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Rough guide on how to spot a blocked/blacklisted/barred phone |
Sammy_boy
Joined: Mar 31, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Staffordshire, United Kingdom
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Hope this is in the right section!
After seeing a few threads recently on people wondering why that phone they just got off Ebay or a car boot sale won't call out, I thought I'd just create a quick guide to how to spot a blocked phone.
Firstly, and this can potentially confuse matters, the message on the phone's display depends on what network's sim is inserted. If you insert an Orange or O2 sim in a blocked phone, a Sony Ericsson phone will play that 'error' tone and display 'Inactive Sim':
However, if you insert a T-Mobile or Vodafone sim card it will display the signal strength as normal, and in fact will even let you send/recieve text messages! The picture below is of the same blacklisted W300i as above with a Vodafone sim inserted:
If you try making a call with any network's sim in though you will get three beeps and the call will fail.
This discrepancy is the same with other phone brands - though the message displayed will vary, for example inserting an O2 or Orange sim into a blacklisted Nokia phone will give the error message 'sim card registration failed', whereas T-Mob and Voda sims will recieve a signal and send texts.
Not sure if this is a similar case in other countries, and I imagine their policies and procedures on blacklisting vary too.
Just if you see a phone at a car boot sale showing a good signal on Voda or T-Mob, try making a call on that phone or insert an Orange or O2 sim card into it and see what happens before parting with any cash!
"All it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing" - Edmund Burke
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Marly
Joined: Jun 04, 2006
Posts: > 500
From: Netherlands
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Good one  . Different policies from the networks in this matter seem to confuse even more experienced members, as we've seen lately.
Dunno how this is in the Netherlands, I'll ask around, when I find out, I'll post it here.
"America: please don’t be a Dumpfkopf" |
arien617
Joined: Feb 01, 2006
Posts: > 500
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Not too sure about that, I got a T610 and that displays inactive SIM with a Voda card in it. I had the phone from new and I never had it blocked and the SIM is fine too.
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goldenface
Joined: Dec 17, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Liverpool City Centre
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Thanks for that Sammy_Boy - at least we have a rough guide here and this would apply to newer  phones.
Also, regarding blocked phones. I recently bought 3 phones off ebay and after reading about the recent trend for insurance scams I have decided not to leave any feedback for at least a couple of months after the purchase, that way I can at least leave negative feedback if it should happen that a phone becomes blocked.
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Sammy_boy
Joined: Mar 31, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Staffordshire, United Kingdom
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@arien - could be a phone fault rather than it being barred? I think older s like the T610 and T68i display 'Invalid Mobile' when blocked if memory serves.
If other people could post what happens with blocked/barred phones in their country too it would be very useful for those members in other countries worried about buying barred phones.
btw, I think 'sattelite' networks like Virgin (uses T-Mobile network) and Tesco (uses O2 network) would behave in the same way as their 'parent' network when inserted into a blocked phone.
@goldenface - that's a good idea, I've so far not had a problem with a phone becoming blocked after I've bought it, though I've probably been lucky so far, insurance frauds do seem to be on the up 
"All it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing" - Edmund Burke
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goldenface
Joined: Dec 17, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Liverpool City Centre
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They certainly do seem to be on the up. I wouldn't know what do so I have created a thread. Hopefully people will come up with some ideas and we can eventually have a plan of action.
http://www.esato.com/board/viewtopic.php?topic=145179
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Sammy_boy
Joined: Mar 31, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Staffordshire, United Kingdom
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Just thought I'd bump this and also post a little query I have with a supposedly blocked K800i!
The phone displays 'inactive sim' with an O2 sim in it (though when I first tried it it got a signal but had a phone with a hash line symbol next to the sig strength display), same with an Orange sim (though it picks up a 3G signal and displays that there's a voicemail on that sim!). When I put a Vodafone sim in it displays a signal - but here's the odd thing. It will still make/recieve calls despite the blacklist! I've checked with CheckMEND, and it is on their list as lost, stolen or barred.
Why is it able to work on Vodafone but not others? I remember having an old T68i once that did something similar - wouldn't work on Orange but worked fine on other networks.
"All it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing" - Edmund Burke
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p900 lover
Joined: Jan 08, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: London
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I can confirm that when i put a voda sim in a blocked N80 it will still send text but not receive them or make calls |
Sammy_boy
Joined: Mar 31, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Staffordshire, United Kingdom
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I know, that's what they should do - but this K800i will also make calls on Voda! Not tried a T-Mobile/Virgin sim yet (have lost it lol!) but strange how it'll make calls on Voda but blocked on all other nets I've tried!
Not complaining though, at least it's of some use!
"All it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing" - Edmund Burke
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Posted: 2007-04-09 12:50
