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Unlocking Lumia phones (specifically the Lumia 530)
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Is it possible to unlock the Lumia 530? (i.e. from a network lock)
I've searched around, and there's the usual boilerplater webpages supposedly selling unlock codes (with the standard copy & pasted text regardless of handset model), none of which fill you with any confidence. Then there's the standard unhelpful replies on the GiffGaff forums, none of which actually gives a proper answer.
The only results on eBay are two listings from the same seller offering unlock codes but only for Vodafone-locked Lumia models.
I've found these two posts on a specialist forum suggesting it's not possible, though that does contradict the eBay seller's offer to unlock Vodafone-locked Lumias.
I also ask because I've looked into unlocking a Lumia or two in the past (sorry I forget the model numbers), and found it wasn't possible - or at least not easily possible. In general, are Lumia phones - or indeed other makes of Windows Phone - hard or impossible to network unlock?
I find having a network locked handset a bit of an irritant!
I've searched around, and there's the usual boilerplater webpages supposedly selling unlock codes (with the standard copy & pasted text regardless of handset model), none of which fill you with any confidence. Then there's the standard unhelpful replies on the GiffGaff forums, none of which actually gives a proper answer.
The only results on eBay are two listings from the same seller offering unlock codes but only for Vodafone-locked Lumia models.
I've found these two posts on a specialist forum suggesting it's not possible, though that does contradict the eBay seller's offer to unlock Vodafone-locked Lumias.
I also ask because I've looked into unlocking a Lumia or two in the past (sorry I forget the model numbers), and found it wasn't possible - or at least not easily possible. In general, are Lumia phones - or indeed other makes of Windows Phone - hard or impossible to network unlock?
I find having a network locked handset a bit of an irritant!
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It should be easy to unlock in the sense that it allows you to enter a code - it's just getting the code that is the problem. I'd assume the eBay seller offering Vodafone codes is a rogue VF employee with access to the right systems.
Those forum posts appear to be talking about some sort of third party service tool, which may well not be able to unlock the phones
If you put a SIM in from a different network, does it ask for a code?
No, I don't use a Lumia phone at the mo - it's not necessarily for my use either (though if it was possible I might be interested).
I'm not sure I've ever obtained an unlock code from a network - don't they always want to charge quite a whack for one?
If you are planning on buying, it's probably better to just buy one that is already unlocked
Just had a quick look at the Voda and O2 websites...
Vodafone charge £19.99 for unlocking a PAYG phone, taken from your airtime balance, though you have to have used it with a Vodafone PAYG SIM in it for more than 30 days. (Voda also charge £19.99 for Pay Monthly customers if they've had the phone for less than 12 months, it's free after that.)
O2 charge £15 for unlocking a Pay & Go phone, again taken from your airtime balance, but with them you have to wait until 12 months after purchase.
It could also take a little while for them to get the unlock code to you - though can they also do it over the air? (I understand iPhones are different in that they need to be connected to iTunes in order to unlock them.)
Like you said moox, it's probably not worth the bother. I was just curious as to whether it can be done for Lumia phones without getting the network involved.
Some branding still remains like the EE logo at start-up.