Slot Permanently Locked

[PKXTPM]

Hi,

Purchased a Vodafone Smart First 6 V695 Smartphone from Carphone Warehouse last year. Did not use the PAYG SIM card it came with but used a PAYG SIM card from Talkmobile. Using it only for Wifi access so not really interested in buying credits. Talkmobile was a good option. Their PAYG service is closing down so requested an unlock code. That's my first point. Not sure if Talkmobile locked my phone to the Vodafone network (which they use) or whether the phone was locked when I purchased. (Thought all CPW phones were unlocked.) Then entered the unlock code incorrectly too many times, as omitted the '*' characters. The phone now says that the slot is permanently locked if I use a SIM card from another provider, eg, EE. Curiously, the Talkmobile SIM card still works. Talkmobile unhelpful with this issue, pushing me onto Vodafone. Telling me that Vodafone have to help with this as the phone was manufactured by Vodafone. Is this true? Will just say that the Vodafone online service for unlocking is totally uhhelpful. They don't read (or understand) email messages, or help in any way.  

[BandOfBrothers]

Some phones from Car phone warehouse are unlocked to all networks. The exception used to be the iPhone but that's changed now as they remain unlocked. 

There are typically a set number of times that an unlock code can be entered and then the phone has to be re set. This is typically done by the network shop sending it Off to their repair house. A person would have to have been using a payg or pay monthly contract sim in the phone so the phones imei and serial.number is on their system so they can book the phone In however. 

[AnnS]

Hi @PKXTPM

Although the phone was sold by Carphone Warehouse, with the phone being a Vodafone branded handset and with TalkMobile having been owned and part of Vodafone, the phone would have accepted a TalkMobile SIM with the phone locked to the Vodafone network and the unlock code being provided by Vodafone.

You can find how to get the unlock code from Vodafone to enable you to use the phone on an alternative network on the link below.

Support - Unlocking

If you continue to have problems or need additional help, the best thing for you to do is to take the phone into a Vodafone Store, they will be able to look at the phone and give the best advise.

[PKXTPM]

Hi AnnS,

Thank you. The problem is, as the slot is permanently locked, the message stating that comes up before I get to the point where I could enter an unlock code. So there appears to be no obvious way of entering a code.

[AnnS]

Hi @PKXTPM

If you are still able to use the TalkMobile SIM, try doing a factory reset of the phone by going into the settings, about phone and scrolling down to reset.  

If this does not work, a Vodafone store will be your next step.

Unfortunately, there are only 5 attempts at entering the correct code before the phone becomes unusable.

[PKXTPM]

Ann,

Many thanks. I think it's 10 incorrect attempts, as that's what I did. (Unbelievably!) The Vodafone stores that I have been into, apart from one, have been unhelpful. This one store that may be able to help has 'technical people'. Though I am not sure that they would be able to help if I say I want to use a SIM card that uses the EE network. I will try them, as they did seem very helpful. Have tried doing a factory reset. No joy. There are various 'secret codes' that I could use, including a couple which doing rather more than a factory reset, but am not keen to try that as may 'break' the phone.

[PKXTPM]

Eg, alleged 'Secret Codes';

http://mobilespecs.net/phone/codes/Vodafone/Vodafone_Smart_first_6.html

[hrym]

A bit of Googling suggests that the phone may have to go back to the manufacturer (Vodafone) to have the unlock counter reset.   There will be a charge for this, so get a quote before agreeing as it may be more than the phone is worth.  A Vodafone shop can arrange this for you.  It might also be worth dropping into a branch of Carphone Warehouse to see if their Geek Squad can offer any advice.

[PKXTPM]

Hi,

Many thanks for the info. Yes, you could well be right about the cost of attention by Vodafone technicians. I think the phone cost around £20, plus the cost of the Vodafone PAYG SIM card. I guess there is a simple solution to this. If the phone still works with a TalkMobile SIM card, it will probably work with a Vodafone PAYG SIM card, as TalkMobile use the Vodafone network. I can also think just one other virtual network operator who uses the Vodafone network, but won't mention, and that might work, as well, by the same logic. Just not happy that, I thought I was buying an unlocked phone, back in 2016, from CPW, but through my own ineptness am now locked to the Vodafone network. Perhaps it should be made crystal clear that '*' characters at the front and end of an unlock code actually form part of the code. Or, maybe not, lol.  

[Bosstech]

The solution is given here