Unlocking a cell phone that doesn't allow buttons to be pressed?

May 6, 2007 5:31 PM

I have a locked Motorola phone that I bought while on vacation 'cause I liked the phone and it was cheap. Now that I'm no longer in Mexico, I'd like to continue using the phone. I bought an unlock code based on the IMEI and was told to punch it in with a SIM from a company that the phone isn't locked to. However, whenever I put a SIM in from another company, the display reads "No Sim" and doesn't allow me to press any buttons. Any suggestions?

I've talked to a few unlocking companies and they all told me the same thing--that I punch the number in with a foreign SIM. (I tried it with the native SIM as well but nothing happens.)

posted by Manhasset to technology (20 comments total)

Sorry I can't help directly but if you look at the site Howard's and be a bit more specific about model, etc. you should be able to get a good response.
posted by skepticallypleased at 7:42 PM on May 6, 2007

No Sim means that it doesn't detect that a SIM card is installed. Are you sure the foreign SIM you are using is not defective?
posted by jeversol at 8:05 PM on May 6, 2007

skepticallypleased, thanks. I posted there and hope it doesn't get deleted (they say they don't like unlocking questions in the tos).

jeversol, I tried 3 sims from 2 diff companies, all out of working phones. Got the same message from all of them.
posted by Manhasset at 8:24 PM on May 6, 2007

I bet it's IDEN and you are putting GSM sim's in? More details, please. Motorola What? Who was your Mexico carrier? What carrier sim's are you trying?
posted by thilmony at 9:08 PM on May 6, 2007

thilmoney, I don't know what IDEN means. The phone is a Motofone (Motorola F3) from Telcel in Mexico. I tried Rogers and Fido sims (canada).
posted by Manhasset at 9:12 PM on May 6, 2007

Have you tried using the unlocking instructions when you have your old (Telcel, based on your comment) SIM installed?

I have a Motorola Razr and successfully unlocked it, with the original network's SIM (T-Mobile) installed. They sent me the instructions, which were a series of keys to press and a code to enter, and I put it in and unlocked the phone, without ever switching SIMs. When I put in a Cingular SIM later on, it worked.

So just try it with your old SIM installed, see if you can get the unlock procedure to work successfully, and if so, try a new SIM.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:35 PM on May 6, 2007

Kadin2048, when I punch the numbers in with the old sim it thinks I'm just entering a phone number.
posted by Manhasset at 9:52 PM on May 6, 2007

Okay, here is the email I got from T-Mobile customer service ... it mentions starting with a non-TMob SIM installed, but I definitely did it with mine in, because I didn't have a non-TMob SIM to put in there when I did it.

T-Mobile Sim Unlock Request
Sim Unlock Reference: xxxxx
IMEI: xxxxx

Unlock Code: [8 dig number]

Thank you for taking the time to contact T-Mobile. Below you will see the Instructions for unlocking your Motorola device.

Before you start you must have a foreign (non-T Mobile) SIM card entered into the handset. If the display reads "Enter Special Code", enter the unlock code and press "OK". If the display does not ask for Special code, please enter the instructions below.

1.Press the Menu key on the keypad, and then quickly press 073887*.You should see the Enter Security Code screen.
2.Enter 000000 and select OK.
3.Scroll to Unlock SIM select it.
4.Enter the SIM unlock code and select OK.
5.Press the End key to return to the main screen.

NOTE: If the phone displays, "Please wait to enter special code" or "Contact service provider," you will have to wait for it to change back. Please be aware that the phone must stay powered on to do this. If the battery is low, be sure to plug it in. It could take 15 minutes to an hour to change back. If the phone does not change back, the handset will need to be replaced.

My recollection was that the the first step -- entering the 073887* part, in order to bring up the code screen -- took a few tries to get right. You have to hit the buttons quickly and at just the right speed. It doesn't seem like you're doing anything, but when you put in the final key, if you did it right, it will magically change to a screen where you can put in the code.

Anyway, it could be different for your model phone; this was all for a Razr. But I did do it without swapping the SIM first. (However, you should be able to do it by swapping the SIM, too, so I don't get why your phone isn't working with the other SIM and just asking for the code or displaying "Vendor Lock.")

