Can a network unlocked phone be blocked again by an operator?

redux

There are some rather speculative posts here.

The IMEI serial number system is international, not designed by Ofcom, and blocking won't have been designed by them either and does range across countries, though perhaps not everywhere.

The network doesn't need to be told the IMEI by the customer losing the phone, as that information is available to network services.

The phone does not need to be registered on the network making the block instruction. This is logical, else someone could steal the phone and just use another network SIM.

I had a block happen. I returned from a 3 week trip abroad and discovered I'd mislaid my giffgaff SIM. I ordered another, and for some reason they blocked a phone as well. This happened even though I'd not used giffgaff for the 3 weeks and had since used 2 other SIMs in the phone.

Thus when the person above using a phone on T-mobile assumed that T-mobile had blocked the phone, this assumption isn't necessarily correct.

The blocking network can unblock the phone, and this is what giffgaff did for me, after an interlude while I didn't realise what had happened and sent it via O2 to Nokia to be checked or repaired.

Thus if T-mobile would or could not unblock that phone it might imply they never blocked it to begin with. And they might not discuss it very much with you in case you'd stolen it.

I believe that blocking reciprocal arrangements happen across most but not all countries. Thus there might be a market for stealing phones and exporting them to certain parts of the world. However flawed some people above are suggesting the system is, if blocking worked across absolutely all networks that might help reduce theft.

Nick_C

In my case Checkmend told me T Mobile had blocked the phone. Full story in the links I posted in post 6 if you want more detail.

buglawton

Post #1 of 1st thread says "I would really like to find out who is responsible for blocking my phone, and get a proper apology". So I'm still confused - did you definitely confirm which company locked it?

I think people need to use the Small Claims court if they get unfairly blocked but can definitively prove it was blocked by a certain company, yet that company refuses to divulge why. Only when cases get to court will they get publicity.

grumbler

redux wrote: »

The IMEI serial number system is international,

Nobody said that there was anything wrong with IMEI. Very many devices have unique numbers, but only mobiles get blocked recklessly.

not designed by Ofcom, and blocking won't have been designed by them either and does range across countries, though perhaps not everywhere.

Don't know about other countries, but I guess the system was implemented in UK with either Ofcom's participation or it's blessing.

The phone does not need to be registered on the network making the block instruction. This is logical, else someone could steal the phone and just use another network SIM.

I don't understand this bit.

I had a block happen. I returned from a 3 week trip abroad and discovered I'd mislaid my giffgaff SIM. I ordered another, and for some reason they blocked a phone as well.
This happened even though I'd not used giffgaff for the 3 weeks and had since used 2 other SIMs in the phone.

This proves yet again how bad the system is.

Thus when the person above using a phone on T-mobile assumed that T-mobile had blocked the phone, this assumption isn't necessarily correct.
...
Thus if T-mobile would or could not unblock that phone it might imply they never blocked it to begin with.

What we know is that "They refused to tell me why it was blocked" instead of denying that it was them. Another proof.

And they might not discuss it very much with you in case you'd stolen it.

And another one - if it really was T-mobile who blocked it (it is a possibility).

However flawed some people above are suggesting the system is, if blocking worked across absolutely all networks that might help reduce theft.

It might help, but this doesn't mean that it doesn't need to be designed properly in the first place - if it really is needed. Various devices get routinely stolen, but only mobiles get blocked.

macman

OP, you are confusing 'blocking' with 'unlocking'. Unlocking is performed on the handset and stops the phone being restricted to the original network only. This is legal.
Blocking is performed at network level and prevents the phone working on any UK network by blocking it's IMEI number. Unblocking such a handset by changing the IMEI number is illegal.

grumbler

macman wrote: »

OP, you are confusing 'blocking' with 'unlocking'.

Possibly, but blocking is a common place and is even worse than locking. And this is really a serious problem when buying second-hand phones that the OP was concerned about.

redux

grumbler wrote: »

This proves yet again how bad the system is.

What we know is that "They refused to tell me why it was blocked" instead of denying that it was them. Another proof.

It doesn't. All it shows is that giffgaff had a very temporary glitch of inadvertently blocking the phone as well when the SIM was being reported lost but not stolen.

If the network won't discuss it maybe they can't or won't because they don't know anything or because another network has blocked it.

I realised in my case that it was probably the replacement SIM order that triggered the problem rather than a Lithuanian or global roaming SIM network randomly blocking my phone. And sure enough they unblocked it within a couple of hours.

For people buying a decent value secondhand phone, there is the risk that the vendor will be committing insurance fraud by selling the phone then reporting it stolen to claim a replacement on the insurance. That doesn't mean the system is faulty. Take the phone back and get a refund at the retailer and/or discuss it with the police.

buglawton

macman wrote: »

OP, you are confusing 'blocking' with 'unlocking'. Unlocking is performed on the handset and stops the phone being restricted to the original network only. This is legal.
Blocking is performed at network level and prevents the phone working on any UK network by blocking it's IMEI number. Unblocking such a handset by changing the IMEI number is illegal.

Were you referring to "What if the phone has been unlocked to all networks, can the original network still block it?"

No confusion, I picked my words carefully. I was asking, if your phone is not tied to any one provider/network, can it be blocked by any provider/network.

Nick_C

buglawton wrote: »

Were you referring to "What if the phone has been unlocked to all networks, can the original network still block it?"

No confusion, I picked my words carefully. I was asking, if your phone is not tied to any one provider/network, can it be blocked by any provider/network.

Yep. I thought your post was perfectly clear. You didn't seem at all confused.