CANNOT Unlock my Treo 650

**jwein84** · 06/01/2005, 08:22 AM

Okay, after giving my imei # to the cingular rep I got the unlock code for my phone. I type in *#*#[8 digit code]# and pushed the green button. I got the message "The Sim lock has been successfully removed from your phone." However I tried putting in an active SIM from another carrier and it says "The sim card you a trying to use will not work on this phone (I am paraphrasing but something like that)" and it says "No-Service - SOS Only" on the top.

I called back cingular and read them the unlock code they gave me and the new rep said that is the right code. So what could the problem be and how can I fix it?

**jetkins** · 06/01/2005, 09:50 AM

Just checking: you are with Cingular Orange, not the old AT&T Cingular Blue? The unlock code is keyed off of both the IMEI and the carrier code that it's locked to, so if they thought you were with Orange, and you're actually with Blue, then it ain't gonna work.

**jwein84** · 06/01/2005, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by jetkins

Just checking: you are with Cingular Orange, not the old AT&T Cingular Blue? The unlock code is keyed off of both the IMEI and the carrier code that it's locked to, so if they thought you were with Orange, and you're actually with Blue, then it ain't gonna work.

I was never with at&t so i believe I am with Cingular Orange. However wouldn't cingular know which code to give me anyway based on what carrier they have me on?

**dstevens** · 06/01/2005, 11:10 AM

I have the same problem. US Cingular phone, Cingular SIM card, got the unlock code from Cingular and unlocked the phone. When I insert my T-Mobile SIM, I get the same message. I also tried a local SIM card when I was in South Africa and couldn't get it to work.

**jgm** · 06/01/2005, 11:54 AM

I believe you will find that the unlock code is the PUK code for unlocking a SIM that is locked because the password was entered wrong three times. It is not a code to unlock the phone from the carrier.

**holmes4** · 06/01/2005, 01:25 PM

The PUK is four digits, the SIM subsidy unlock code is 8 digits.

**jwein84** · 06/01/2005, 08:40 PM

The code I received from cinuglar is an 8 digit code. Should this unlock the phone or should I be asking Cingular for something else?

**jgm** · 06/01/2005, 08:53 PM

Sorry, I didn't read carefully and missed that it was 8 digits. Doing too manythings at once as usual. Are you sure *#*# is the right sequence? It is acknowledging it that way but other than that not sure what the problem could be.

**cmascatello** · 06/01/2005, 11:30 PM

*#*# <8 digits> # DIAL button on screen did it for me. I have not tested a live SIM (only non-serviced Cingular Orange on the AT&T Treo) but did not get that message when I tested it. My problem was that the phone kept saying Searching For Signal, which I attribute to the non-serviced SIM.

**adamstew** · 06/02/2005, 01:02 AM

Did you try to guess the unlock code more than 5 times? If you try to enter the wrong unlock code on the Cingular 650 more than 5 times then it becomes permanantly locked and can never be unlocked. That may be the case here.

**jwein84** · 06/02/2005, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by adamstew

Did you try to guess the unlock code more than 5 times? If you try to enter the wrong unlock code on the Cingular 650 more than 5 times then it becomes permanantly locked and can never be unlocked. That may be the case here.

If this is true, than that might be the case. I remember playing around with the unlock code a little bit before I got the real one from Cingular. Either way, I have a new one coming today thanks to my warranty exchange so I guess I'll just get the new code from Cingular (without messing around with it this time).

**swieder** · 06/30/2005, 02:28 PM

I have been given 3 different codes today from Cingular. The first two were PUK codes. The last one was supposed to be a Subsidiary unlock code. By now I have tried at least 5 times to enter this code. Is it really permenantly locked now so that I have to send it back to get another handset?!!!

**deanfx** · 06/30/2005, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by swieder

I have been given 3 different codes today from Cingular. The first two were PUK codes. The last one was supposed to be a Subsidiary unlock code. By now I have tried at least 5 times to enter this code. Is it really permenantly locked now so that I have to send it back to get another handset?!!!

This is a quote from the email I got from Cingular with my unlock code:

"Note:

The customer only has five (5) tries to unlock the phone.
If this process is unsuccessful five times in a row, the phone will be
permanently locked to the Cingular network."