Worst-case-scenario, you could just blow the phone's memory completely and re-flash/flex the phone over a USB connection. That's not without risk but it should solve the vendor lock. Howardforums is the place to go there, I can't help you since I've never done it.
posted by Kadin2048 at 12:07 AM on May 7, 2007

When you get the 'No Sim' message, start typing the emergency number (911 in the US, right?). It should allow you to do that. Once you've typed the 9 you should be able to backspace and then you'll be able to enter anything you like.

At least that's what my phone does, but I think every phone MUST allow the emergency number to be entered and called no matter what.
posted by jayden at 12:10 AM on May 7, 2007

jayden, I tried that before and it won't work. I can only push 9 and 1 whether I backspace them or not.

Kadin2048, unfortunately this phone is barebones and has no fancy features... not even a menu, so I can't follow step 1 of your intructions. This phone also doesn't have a USB connection, which means no Flashing, I assume (though I don't know what that means).
posted by Manhasset at 7:03 AM on May 7, 2007

This is a prepaid model phone, so, it's likely you'd never be able to use it. There are VERY few (if any nowadays) prepaid models that could be flashed to use on a sub service.

Basically, you've got a brick.
posted by chrisfromthelc at 7:22 AM on May 7, 2007

This is a prepaid model phone

What makes you say that?
posted by Manhasset at 7:39 AM on May 7, 2007

This wouldn't perchance be a Motofone F3, would it?

I had a friend of mine send me one from Mexico, and it should be arriving tomorrow. I'm going to have to unlock it for use in the states as well, so maybe we can compare methods.
posted by dantekgeek at 10:07 AM on May 7, 2007

dantegeek, yes it is.

It was from Telcel. Please let me know if, when you put in another sim, it asks for an unlock code or tells you no sim. That seems to be the big difference between what I'm getting and what the unlockers and other owners expect me to be getting. Not sure if it's a prob with the Canadian providers or the phone.

Also, before you unlock it, can you check if there's a small X in a circle in the top right corner? People on other sites are reporting this issue but no one seems to know what it is. Thank you.
posted by Manhasset at 2:51 PM on May 7, 2007

First: Maybe you aught to contact the folks you purchased the code from? I know there are a lot of fly-by-night places that do this sort of thing, but maybe you'll get lucky.

Next: you might want to try to get the phone unlocked over the air by a different service, using your original SIM.

Failing that, haul/mail it someplace where they can use the reprogramming interface (It's those little copper contacts to the right of the SIM in This picture) to blow out the crippled firmware and replace it. This will probably be spendy, but will give you the best results.
posted by Orb2069 at 4:46 PM on May 7, 2007

I got my phone this morning (also a Telcel), and I'm still waiting for my unlock code. I can confirm that upon inserting a t-mobile SIM and powering the device on, I get the little "x" in the top right. Will post back as soon as I get the code.
posted by dantekgeek at 8:23 PM on May 8, 2007

dantekgeek, when you put in the t-mobile SIM what else is on screen? Does it say "no Sim" or anything else at all?
posted by Manhasset at 8:56 PM on May 8, 2007

With a t-mo sim inserted, it turns on, flashes a "No SIM" message, and then goes to the screen with just the little "x"
posted by dantekgeek at 12:13 AM on May 9, 2007

Just got an email from the ebay unlocking people saying that my IMEI wasn't in their database!
posted by dantekgeek at 12:20 PM on May 9, 2007

Based on what I've found so far, it seems likely that we are out of luck. The claim is:

There are 3 ways to lock F3 to network:

1. Lock to network but accepting special code or reflash to unlock, if your mobile have this procedure it asks for subsidy code.

2. Lock to network not accepting special code but can reflash to unlock network, mobile with this procedure not asks for subsidy code.

3. Permanent lock not accepting special code nor reflash to unlock (Motorola Boot Module erased)

The lack of a prompt with a new sim bodes poorly for case 1. My assumption was it would work with the telcel sim inserted (that's how it worked on the previous phone I unlocked), but sounds like that is not the case for the F3.

I hope we are in case 2, but a later comment on the linked page indicates that case 3 is more likely given that it's a prepaid phone.

Having jumped through so many hoops to just acquire the phone, it's....disappointing to find out it is likely permanently locked. I'll post if I have any luck with re-flashing (and if anyone else has success, please post).
posted by lucidprose at 11:13 AM on June 5, 2007