The unlockable e200 - my experience so far....

[Guest lutzh]

hi there,

as a couple of you may know i was the crazy dude who got himselfe a voyager (better said a orange e200) for a big piece of money from ebay. because i live in germany and we have no orange here i contacted orange uk for sending me the unlock code which i would pay for too.

after some mailing in both directions about where i got it from and who i am (i am a journalist an i am never afraid to ask) orange uk was willing to help me and sended the sim unlock code over to me. but guess what - it won't work! tried it 5 times, double checked the imei numbers, got the unlock code twice (always tthe same code) from different orange contacts. no chance, it did not unlock the e200. orange told me that they will get in touch with htc about this issue but i have no answer again since a week now.

frustrated as i was we checked the e200 from inside out, some very well known experts from here and there tried to help me getting the code out of the beast or the simlock removed somehow. with no luck. and if i tell you that these people where the pro's of rom analyzing and reverse coding then you can believe me.

double frustrated. now i am a smart guy i thought and did some research on how people solve this problem on a xda II which is also manufactured at htc and has some bits and bytes in it that tick the same way as those of the voyager. now its getting very interesting from my point of view. i found a thread on xda developer board that takes care in this question. let me quote some parts out of it:

A: "I've has organised myself a new XDA 2, does anyone know if these can be unlocked to any network like the original XDA?"

B: "When I bought my XDA 1 I paid O2 £15 to unlatch it so I could use it on any network. So when I upgraded (over the phone with O2) to the XDA2 I told them I wanted that unlatched too.

No problem, they said, just call customer services when it arrives.

After being given many different stories by O2 they finally gave me the unlatching code.

The problem is that when I entered it the phone rejected it every time although O2 checked the IMEI number several times.

Finally they tell me that they have an arrangement with HTC (The manufacturers) not to allow the unlatching of the XDA2 to any network other than O2!!! "

now this is the hot part! i am beginning to believe that there is also an arragement for the e200 since it looks to me that orange is not able to give me a working code for the sim unlock. this is what my contact ment when he said he'll get in touch with htc to find out whats wrong.

is there anything to say about this? will you allow to take the freedom of choosing off your shoulder once your contracts over or you deside to change the network?

let me know what you think, if that sounds good to you or if you dont believe in my experience...

cheers, lutz

[Guest amo]

Im not sure this would be legal without clearly stating this fact to you in advance. As far as I know, the sim unlock can be performed on ANY phone as a specific phone should have the capability of running on any network which runs on the same frequency that the phone supports.

[Guest lutzh]

hi amo

you are right. this solution (if its really there) is against OFTEL regulations and therefore illegal. i am very couriouse to see where it leads through the next days and weeks. as soon as the e200 comes available i'll ask again and then i'll take some legal steps if needed.

cheers, lutz

[Guest Paul [MVP]]

Orange WILL be able to unlock their own E200s, simple as that.

I don't think you'll get much sympathy for your questionably sourced one from them tho...

P

[Guest lutzh]

hi paul

as far as i can see the CAN'T do it- i've got the unlock code from O but it did not work. speaking about symphathy is really no point in here since i am journalist here in germany i am just couriouse and take chances when they come.

we'll see if you are right. at the moment i can proof that they cant do it, even if they want to. as simple as it is. and the fact that they'll have to ask htc now what to do shows me very simple that there's more in it than just bad luck ...

simply check the source for the info regarding the xda II (xda-developers.com) to get your own picture on it.

cheers, lutz

[Guest ranzz]

First off - how much were you suppose to pay / payed O for the code?

Second - unfortunately I don't see how Orange are treating you wrong here, the E200 was made FOR the Orange network exclusively and they don't owe you anything not to mention that you bought the phone before they started selling it.

[Guest ranzz]

Oh, and don't sweat it so much, I mean - you'll probably be able to take the Qtek 8080 bootloader and firmware and use it on your phone when it comes out (just like I'm using Qtek 7070 on my original SPV), I'm sure the great experts on this site and other people you mentioned will have it done in no time.

[Guest statscat]

what are the builds for both the voyager and the XDA ?

[Guest lutzh]

@ ranzz: don't bet your house on that. you will be surprised to see how they have changed and modified the device. i'll be surprised to see anyone cross updating in the future...

even if the e200 is made for orange there has to be a way to take that network lock off. thats simple part of regulations. the fact that i have bought it before it came out doen't make it illegal in any way. i've told orange my imei number - if this phone is lost or stolen they simply could tell me so that i can take legal steps against the person who sold it right? O did not, they sendet me the code but it did not work - that are the facts i am talking about and i am very couriouse to see how this will end up.

cheers, lutz

[Guest Paul [MVP]]

Orange are not obliged to unlock your phone though are they? Who knows where you phone actually came from, and whether the unlock code is in the Orange format?

P

[Guest ranzz]

That should be interesting, where DID IT come from?

Do THEY even know?

[Guest lutzh]

@ paul: this is not very helpful! there is a reason why orang DID give me the code but there is a question and i am asking it: why does that code not work. the code i got from orange, you know...

if there' someone out there that wants to discuss this question i am very thankful for the answers...

cheers, lutz

[Guest sabio_proeliat]

I don't know about the sim unlock code but I thing could be useful;

https://www.ora.co.uk/orangeSPV/#

This means that Orange knows how to unlock it and they must have a correct code for your phone.

[Guest Gnuig]

Very nice link!

Works out to be approx. 4.000,- danish kroners. With contract the phone sells for 3.500,- which is really too much I think now!

Anyway, guess there will be an unlock available here in DK soon, as unlocking is not illegal (yet) here.

Again, good link!

[Guest ranzz]

Unlocking will never be illegal, it might not be compatible with a contract you signed with the cellular company, there's no actual law against using a network other than the network you purchased the phone from.

[Guest lutzh]

i have not purchased the phone with a contract nor from an operator. i was willing to pay the costs for unlocking. i see nothing wrong in my behavior.

thanks for the link, sabio.

we'll see if the upgrading of the device to the final rom version leads to success. this will happen this week and then i come back here with my answer if it works then or not. if not we have to discuss next steps - as simple as it is.

cheers, lutz

[Guest Firaas]

I think you could buy an Orange PAYG SIM and register the phone against it before asking Orange themselves to unlock it the proper way...

[Guest lutzh]

i have one. the only chance to play a little with the phone. simswap doesnt work, still no solution. this phone is dodgy i guess...

cheers, lutz