[ananimus]

So I ended up asking this in my Pre 3 craigslist poaching thread, but want to ask direct...

Does anyone know a way to force the screen that lets you enter the SIM unlock code to come up without using a SIM from another carrier?

In my case I picked up an AT&T-locked Pre 3. Used Dogbert's method to get the code. He notes that if the SIM unlock code provided doesn't work, then you have to repeat some steps with the extra --writeBack option.

The problem is, I have a Straight Talk AT&T SIM so the Pre 3 already worked on my SIM. So I can't get to the screen to try entering the code.

If I end up traveling to Europe I'd like to know it's unlocked, but have no way to confirm the code will be accepted in advance. And no, I don't know anyone on T-Mobile to try their SIM either.

Thoughts? Checking the forums only one person seems to have asked while others just resorted to digging up a different SIM. Is it really impossible to reach that screen without an off-carrier SIM?

[Herrie]

So I ended up asking this in my Pre 3 craigslist poaching thread, but want to ask direct...

Does anyone know a way to force the screen that lets you enter the SIM unlock code to come up without using a SIM from another carrier?

In my case I picked up an AT&T-locked Pre 3. Used Dogbert's method to get the code. He notes that if the SIM unlock code provided doesn't work, then you have to repeat some steps with the extra --writeBack option.

The problem is, I have a Straight Talk AT&T SIM so the Pre 3 already worked on my SIM. So I can't get to the screen to try entering the code.

If I end up traveling to Europe I'd like to know it's unlocked, but have no way to confirm the code will be accepted in advance. And no, I don't know anyone on T-Mobile to try their SIM either.

Thoughts? Checking the forums only one person seems to have asked while others just resorted to digging up a different SIM. Is it really impossible to reach that screen without an off-carrier SIM?

Walk in to a T-Mobile shop and ask them to try one of their SIM-cards to see if it works in your phone ?

[creepingmee]

For what its worth I ha e used the --writeback option a few times and it has resulted in an unlocked phone every time for me. Of course YMMV.

[ananimus]

Wellll, bad news bears. I just received the int'l SIM for my trip. I put it in the spare Pre 3 and the code did not work. I reunlocked with --writeBack, got the same unlock code. Tried it again and it failed again.

One retry left!

And also, going to bring my old Pre 3. The guy who sold it said he did the unlock already on it and gave me the print out. Of course I lost the page since then, so now I have to try unlocking my daily driver too.

EDIT: Annnnnnd, that didn't work. Ran unlock on my daily driver since there was only one attempt left on the new one. I dunno what the previous owner did, but the code didn't work and it PUK locked the phone! Swapping back to my old SIM still worked. Then I noticed that Lebara Germany conveniently provides 2 PUK pins/codes with the SIM. So that's nice at least. Okay, try try again...

[ananimus]

Wait a minute... what happens if this phone was already unlocked and used successfully once, then I try to run Dogbert's method on it again.

I just noticed my old phone is giving a different unlock code every time I run it. The new phone (never unlocked) gives the same code each time.

[ananimus]

Okay. So it was saying "SIM card locked." Not anything about the carrier lock. Anyways, seems fine now.

Can I tell from the SIM card just saying "SOS" instead of "SIM Lo..."--Oh wow. Nevermind. The new SIM's in the new Pre 3 now and just received a welcome text from the company in Germany. Sooooo... I guess it works. And that may have been an expensive text.

It also says "Tmobile Lebara" as the carrier. While I'm in the US.

[Preemptive]

Wow. Roaming. Is that $$$$ in the US?

Fortunately, the EU brought in rules to limit roaming charges, so you should be Ok if you go anywhere else. Maybe you can meet up with some of the German webOS users?

I've never met another webOS user! Maybe they're all weird like me....

[fabianlanco]

Those welcome SMS are normally free of charge in the EU. The carriers have to inform you about the new prices of their services once you travel across a border.

[ananimus]

Yeah, but the I sent to my US number probably wasn't.

[fabianlanco]

Well, here in the EU you keep your number when you travel inside the EU. And with most carries i know there aren't any charges for receiving SMS. Only for sending and making and receiving phone calls.
On another note: because of our roaming prices it can actuallly be cheaper to send an SMS from abroad...

[ananimus]

On another note: because of our roaming prices it can actuallly be cheaper to send an SMS from abroad...

Huh, that's weird. Really I'm not too worried about it. It's just for a week, so I probably won't spend out the tariff. Actually, I thought the Lebara prices were pretty darn reasonable compared to the States, though maybe I didn't think it all through too closely.

[ananimus]

Ah! And just checked. Apparently if you send a text to a US phone number with a Lebara Germany SIM card while the phone is still roaming in the US, it's 0.49€ per message. Oops!