Vodafone from CEX

Claremac

Am looking at maybe buying a Galaxy Note 3 from CEX in the UK. I've noticed that it's a lot cheaper to buy it on Vodafone than all other networks. Does anyone know why? I would want to unlock and am worried it might not be possible?

Thanks for any help.

gjchester

Most likely they have a lot in stock on Vodafone, plus Vodafone may have installed there own firmware that may limit some features to Vodafone provided services. I used to have a Sony where Vodafone override the right soft key to always be Vodafone live, and locked out some of the phones features as you could not get into the soft menu.


You can try the following code, its supposed to be a engineers code but at your own risk..


So to unlock your Samsung Galaxy Note 3, or indeed any other Samsung handset you have to take the SIM card from the device and put in another from one of the other carriers. Turn the device off and then switch it back on again.
You then need to open up the dial pad and enter *#197328640#. Go to your main menu > [1] UMTS > [1] Debug Screen > [8] Phone Control > [6] Network Lock > Options [3] Perso SHA256 OFF. Wait for 30 seconds or a minute before going back to your main menu and choosing “back”. You will now see a “Network Lock” message. Choose [4] NW Lock NV Data INITIALLIZ.
If you typed in the sequence right, it should read: “Asterisk Pound One Nine Seven Three Two Eight Six Four Zero Pound”. Remember that some people call the asterisk “star”, and the pound button “hash”.
Your handset should now be unlocked and can be used with any SIM card anywhere around the world. Samsung engineers have used the code for some time and it is said to work with many Samsung devices.

JustHelping

Claremac wrote: »

Am looking at maybe buying a Galaxy Note 3 from CEX in the UK. I've noticed that it's a lot cheaper to buy it on Vodafone than all other networks. Does anyone know why? I would want to unlock and am worried it might not be possible?

Thanks for any help.

To CeX, their prices are decided on several factors with supply and demand.

Unlocking the phone is quite possible.

The only implications is, if you do unlock the item. You void the warranty with CeX.

50Twuncle

gjchester wrote: »

Most likely they have a lot in stock on Vodafone, plus Vodafone may have installed there own firmware that may limit some features to Vodafone provided services. I used to have a Sony where Vodafone override the right soft key to always be Vodafone live, and locked out some of the phones features as you could not get into the soft menu.


You can try the following code, its supposed to be a engineers code but at your own risk..


So to unlock your Samsung Galaxy Note 3, or indeed any other Samsung handset you have to take the SIM card from the device and put in another from one of the other carriers. Turn the device off and then switch it back on again.
You then need to open up the dial pad and enter *#197328640#. Go to your main menu > [1] UMTS > [1] Debug Screen > [8] Phone Control > [6] Network Lock > Options [3] Perso SHA256 OFF. Wait for 30 seconds or a minute before going back to your main menu and choosing “back”. You will now see a “Network Lock” message. Choose [4] NW Lock NV Data INITIALLIZ.
If you typed in the sequence right, it should read: “Asterisk Pound One Nine Seven Three Two Eight Six Four Zero Pound”. Remember that some people call the asterisk “star”, and the pound button “hash”.
Your handset should now be unlocked and can be used with any SIM card anywhere around the world. Samsung engineers have used the code for some time and it is said to work with many Samsung devices.

Could anyone please confirm whether this actually works ?
I have been given a "0" as the unlock code by EE - no "#" just a 0 - THAT took EE, 2 weeks to get and cost me over £20

d123

50Twuncle wrote: »

Could anyone please confirm whether this actually works ?
I have been given a "0" as the unlock code by EE - no "#" just a 0 - THAT took EE, 2 weeks to get and cost me over £20

What phone do you actually have?

50Twuncle

d123 wrote: »

What phone do you actually have?

It's a Samsung Note 1 - ie a GT N-7000

d123

50Twuncle wrote: »

It's a Samsung Note 1 - ie a GT N-7000

It's a pity you gave EE £20 for the unlock, any half decent unlocker shop can unlock the N7000 while you wait for £10 or less.

The "0" is definitely not correct, Samsung phones have an 8 digit network unlock code.

50Twuncle

d123 wrote: »

It's a pity you gave EE £20 for the unlock, any half decent unlocker shop can unlock the N7000 while you wait for £10 or less.

