocking of the phone would not have affected any SIM Unlocks.

SPV M2000

Now this is identical to above in Symptoms, would you believe! just a slightly different sequence of events

Got a SPV M2000 and ran the unlock code from XDA Developers to unlock it straight after buying it - around Nov '05. Again worked great with Orange and Vodafone.

Thought I lost the phone a couple of weeks ago and called Orange customer service to block the IMEI number (didn't want any one who found it using it gratis!).

Came across the phone at the weekend (under the car seat) and called Orange today to have it Unblocked again.

Now from this point, sequence of trouble-shooting is exactly as for SPV C500 - it recognises all my SIMS and reports the correct network in the display but will not make or take calls EXCEPT for when there is an Orange SIM installed.

I did try and tun the unblocker again on the M2000 and it said sucessfully unblocked but I think it reports that based on the end state of the phone rather then what the software did (what I mean is if a phone is already unblocked and the s/w is run, then it will say 'sucessfully unblocked' as the phone is not blocked anyway)

Now, can anyone shed any light on what the heck is going on here??

Is there a automatic propogation of IMEI blocked phones going between different service providers so they get automatically blocked on all networks? If so, does it work the other way, so when a phone is unblocked (perfectly legally by the original network provider), the unblocking gets propogated?

Any ideas, suggestions, experiences, etc gratefully received

Thanks in Advance, Guys

Hoovie

Edited March 13, 2007 by Hoovie

[Guest awarner (MVP)]

Sounds like Orange have messed up and blocked bothe handsets by mistake, the C500 may wekk be SIM locked again and a quice application unlock and then reg edit should be able to SIM unlock it again.

As for the M2000 it sounds like Orange have still to remove the bar on the handset.

[Guest The Doctor]

Had this with my SPV C500, had it from new, and Orange randomly blacklist my IMEI for no apparent reason every now and again (they can't explain why its happened when I phone up)

Works fine atm, for now...

Phil

[Guest Hoovie]

Had this with my SPV C500, had it from new, and Orange randomly blacklist my IMEI for no apparent reason every now and again (they can't explain why its happened when I phone up)

Works fine atm, for now...

Phil

Thanks for reading and replying.

This is the first time for me, thankfully - Are you running a normal Orange SIM/C500 Combination or another Networks SIM?

[Guest Hoovie]

Sounds like Orange have messed up and blocked bothe handsets by mistake, the C500 may wekk be SIM locked again and a quice application unlock and then reg edit should be able to SIM unlock it again.

At the time I unlocked it, it was a pay £20 for unlocking option and I don't really want to drop £20 again on the off-chance. Is it possible to SIM Unlock the C500 free by now?

As for the M2000 it sounds like Orange have still to remove the bar on the handset.

I would agree IF I could not use an Orange SIM on the handset - I have an Orange OVP and Orange PAYG SIMs both working on it and Vodafone and Virgin SIMS that do not. Last month everything I had worked on it ;)

Thanks for taking the trouble to read and reply anyway

[Guest Hoovie]

Had this with my SPV C500, had it from new, and Orange randomly blacklist my IMEI for no apparent reason every now and again (they can't explain why its happened when I phone up)

Works fine atm, for now...

Phil

Thanks for reading and replying. Are you using only Orange SIM with the C500?

[Guest Hoovie]

Is there a automatic propogation of IMEI blocked phones going between different service providers so they get automatically blocked on all networks? If so, does it work the other way, so when a phone is unblocked (perfectly legally by the original network provider), the unblocking gets propogated?

All SIMS are now working with all Phones now and I haven't changed anything since my post yesterday, so I think my theory about automatic propogration of Blocked and Unblocked phones does happen across networks.

So for me all is OK - and if anyone else has this kind of problem, my advice would be wait for about 24 Hours and see what happens then.

Cheers All