Hi Guys found this realme c21 on the Thornlie Woolworths in WA … not sure if this is a clearance to a particular store but worth to check while shopping
Not a bad phone for a $49 and looks like we have NFC too..!
Product Features:
6.5" Mini-drop Fullscreen
5000mAh Massive Battery
Instant Fingerprint Sensor
13MP AI Triple Camera
NFC Enabled
Note: Nationwide offer. Not available in all stores, limited stock.
Do they still honor giving the product free if it scans at a higher than advertised price?
@djoz: They certainly do it when it scans higher than the price marked on the shelf and the image of the tag does not mention any colour but note that supermarkets may have their own variations of the voluntary scanning code. Not all staff know about it though. I pointed to the scanning code of practice sign on a previous occasion. I was under the impression that trying to get the scanning code of practise to apply to a price on the web site was probably another thing but Choice says it applies to advertising also. Consumer law about misleading advertising and multiple pricing do apply but from personal experience my arguments fells on deaf ears with whoever appeared to be the most senior person available after the store manager went home when I tried with another phone sometime earlier. Perhaps I would have had better luck with the scanning code of practise but I see now that has a limit of $50 or whatever limit Woolies have set and that item was outside that (and the in-store tags were accurate.)
Fulham Gardens have one but they reserved for someone. They told me to go to Brickworks because they had two, only for them to not actually have any. Lol.
I reserved the last one at a store 25 minutes away and when I got there the lady said she sold it to someone. I drove another 40 minutes to another store to get it
For those in Newcastle region, Toronto store had one left when I got mine today. No other stores have it
I got one from a different store in Newcastle area today
But the time the staff checked in their system at 12pm for me, there were none left. You must have gotten one earlier?? Did you get one from warabrook??
2.4ghz wifi 🤦
Yeah whew, imagine if it was only 5ghz :-)
got for my mug betting phone very value
Assuming that I can get the unlock code, where the heck do I enter it? The only options on the Network Lock screen are Ignore and Emergency call.
1) Remove Optus sim card
2) Ensure the device is connected to internet via Wi-Fi.
3) On the number pad, dial *#475838912# to open the Unlock Window and press “Ignore”.
4) Enter the 16-digit unlocking code in exact form and once complete, press “Unlock”.
5) If unlock code is correct, device will display “Unlock Successful” and device will reboot automatically.
Thanks! I used chat within the app, and was given the unlock code. It probably helped that I already had an Optus account / service….. the $0 Plan from way back. The agent tried to interest me in an upgrade, which I politely declined.
All unlocked and working on a Telstra SIM at the moment. I'll try my Vodafone SIM later, just to see if it also works on VoLTE like my Telstra one does.
Thanks also to the OP for the heads up!
2) Ensure the device is connected to internet via Wi-Fi.
Are you sure that is necessary? I've never needed a connection of any sort to unlock a device. So long as the other network SIM is inserted and the device is not in Aeroplane mode you should be ok.
I think yes. It needs an internet connection to validate the Unlock Code. Even I was a bit surprised, I thought the unlock algorithm is built inside the device, but looks like it isnt, and requires access to Optus servers (maybe?) to process the Unlock Code.
@djoz: Did you try it without Internet access beforehand or were you just going by what Optus said. Checking the instructions from Oppo, they make no mention of Internet being required for unlocking. If Internet is required, I can't say that I approve.
I was one of the unlucky ones who got a locked device.
I do not use Optus or or one of their MVNOs.
Tried the online chat but they wanted my "Optus phone number".
I can activate the Sim card that came with it, but I worry that they'll still ask me to pay the unlocking fee. I'd rather keep the sim for a rainy day to use the data when NBN stuffs up.
Any suggestions?
You could let them know you are planning to use the phone on your upcoming Overseas holiday when you'll need to buy a local SIM for <insert country of your choice>. Just tell the CHAT agent you have yet to activate your Optus SIM as you will return the phone if you can't get it unlocked for your holiday.
Quite a journey getting this phone and unlocking it today. Visited my local Westfield Mt Gravatt Woolies and as expected, sold out. Friendly sales guy at Big W a short walk away got instructions from the manager to contact Woolworths to confirm phone is not a "clearance" item when I asked to price match. He was put on hold forever by Woolies, eventually gave up and eventually got price match approval from manager. There's at least 3 more in stock btw.
Get home to find out phone is locked…. Managed to log in to my old Optus account which was cancelled over a year ago to gain access to chat support. Did not have to activate included Optus sim card. Used excuse that I will be heading overseas in a couple of weeks (which is in fact true) to get unlock code. Successfully unlocked phone after 2nd attempt with code provided.
