Unlocking secondhand phone - Boost is blocked, Amaysim works fine, but Vodafone site says I'm not locked to them.

Grazz989 on 11/10/2021 - 20:20
Last edited 12/10/2021 - 15:59 by 1 other user

Hi all,

I have a Galaxy A12 I bought from CEX secondhand a few months ago. I bought a Boost SIM to put in it as a backup phone, but it says "Network Locked SIM card inserted". However, when I put my old Amayasim SIM card in it, it seems fine (though I've let the prepaid plan lapse on that one). Both SIMs behave fine when inserted into my main phone (bought outright). I think it worked fine with the Kogan SIM I tested it with months ago when I bought it.

However, when I go to the optus and vodaphone sites to check my IMEI on their unlocking pages, both say that IMEI isn't with them.

What's going on here? Is this a Boost, or Vodaphone issue?

• 

  kipps on 11/10/2021 - 20:49

  There’s heaps of places online to remove a network lock without needing to speak to the offending carrier. Google will help you. Try https://www.imei.info/ with your IMEI to see what it will tell you RE carrier too and otherwise try a free network unlock code generator online for each of the carriers.

  • 

    Grazz989 on 11/10/2021 - 21:01

    Many thanks!

    Most sites didn't have that information for free… But according to https://imeicheck.com/imei-check … it says Factory Unlocked? … Should I trust that?

    If so … Then why is this happening?

    • 

      lgacb08 on 11/10/2021 - 21:41

      Check your imei here: https://amta.org.au/check-the-status-of-your-handset/
      What does it says? If it's not on the list then probably your phone is locked with Telstra, to confirm insert another Telstra or Aldi sim into it to test and try to google how to unlock it.
      If it's listed on amta website then bad luck, in rare case it might still work with certain network but best to offload it to another country.

      • 

        Grazz989 on 11/10/2021 - 21:59

        It says "Unblocked".

        Does that mean it's with Telstra? … In that case, wouldn't it work with Boost? (It doesn't seem to work with boost judging by the error message)

        • 

          lgacb08 on 12/10/2021 - 22:14

          @Grazz989: that means the phone is not blocked by IMEI, only carrier lock that only allow simcard from certain network provider (Optus/Voda) to work. But because we have so many virtual carrier now so it's a matter of tried and test. Some network locked phone allow virtual carrier on the same wholesale network but other don't. So you might have a case of a phone working for anything Telstra/Boost/Aldi/Woolworths but not Optus/Voda/Amaysim. But you can have a case of phone locked specifically to Amaysim only and no other Optus retailer work. And best to try with active sim to be certain.

• 

  JungliChilli on 12/10/2021 - 09:03

  Hey Mate,

  Just did a quick check. If the A12 was purchased as a Vodafone A12, then yes it would have been network locked. See Q&A's in following link.
  Samsung A12 @ Officeworks Q&As

  Now if you'd like to unlock the phone from the Vodafone network, you will need to pay either $50 or $25 depending on how long it's been since the phone was orginially purchased (ie when the first owner of the phone bought and activated the phone). see the following link for rates under prepaid.
  Unlocking your phone from the Vodafone Network

  Just depends on what you want to do. But if it's just a backup service, why not just use the Vodafone (or it's resellers)? Otherwise just pay the unlocking fee.

  • 

    Grazz989 on 12/10/2021 - 16:07

    Thanks for the response - The thing is, I have no idea where the phone originally came from … But wouldn't sites like https://imeicheck.com/imei-check which says 'factory unlocked' and https://amta.org.au/check-the-status-of-your-handset/ 'unblocked' let me know if it's locked?

    Vodaphone's site has an unlocker page, and it basically asks you if the phone was purchased direct from Voda … If I say yes, it says that IMEI isn't on their records. If I say no, it rejects the check and says to go talk to the retailer (and I don't know who that could be, or whether they'd just say 'go back to Voda' )

    • 

      JungliChilli on 12/10/2021 - 16:54

      lol gotta love the "go back to the retailer". Unlikely but could be a problem with the sim (and yeah I note your sim does work in your other phone). You have family or friends that have a Telstra or one of their resellers sim that you can try?

      I wish I was more help, I would say don't waste too much time, particularly since its a backup phone.. solution get a Voda or one of it's resellers sim and soldier on :)

      • 

        Grazz989 on 12/10/2021 - 17:33

        The idea of the backup phone is not actually to have a sim in it full-time, but rather that if I break my current phone, I'll be able to slip whatever SIM I have in my main phone into my backup and carry on. And it's not worth it to be restricted to Voda in order to do that :(

        Canberra's still in lockdown right now, so it might take a little while until I see my friends in person, but I can ask. Cheers!