The "0" is definitely not correct, Samsung phones have an 8 digit network unlock code.

Not from my experience - I went to 3 local phone shops and they all said "Sorry - that's a hard one" or words to that effect
Even the on-line unlockers appeared reluctant to try it - I decided eventually to pay EE £20 for a guaranteed unlock - rather than £10 for a non-guaranteed one - had I known better, I may have acted differently
Yesterday - I had an on-line chat with EE and was told "We have no record of your application for an unlock...."
This is despite the email
They asked the unlock section to email me directly - BEFORE MONDAY - Which is not looking too promising
I will request a refund in full and if this is not forthcoming - demand a refund from my debit card provider !!

d123

50Twuncle wrote: »

Not from my experience - I went to 3 local phone shops and they all said "Sorry - that's a hard one" or words to that effect

Any unlocker with an NSPro box (or Z3X box) shouldn't have any problem unlocking the N7000, it's not a new unlocking box either, I used to have an interest in 3 shops in the early 2000's, and it was one box we had in all of the shops.

Online unlockers are different, the phone needs to be physically connected to the box via cable to unlock, it is a difficult one to unlock just via code generation.

50Twuncle

d123 wrote: »

Any unlocker with an NSPro box (or Z3X box) shouldn't have any problem unlocking the N7000, it's not a new unlocking box either, I used to have an interest in 3 shops in the early 2000's, and it was one box we had in all of the shops.

Online unlockers are different, the phone needs to be physically connected to the box via cable to unlock, it is a difficult one to unlock just via code generation.

Any comments on the method below ?
Because EE claim not to be able to unlock it - since the ZERO supplied, unsurprisingly failed - they have given me a refund - but claim "there is no legal or contractual obligation on us to do so and as such there is no further assistance that we can offer"

"So to unlock your Samsung Galaxy Note 3, or indeed any other Samsung handset you have to take the SIM card from the device and put in another from one of the other carriers. Turn the device off and then switch it back on again.
You then need to open up the dial pad and enter *#197328640#. Go to your main menu > [1] UMTS > [1] Debug Screen > [8] Phone Control > [6] Network Lock > Options [3] Perso SHA256 OFF. Wait for 30 seconds or a minute before going back to your main menu and choosing “back”. You will now see a “Network Lock” message. Choose [4] NW Lock NV Data INITIALLIZ.
If you typed in the sequence right, it should read: “Asterisk Pound One Nine Seven Three Two Eight Six Four Zero Pound”. Remember that some people call the asterisk “star”, and the pound button “hash”.
Your handset should now be unlocked and can be used with any SIM card anywhere around the world. Samsung engineers have used the code for some time and it is said to work with many Samsung devices. "

d123

50Twuncle wrote: »

Any comments on the method below ?
Because EE claim not to be able to unlock it - since the ZERO supplied, unsurprisingly failed - they have given me a refund - but claim "there is no legal or contractual obligation on us to do so and as such there is no further assistance that we can offer"

"So to unlock your Samsung Galaxy Note 3, or indeed any other Samsung handset you have to take the SIM card from the device and put in another from one of the other carriers. Turn the device off and then switch it back on again.
You then need to open up the dial pad and enter *#197328640#. Go to your main menu > [1] UMTS > [1] Debug Screen > [8] Phone Control > [6] Network Lock > Options [3] Perso SHA256 OFF. Wait for 30 seconds or a minute before going back to your main menu and choosing “back”. You will now see a “Network Lock” message. Choose [4] NW Lock NV Data INITIALLIZ.
If you typed in the sequence right, it should read: “Asterisk Pound One Nine Seven Three Two Eight Six Four Zero Pound”. Remember that some people call the asterisk “star”, and the pound button “hash”.
Your handset should now be unlocked and can be used with any SIM card anywhere around the world. Samsung engineers have used the code for some time and it is said to work with many Samsung devices. "

Most of those codes are extremely out of date and actually predate Android handsets (they can also damage the handset by damaging the chipset and corrupting the IMEI, so be careful).

I would reiterate my original advice, find a decent unlocker shop with the right equipment, let them unlock it for £10. It's the only safe way other than the network code. Phone around or take a trip into your town centre and ask around the shops. I've actually confirmed with someone currently doing unlocking that the N7000 is definitely unlockable via cable and box.