I also used an old cancelled Optus account as well - handy! I didn't give an excuse, I just asked for it be unlocked and they gave me the the code - smooth sailing.
Went to local woolies but they didn't have stock. Asked the assistant where is the closest shop that have stock and that was 5km away got one and the phone is already unlocked, worked with amaysim and belong.
Does the C21 have dual sim slots?
No.SIM and MicroSD.
There is a dual SIM version sold in other countries. It is unknown so far whether the firmware on the Optus version can be converted to make it into a dual SIM model and whether 3rd party SIM trays with the necessary 2 SIM slots will work properly in this phone. At this price you could buy 2.
Got one from Carousel WA Woolies, had one more left as at 1:30pm AWST.
For reference, no stock at Belmont WA or Bentley WA.
Went to Darra and didn't have any stock but picked one up at Richlands this afternoon. Will activate it later this week.
My C21 worked with TPG sim card until I turn the mobile data on… Now it is locked to Optus, but when typing the IMEI into the portal, it says not locked… What would be the best way to unlock it?
Just open a chat with Optus support a s per what I did…..no drama's at all.
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/user/177381
If the phone is locked but the IMEI says it is not locked, it is not easy to resolve because the Optus agent can't provide a code to pair with a phone that is coming up as being unlocked.
Well mine showed as unlocked via Optus site and the agent had no drama's getting me the unlock code (for what it's worth).
And apologies, the link I noted above was to my profile but should habe been to my comment, oops!. Correct link. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/695073?page=1#comment-1202…
Long time watcher 1st time comment lol
… tried to price match at kmart like another OzB member mentioned somewhere (?)
but the manager called all the local woolies to make sure they had stock… all but one answered.
If there was no local stock they were not going to match.
Kmart had a black and woolies had blue colour they didn't price match 🙄 but got them to put it on hold whilst they were on the call and got it woolies instead 🤣
Spare phone for the parent sorted👍
I got one yesterday from Woolies and was able to price match with Kmart on the phone today afternoon by referencing the online link. Asked them to put it on hold and went and picked up soon after, was the last one and black colour.
I'm going to try this tomorrow. deserve a bit a luck after my nightmare today trying to get one…
how, online link show out of stock?
Its broken. Dont rely on the Online website's Stock details per store.
I meant this link: https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/152322/opt…
Do not login or check store stock, just show them the link with $49 price.
@dealsgrabber: i'm not login and tried different browsers and also in incognito mode and still show as out of stock.
@huntress_love: For some reason I can't get stock indications at all, but luckily I managed to buy one the other day as I happened to pass a Woolworths as my friend was driving to Coles. Now the question is whether I manage to find something better before I can no longer restrain myself from opening the packaging.
@jason8866: i mean getting it to show the price, as keeps coming up as out of stock on my computer, I wouldn't try to price match over the phone, only go in-store and show them on your phone.
@huntress_love: Agree with your comment but the Kmart I was going to pickup was about 18 mins drive from my place so didn't want to waste my time if the store wasn't going to price match. Hence got them to confirm on the phone before I picked it up.
Thanks got one. Kogan and amaysim sim worked in it. I did not let it update just in case it locked itself like some others have found.
Yes, it's very strange. I got a bit worried with the comments of some locking up after update, so checked the one that I had updated to the Android 11 this afternoon, followed with a second update after that. It's still working with calling and mobile data functioning. Really stressed it out by turning it off and restarting to see if that will lock it but luckily it still works, touch wood.
Does that make 3 variations of product: Locked out of the box, locked after Android version upgrade, and unlocked?
I suspect that by default they are not locked out of the box and wonder did some users follow the onscreen prompts i.e.on initial power on, join Wifi, it then auto checked/installed an update (as part of the initial setup). In turn seemed locked out of the box?.
Regardless, its a simple process to get them unlocked for free.
@Borg: Speaking as someone who had repeated interactions with Optus CSRs getting Optus to do anything correctly is not always simple. That being said there are unexpected windfalls from their incompetence and sometimes you do strike a generous CSR. While its nice to receive the bonus of a starter kit with the phone I wish it was with someone else even though I could probably make use of the credit as a recharge and forestall moving onto the Flex plan to retain a nice but spare number. I am reasonably happy with my Optus MVNO though and rarely need to contact them. The last time was when I noticed I couldn't put calls on hold to take a waiting call - so an Optus problem but correctly resolved. Call quality could be better at times.
@Borg: Ah. I checked the outside of my still unopened box and indeed it says it needs a recharge to activate. However, the Woolworths webpage has an image with the words "Free $30 Recharge. Recharge applied when you activate SIM" and the Optus web page has similar wording.
