newbie unlocking question

[Steve]

Can you unlock a phone that's currently not operating with any carrier, or does it need to be active on a network?

I recently switched to Sprint (oldskool SERO) and I want to sell off my old AT&T 8700c, but I want to unlock it first to jack up the price add value.

 

[secretanchitman]

Can you unlock a phone that's currently not operating with any carrier, or does it need to be active on a network?

I recently switched to Sprint (oldskool SERO) and I want to sell off my old AT&T 8700c, but I want to unlock it first to jack up the price add value.

i would think att would unlock it, provided that you are still with them. maybe you can call them up and have them verify that you were a customer previously. i believe that the policy is that you have to be with att, have your account in good standing, and have your same phone for 90 days and then they will give you the unlock code. if they dont however, there are plenty of codes online you can get. i just unlocked my moms att/samsung solstice for about $3.50 on ebay. got the unlock code within 1-2 hours and i just googled the instructions to get to the unlocking menu

ebay link to the same seller i bought my code from, but for your phone

 

[Steve]

I am no longer with AT&T, been with Sprint for a week now. I don't mind getting an unlock code off eBay for a couple of bucks. All I'm worried about is whether the unlock process will work on a phone that connects to nothing - will it work?

 

[Steve]

Yes/no?

 

[Pliablemoose]

Just find a friend and use their sim card to see if it worked.

I can usually find someone at work on TMobile & ATT, pull their phone apart and check it out...

 

[Steve]

I work in a company of two people, me and the boss (he's on Verizon).

That said I'm sure I can see about finding other GSMers to help me out that way, it's not a bad idea. The question I'm asking is whether the unlock process needs a connection, but I guess nobody knows.

 

[secretanchitman]

Yes/no?

im not sure if it needs a connection...i would think the phone would bootup and say invalid sim or incorrect sim. then you would just need to put in the unlock code.

 

[Steve]

I went ahead and ordered an unlock code from eBay, just waiting for delivery on it. In the meantime the phone does boot up and then says something like SIM Not Provisioned (2), but I just turn the radio off for now.

 

[secretanchitman]

I went ahead and ordered an unlock code from eBay, just waiting for delivery on it. In the meantime the phone does boot up and then says something like SIM Not Provisioned (2), but I just turn the radio off for now.

nice. let us know how it goes.

 

[Steve]

Well it said Code Accepted, I guess now I'll try out Pliablemoose's test and see if it works.

 

[secretanchitman]

Well it said Code Accepted, I guess now I'll try out Pliablemoose's test and see if it works.

awesome

 

[Steve]

Looks like the code worked. Over this week I put in both AT&T and T-Mobile SIM cards, and both were able to make calls. Looks like I can get ready to sell this old beast now.

 

[secretanchitman]

Looks like the code worked. Over this week I put in both AT&T and T-Mobile SIM cards, and both were able to make calls. Looks like I can get ready to sell this old beast now.

nice! glad to hear it worked out for you.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Where did you go on Ebay to find the unlock code?

When I had to unlock one of my ATT phones, I had to call ATT and pretend I bought it on craigslist or something, then I waited almost a week for them to contact me and give me the unlock code.

 

[Steve]

http://myworld.ebay.com/gsmunlockstore