My AT&T smart phone got stolen out of my car the other day so I spent some time looking at decent phones for a good price on Craig's List and found the HTC G1 for 60 bucks and figured it wouldn't get any better than that.
I did some searching around and found that the phones was locked to T-Mobile but some people saying they'd unlocked it and gotten it working with AT&T so I figured no big deal, I've unlocked a few Samsung smart phones before.
Well come to find out those models of Samsung's I did in the past all had the same unlock code. These newer Android phones all have individual unique unlock codes all based upon the individual phone's IMEI number.
The only sure fire way I found of getting an unlock code is to pay some website $25 to decode the IMEI number and generate an unlock code. Keep in mind, this is NOT T-Mobile's website. I called T-Mobile and asked them for a code and they told me I had to be signed on to T-Mobile at least 3 years with that phone before they'd provide me with an unlock code and purchasing a code by itself just isn't an option, but then told me I would get more help if I called HTC.
So I call HTC and they politely tell me to fuck myself and call AT&T.
15 minutes later I'm finally taken off hold with AT&T and they actually try help me and run my IMEI number on their end, but the code is manufacturer specific and doesn't work.
So finally, I find a website called cellunlockstore.com who advertises "unlock any phone for $1.99!"... right, seems legit, I know. lol Well after getting to the order page, the price goes up to $5.99, then when I actually place the order, the price is almost $7. (this was all through paypall, otherwise I wouldn't have been so ballsy/stupid) And I am given an order confirmation with an order number and estimated 24 hours until I get my code via email.
Immediately after placing this order is when I finally get the bright idea to look up these people and see if there's any reviews. Too my horror, I find dozens of people complaining of having been jerked around with emails saying "need more info" "still decoding IMEI" "could take 7 days" "phone cannot be unlocked" then promising a refund, then denying the refund, claiming the customer had not given the correct info and so on and so on.
At this point its 2 hours after I've placed the order so I send a follow up email to them stating I'd seen their reviews and wanted a personal assurance that the refund process would be as easy as it stated on the home page of their website in the event that they could not unlock my phone, which was seeming to be the standard result... I also reminded them that I triple checked all the numbers and info I had provided them so I knew they had everything they needed and asked again to hear promptly from someone on staff just to know they're on top of things.
About an hour after that follow up email, I received an email confirmation of my refund from paypal. I guess I had already called them out on all the bullshit before they had a chance to pull it so they just didn't bother with it and sent me my money back immediately. This after reading about people being jerked around for weeks by these guys.
So now I'm left with the 25 dollar option with that other 3rd party website who has nothing but good reviews about them... So I'm weighing between either giving in and buying the damn code, or offering the phone and my netbook up for trade in package deal on Craigs List for and nice AT&T or unlocked/universal phone.
Unless there would happen to be a master guru of cellular technology out there who may know of another way around unlocking an HTC G1...
-------------------- The Shaman
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good luck, I would think it would be illegal to not allow a owner of a phone the ability to use it however they wish and not limited by some companies terms. I've had similiar trouble with boost phones/motorolas, most of those websites you'll find are scams, I've fallen victim to a couple of the 1.99 UNLOCK CODES!!!! I've never tried anything more, I would defintely do some research about your phone and whatever unlock service you try.
One thing I've heard people having success with, is sometimes you can find local cell phone service people who run it out of their house, and they can unlock your phone usually for 10$. What I dont understand is how they are capable of it and not someone else?
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∞ I am incapable of conceiving infinity, and yet I do not accept finity. - Simone de Beauvoir -
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