Did you try to activate the SIM?
If indeed the SIM requires some credit to activate, under consumer law Woolies needs to rectify this but getting them to meet their ACL obligations may be challenge.
It might be easiest to contact Optus in the first instance. They can relatively easily apply a gratis $30 recharge if necessary after activating the SIM themselves.
@Stingo: Yup, even I was thinking of this. However, a few things to note.
Other Optus Prepaid phones have a sticker mentioning "Free $30 recharge included" or at least that's what I remember. On the Cross Blue variant of the phone, there is no sticker on the box stating so.
Both Woolies site (for Cross Blue) and Optus site (for Cross Black) state that a free $30 recharge is included.
Under Terms and Conditions, Optus website also mentions that the free $30 recharge is available on all Optus Prepaid phones, so I think we should get it on activating the SIM. Anyone here has done that yet?
Free $30 recharge: Includes $30 recharge value, applied in one transaction when you activate included SIM. Excludes Optus X Lite devices and 5G capable smartphones. Includes all other Optus Prepaid smartphones. New customers only
@djoz: I planned on holding onto the SIM as a spare for now (valid to Dec 22) assuming it came with credit. If others here activate it, please do report back whether by default it applied the $30. I agree and based on Woolies Pic and what you wrote, it should come with $30 credit otherwise Woolies should honour it. I'll keep a screenshot of Website before it is removed.
Actually, The OP pic link shows a photo of Woolies in store phone as incl $30. It is the blue one as well. Nice.
@Borg: The SIM provided includes $30 when activated. Tried to get the phone unlocked, spent 45 minutes on the chat, been told that the "other department" will send me the unlock code via email. Will see….
@norcdley: I had a similar experience, received the email later in the day, but it was just a link to the Unlock procedure as listed on Page 1 of this thread.
Edit: Haven't tried that emailed link though.
Mine locked after updating, but got the unlock code from optus messaging. Not sure if the sim had credit. The sim expiry is Jan 2023.
Grabbed one . Can confirm its unlocked to Aldi sim
FYI I contacted OPTUS for an unlock code. When I entered it it said "Unlock Unsuccessful". Optus person told me "Note if code entered to many times teh phone will no longer be able to be unlocked for another network automatically" :( So far no success unlocking.
Just make sure the phone is connected to internet (WiFi) when you are entering the Unlock Code. I think internet is needed for a successful Unlock.
Any ambiguous characters in your unlock code? My first attempt failed due to me entering an upper case "i" as a lower case "L".
Just a tip, copy and paste the code into something like Word and change the font. This will clarify any ambiguous numbers or letters.
Thanks for your replies. I have good wifi and checked both the code and IMEI number several times. Just spoke to Optus again and they tried to regen the code. it came back with the same code. He said he would email the manufacturer for a different code and expects a reply in 24hrs. I found I couldn't paste the code. Fingers crossed.
@DDozBargain: Had this happen a while back to me. Followed instructions from Optus. Turns out Oppo has numerous different codes (the ones surrounded by the * and #) to input before you enter your passcode and you have to use the right one for your phone. Optus gave me the wrong one. Perhaps you could try the following *#475838912# or *#789# or *#47583891# or *#3988691#. Can't remember which one ended up working for me.
Don't worry too much about it locking with too many wrong codes, if there is a limit its high. When I had issues, I must have put the code in incorrectly at least 50 times.
@thefinalproblems: That gives me hope. I was using *#475838912#. *#789# and *#47583891# don't seem to do anything *#3988691# brings up a different unlock "password" window but unfortunately the code doesn't work in that either. Hopefully they email back with different details for the manufacturer.
@DDozBargain: More a FYI: For me it was *#475838912# to bring up the Unlock Code screen. Character wise my code contained 16 digits e.g only. WjoGlv4se788G5Wf
@DDozBargain: I'm pretty certain the code they gave you will be the right one. When I had that previous issue, Optus checked, rechecked, called me and swore up and down it was the right code. They assured me that the l was a lowercase L. It was a an uppercase i. Like @Colin2905 mentioned, if there are any ambiguous letters or numbers, try different combinations. The number 1 can look like a lowercase L or uppercase i. S's can look like 5's, etc.
It took quite a while to get it unlocked because of the two bits of misinformation from Optus.
Thanks you SOOOOO much everyone for all your help. I can't for the life of me tell what character I was typing in wrong in the code but eventually it allowed me to do a paste in the code field and it worked. Love this phone. Now i have wifi calling with Boost. Thanks OP and OB
same here. did you get thru in the end?
