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How can you tell if phone is locked?
Bogof_Babe
Posts: 10,803 Forumite
in Mobiles
As per heading, just wondered how I can tell if a phone I have is locked to 3. I took out an upgrade contract with a new Samsung, but couldn't get on with the phone so sold it and bought a Nokia Asha 302 from the 3 shop, putting my contract SIM into the new phone.
Not entirely satisfied with the new Nokia either - it has a few shortcomings that my old Nokia E63 is an improvement on, so I've gone back to that one for 'everyday' use while I decide what to do. I was wondering whether I can get a very cheap, low usage contract anywhere just to get some use out of the Asha, without being restricted to 3. My OH has never had a smartphone so it might be suitable for him, but as he only spends about £1 a month on his current PAYG there's not much point paying a lot for a contract.
Sorry for the waffle - back to original question, can I check whether a phone is locked to a network or not?
Not entirely satisfied with the new Nokia either - it has a few shortcomings that my old Nokia E63 is an improvement on, so I've gone back to that one for 'everyday' use while I decide what to do. I was wondering whether I can get a very cheap, low usage contract anywhere just to get some use out of the Asha, without being restricted to 3. My OH has never had a smartphone so it might be suitable for him, but as he only spends about £1 a month on his current PAYG there's not much point paying a lot for a contract.
Sorry for the waffle - back to original question, can I check whether a phone is locked to a network or not?
I haven't bogged off yet, and I ain't no babe
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Comments
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Best to get a free PAYG Sim from another network and put it in, if it prompts you for a subsidy code or similar its locked.Interests: PCs. servers, networks, mobiles and music (esp. trance)0
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Ah thanks for that. So it's trial and error then, i.e. there's no way of finding out from the handset itself. I haven't bogged off yet, and I ain't no babe
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It is worth saying that if the handset is locked to the main network there is no point in trying virtual subnetworks sims as they are likely to work.0
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E.g. Tesco Mobile and Giffgaff are virtual subnetworks of O2.0
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If 3 provided the handset it WILL be locked.0
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If you do cashback, the cashback sites might even pay you to take a SIM.0
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