Phone blacklisting nightmare - legally mine from new!

PNEfan

My Orange San Francisco handset stopped working 4 days ago. Can't make/receive calls/texts, although internet still works.

I bought the phone new from Orange online at launch (1.10.10) and immediately unlocked it to use on my O2 contract. Since then I have installed a Custom ROM used it on GiffGaff and now T-Mobile.

T-Mobile after umpteen attempts to refresh my account and reboot the phone now say that the handset has been blacklisted, but not by them (they don't know who). They have tried to lift the bar, but as it wasn't set by them this has not worked. Orange also say they did not blacklist the phone. Incidentally a GiffGaff sim does work in the phone. I have emailed O2 to ask if it was them, but presumably if it was this would mean that the GiffGaff sim would not work.

I have done a CheckMend search on the IMEI which is not showing up any problems whatsoever.

I have never reported the phone as stolen, or given out the IMEI in the public arena. The Custom ROM installation has not corrupted the IMEI.

From Googling the issue I am wondering whether someone has entered my IMEI in error when trying to blacklist another stolen phone. The difficulty is in finding out who has instituted the blacklisting. Without knowing this I cannot get it revoked even though I can provide evidence that shows I am the bone fide owner from new.

Can anyone shed any light please, or advise me about how to proceed? Any help appreciated - I'm tearing my hair out!

cgk1

Are you sure it's not the custom ROM - I had an OSF and remember there was an issue with the SF that in fact a few of the custom roms are actually corrupting the IMEI?

PNEfan

Yes - I have checked and it still matches the IMEI as listed on the box.

JJ_Egan

It may be solved via a service centre however custom rom has voided warranty and would need restoring to original .

It would be worth factory reset on the phone .

Installing custom roms can damage the IMEI .

jje

Jolsa

Same thing happened to my OSF yesterday. Tweeted T-Mobile help who told me that phone was blacklisted.

Phoned Orange who have said that they need to speak to original owner (friend gave me their phone) and then they can lift blacklist. So now waiting on friend to call Orange and give whatever details they need...

PNEfan

I'm starting to get more hopeful that we can get this sorted out. Someone else has posted on my thread in the Modaco forum that they have also had the same problem.

Jolsa - have Orange said they blacklisted your phone? I'm assuming if they're saying they can lift the bar with the correct information that this is the case.

On Modaco someone has suggested it is to do with recent updates on T-Mobile / Orange to allow customers to use both networks.

PNEfan

Just found another poster on Modaco who has reported the same problem (in a separate thread). So now there are at least 4 of us experiencing T-Mobile sims suddenly not working in unlocked OSFs.

Radsteral

i have a 3 phone sent by three, as part of replacement, a blacberry 9700.
4 weeks now i have been acused first of blacklisting it myself, then told, it wasnt me then told some other owner did(this suposed to be a brand new phone)
today i called and asked for phone to be picked up (special delivery envelope sent to my house)
sick of it !

PNEfan

Now 6 users on Modaco (inc me) reporting same problem.

Please could everyone with this problem keep us posted with updates - still need to know who made the blacklisting and when / how it is resolved. Thanks

Jolsa

Ok, to confirm, I've spoken to Orange CS and they have said that the phone is on their blacklist. Strangely there's no reason attributed to why it's on the blacklist (reported lost or stolen) but the chap did say that it's likely because the Sim doesn't match up with the details of the original phone purchaser.

This I said sounds ridiculous as there are thousands of people buying phones as gifts or buying second hand off eBay.

It seems that Orange are realising that the original Sims sold with the OSF handsets aren't being used (people have moved to a better deal) and rather than simply cancelling the Sim for reuse, are also blacklisting the handset that was sold with it at the time. Unbelievable.

Orange have said to me that they can lift the blacklist but need to speak to the original purchaser before they do. Luckily for me that person is a friend and so as soon as he talks to Orange it will be sorted. Not sure what people are meant to do if they bought second hand though.

Seems quite a vindictive approach from Orange, but I'm told by their CS that all networks work the same way?

Jolsa

Oh and I assume the timing is due to T-Mobile and Orange now sharing their blacklists as well as networks. Would explain why I could never use the T-Mobile Orange network and always had to stick with the T-Mobile network??