**jcatan** · 06/30/2005, 04:30 PM

I started with a Cingular 650 in January. I was given an unlock code and all went well. I used my Italian SIMs while in Italy with no problem.

The phone developed the "P" key problem and a replacement was sent from Cingular. It would not unlock. The screen message says that it unlocked, but it will not use my foreign SIM or a friends T-Mobile SIM. The second replacement did the same thing. Cingular tech support got PalmOne support on the line with them. PalmOne said it is a hardware issue. Cingular sent a third phone and the same thing is happening. Cingular and PalmOne confirm that the codes have been correct and the entry sequence is correct.

The issue is now with Cingular level 3 support. They have called twice, but seem to have no idea why this is happening. They did confirm that it has been known to happen and that a hardware replacement always solved the problem. Why it has happened to 3 devices in a row has everyone confused.

I still have my original phone with the bad key and it can use other SIMs. I also have an unbranded 650 that can use the same SIMs.

This has been going on for almost 3 weeks now and I have become very frustrated. I am also spending way too much time on the phone with Cingular support over this issue. Not one of the techs has offered any solution and few fail to deliver the "Well, it should work." line during a call.

Anyone out there have any ideas? I'm sure out of them.

**deanfx** · 06/30/2005, 05:12 PM

Are they giving you a new sub unlock code for the new phones? Or are you using the same code from the first one?

**jcatan** · 06/30/2005, 05:28 PM

They give me a new code based on the IMEI number for each new phone. Even PalmOne support confirmed the codes were correct for each phone. I wish it had been that simple.

**jetkins** · 06/30/2005, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by jcatan

I started with a Cingular 650 in January. I was given an unlock code and all went well. I used my Italian SIMs while in Italy with no problem.

The phone developed the "P" key problem and a replacement was sent from Cingular. It would not unlock. The screen message says that it unlocked, but it will not use my foreign SIM or a friends T-Mobile SIM. The second replacement did the same thing. Cingular tech support got PalmOne support on the line with them. PalmOne said it is a hardware issue. Cingular sent a third phone and the same thing is happening. Cingular and PalmOne confirm that the codes have been correct and the entry sequence is correct.

Anyone out there have any ideas? I'm sure out of them.

I've now seen several folks report similar problems with replacement phones. I have to wonder if perhaps some of the replacements being issued are refurbs, and the previous owners had already tried unlocking them with bogus codes, thus exhausting the available tries.

**swieder** · 06/30/2005, 07:39 PM

Add me to the list of people with replacement phones that can not be unlocked!

I found this in an old email from Cingular

■ To unlock Treo 650
1. Press the green Phone button
2. Enter *#*#<Unlock Code>#
3. Press Dial

■ After 10 failed attempts to unlock the Treo, the Treo's power must be recycled to try again.

Makes me wonder how serious a problem there is with repeated failures to enter the correct unlock code.

**swieder** · 06/30/2005, 07:46 PM

With the replacement CNG phone I upgraded it to 1.28ROW firmware before trying to unlock it. Someone said that this should not effect the unlock process.

jetkins said the unlock code is tied to the IMEI number and carrier code. This implies changing the FW from CNG to ROW may effect the unlock process.

I am trying one more attempt with CNG customer service by sending an email to the guy that supplied me with the unlock code for my 1st phone. Then the phone gets replaced AGAIN. The PalmOne store generously offered me a swap out of CNG for CNG or pay $150 to upgrade to a true unlocked phone. I prefer CNG when it come to phone service since advanced replacements are free with CNG vs. $25 with PalmOne.

**jcatan** · 06/30/2005, 08:44 PM

I thought of the power cycle trick assuming that the refurb phones may have been messed with before. To no avail. The one consistent thing I've seen is that all of the refurbs are version 1.0.5 of the software. I did not try updating to a newer software/firmware version before trying the unlock code. Since most new Cingular phones ship with version 1.0.5, I doubt if that is the problem. But, I'm guessing here. I don't know how to load a version older than 1.0.5 to try that approach.

BTW, my original 650 is currently being used by my wife. She dropped it yesterday and the "P" key is now working. Who knew!

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