Help - Strange sim lock screen locks me out

[Guest clifhanger_uk]

Hi Guys, My Hero ran out of battery yesterday and when i plugged it back in and powered on the phone powered up and then this screen comes up that says:

"SIM service provider unlock PIN

To make an emergency call, enter the emergency number and tap Emergency call"

There is a field for typing a code and two buttons, one labeled unlock and other Emergency call.

My hero is Orange but I use a vodafone SIM with a rebelsim. Its been working fine for almost a year.

I have MCR and have tried to use RA recovery to recover but I still get this screen.

I called VF for a PUK code last night but that didnt seem to work. I cant use the phone so cant get any info from the interface

Help! Please thanks.

[Guest sambartle]

Flash an older radio will probably solve it (or unlock the phone by buying an unlock code - which im guessing you dont wanna pay for as you have a rebel sim)

You seem to have a weird version of the Locked Orange problem.. (I'm guessing since you use a rebel sim the phone is still locked to orange - which means the new radios will do that) - apparently the very latest radio will also work without unlocking the phone, but the one in my signature wont and will cause the problem you are having.

Have you flashed a new MCR with Radio recently?

Try this one from the ROMs sticky on here: 63.18.55.06JU_6.35.09.26

Edited July 8, 2010 by sambartle

[Guest clifhanger_uk]

Thanks sambartle.. Yes, its locked to orange. used a rebelsim as I heard that unlock codes for orange were not reliable. But I also read somewhere that with a MCR a code should work so will give that a try (I dont mind paying if it fixes my phone). Not flashed a rom or radio very recently, maybe 6 months ago or more. I'll try either radio or code and report back.. Thanks again for yr help.

[Guest sambartle]

Yeah as long as you don't have an Orange ROM on your phone a normal Hero unlock code will work (I did mine a couple of weeks ago)

It's strange that this has only just happened for you.. Perhaps your rebel Sim has moved or something like that? Try checking that and giving it a wipe first, and re-seat everything. Might sort you out.

It should only happen on a locked Orange phone (even with an Orange SIM) but I guess the rebel Sim has been countering that for you in the past somehow, so perhaps its stopped working for some reason and that's why its only giving the message now!

Its also weird if you havent flashed a radio for 6 months.. as the ones back then shouldn't do it.. only the new 2.1 ones do this. (Again I'm guessing this points to the rebel sim having broken)

Flashing an older radio works without having to pay for the unlock and the signal is better for many people on the older radio anyways.

Edited July 8, 2010 by sambartle

[Guest sambartle]

In fact based on you not having flashed a ROM for 6 months I'm almost certain your rebel has just stopped working.. you would expect to see that message as the phone is locked to orange so its just seeing a normal voda sim for some reason.

Try moving it and shoving it back in to see if that helps first as that's a simple solution and free!

(oh and be careful entering things in that window.. if youve already tried a PUK thats used one of your attempts.. I think you either get 3 or 5 then it will block your phone)

Edited July 8, 2010 by sambartle

[Guest clifhanger_uk]

Yep, looks like my rebel sim has stopped working. Unlock code works fine... Thanks and sorry for panicking!