Got one. Boost sim working. Phone has updated and still unlocked.
It looks like the unlocked ones have $0 credit on the SIM, and the locked ones $30 on the SIM. I would have prefered the $0 and unlocked phone :)
Uh oh, how were you able to figure this out? Did anyone get $0 credit on activating an included SIM?
Looks like I have got the biggest DUD phone of the entire population!!1!
Locked - but Optus says it is unlocked - and therefore unlockable.
I have been reading, and I understand your frustration, mate. Do you still have the Optus Chat window open? Scroll back and confirm you gave the correct IMEI (I know you would have, but still double-check). Also, try another chat session with Optus (if you have not already tried). Many times it is just a CSR ability issue and maybe if you get a different person, they might be able to help and provide the Unlock Code.
The unlock code has to be "matched" with the IMEI, is that right? Or can they just generate one which I can then enter manually which would work with my IMEI/any IMEI?
Correct, it would be matched to your unique IMEI
Other: Ignore what Optus CS says. Mine also showed as unlocked. The CS agent didn't even bother looking/checking, he just went straight and generated a Unlock Code for me. In my case done and dusted in 15mins, My guess it comes down to the agent and the method they use?
@Borg: This is a good tip.
But if the phone is showing as "unlocked" (presumably at their end too), can they manually generate an unlock code for an IMEI that is showing up as being unlocked?
@Charlie Dont Surf: I say yes as mine showed as unlocked on the website as did some others here. No drama's unlocking and agent I don't believe even cared to check existing status on their Website, he just took my iMEI, Model number and came back with unlock code within 10mins.
I used chat via logging into an old Optus account I had. No idea if that made any difference i.e. being logged into Optus? Same as the person below this comment.
@Borg: Thanks. I will try again tomorrow. But when I tried the other day, the stumbling block was that the phone was showing as "unlocked" on her screen/system too. So that didn't enable her to generate an unlock code. Maybe better luck with a different agent.
@Charlie Dont Surf: Just tell them it was working fine (with non Optus Sim) and then the phone updated to latest software and suddenly became locked. Don't bother telling them about Website. Perhaps it confuses some agents?
just got mine unlocked. was showing on optus unlocking form as "this device is not network locked."
got on chat with a dormant prepaid account and was given an unlock code almost immediately. no request for payment.
the instructions were:
1) you need to be on wifi
2) dial *#475838912# to open the Unlock Window
3) enter your unlock code
4) ???
5) profit
Sweet!
I guess this is the difference between buying Optus locked and Telstra locked phones.
I've heard Telstra will never unlock this way for free.
telstra were okay when i unknowingly bought a telstra-locked iphone from cashies. first chat person i talked to was rather rude and dumped the chat. next person i tried was a lot more helpful and i didn't have to enter any unlock codes - unlocked OTA or some other voodoo.
really comes down to the staff member and their work ethic, regardless of the company.
at least telstra specify that if a service is older than 2 years, it's free. maybe optus has the same policy, but it's not made public.
Yay, successfully unlocked!
Whoa. Happy to know! What was the secret route?
Chat Support (agent).
and i should add, i activated the sim that came with it and it automatically chucks you onto the $30 epic data plan.
I don't want to activate the included SIM card yet, but I went through the motions without committing. If I use the activation URL and manually enter my details, it leads to the $30 Epic plan. OTOH, if I use the app, where it already has my details (from having a $0 plan), it leads to the $30 Flex plan.
Strange to have two different offerings. I had a quick look what the differences are.
Flexi Plan = 30GB/30Days
Epic Data Plan = 40GB/28Days
No doubt there are other differences and like some carriers, no doubt option for Data Only vs. Phone Calls & Data.
personally, i'd rather 2 extra days ;)
Contacted the support again. Got it unlocked. Great phone for $49!
Can I ask whether you did it through the chat app or call? Thanks.
chat app.
Weird experience. Put aldi sim in phone, working ok then said locked after about 10 min. On chat line with Optus and after about 20 min, finally gave me the unlock code. In the meantime I thought I might as well update the software. Put the unlock code in, said it failed. Closed message but noticed ALDImobile appearing in top corner. Tried calling and receiving, both worked.
@tdw thanks for the instructions where to put the code. It really helped.
Just bought two of these for $29 each in the Broome shop; there were at least 3 more there. For some reason the $29 deal has been deemed to have insufficient quantity, but there are probably still a few knocking around elsewhere.
Coming back to Perth? Grab a spare for me! My credit rating is AAA+.
I'll let you know if I get another one.
I would have tried to get it for free under the scanning code of practice. They really need better descriptions on their web site,