Sony Ericsson T630

radish · 16-01-2009, 12:04

Hi

I've had the above phone with T-Mobile for quite a few years now. However, I'm considering moving to Virgin Mobile and, as I'm not a big mobile phone user, I'm happy to stick with the T630.

The phone is locked, but I'm unclear as to the options for unlocking: do I have to get a terminator dongle or can I enter an unlock code from the Network menu (which you can access by pressing the joystick left, then ** and left again)?

Thanks

BlueDanGroup · 16-01-2009, 13:24

Virgin piggybacks onto TMobile, so your Virgin sim might work without having it unlocked as they share the same network id - this was the case for me with a Sharp TM100 a few years back anyway.

Might be worth a go before you pay to have it unlocked.

radish · 16-01-2009, 13:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueDanGroup

Virgin piggybacks onto TMobile, so your Virgin sim might work without having it unlocked as they share the same network id - this was the case for me with a Sharp TM100 a few years back anyway.

Might be worth a go before you pay to have it unlocked.

Thanks for the info - I'll check that out!

Stinkybear81 · 17-01-2009, 02:24

BlueDanGroup is absolutely right. A Virgin Mobile sim should work in a T-Mobile handset regardless of whether its locked or not. Nothings changed since they had their old Sharp handset.

prking · 17-01-2009, 06:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinkybear81

BlueDanGroup is absolutely right. A Virgin Mobile sim should work in a T-Mobile handset regardless of whether its locked or not. Nothings changed since they had their old Sharp handset.

That's not strictly true, and a bit of an urban myth, it depends how the phone is locked. A phone can be locked to a Network or to a Service Provider (or in other unusual ways). This is why the official advice is to try it and see.

Quite a few handsets are locked to the host network, but many are locked to the specific service provider.

BlueDanGroup · 18-01-2009, 13:36

I did say might

But thanks for the clarification prking.

radish, if you do try and it doesn't work you'll just have to get it unlocked like you were planning to anyway, no harm done, it'll just refuse to logon to Virgin until you do.

radish · 18-01-2009, 15:50

Thanks for all the comments.

Just to let you know, I popped into my local Virgin Mobile store today and a Virgin SIM does indeed work fine in my T630

Speaking to the sales guy, it would seem quite a few folk are leaving T-Mobile since they became a little more stingy with their loyalty discounts.

darkpaw · 18-01-2009, 16:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by prking

A phone can be locked to a Network or to a Service Provider (or in other unusual ways). This is why the official advice is to try it and see.

Quite a few handsets are locked to the host network, but many are locked to the specific service provider.

on a Sony Ericsson phone, you can access the hidden Service Menu:

using your D-pad or joystick, select: right, star, left, left, star, left, star

then select Service info > SIM lock >

and that will tell you whether or not you are locked, and if it's the Network or the Service Provider etc. (red padlock = locked, green padlock = unlocked)

16-01-2009, 12:04	#1
radish Guest Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,663	Sony Ericsson T630 Hi I've had the above phone with T-Mobile for quite a few years now. However, I'm considering moving to Virgin Mobile and, as I'm not a big mobile phone user, I'm happy to stick with the T630. The phone is locked, but I'm unclear as to the options for unlocking: do I have to get a terminator dongle or can I enter an unlock code from the Network menu (which you can access by pressing the joystick left, then ** and left again)? Thanks

16-01-2009, 13:24	#2
BlueDanGroup Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 150	Virgin piggybacks onto TMobile, so your Virgin sim might work without having it unlocked as they share the same network id - this was the case for me with a Sharp TM100 a few years back anyway. Might be worth a go before you pay to have it unlocked.

16-01-2009, 13:31	#3
radish Guest Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,663	Quote: Originally Posted by BlueDanGroup Virgin piggybacks onto TMobile, so your Virgin sim might work without having it unlocked as they share the same network id - this was the case for me with a Sharp TM100 a few years back anyway. Might be worth a go before you pay to have it unlocked. Thanks for the info - I'll check that out!

17-01-2009, 02:24	#4
Stinkybear81 Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: South West, UK Posts: 189	BlueDanGroup is absolutely right. A Virgin Mobile sim should work in a T-Mobile handset regardless of whether its locked or not. Nothings changed since they had their old Sharp handset.

17-01-2009, 06:43	#5
prking Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Weston-super-Mare Posts: 9,167	Quote: Originally Posted by Stinkybear81 BlueDanGroup is absolutely right. A Virgin Mobile sim should work in a T-Mobile handset regardless of whether its locked or not. Nothings changed since they had their old Sharp handset. That's not strictly true, and a bit of an urban myth, it depends how the phone is locked. A phone can be locked to a Network or to a Service Provider (or in other unusual ways). This is why the official advice is to try it and see. Quite a few handsets are locked to the host network, but many are locked to the specific service provider.

18-01-2009, 13:36	#6
BlueDanGroup Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 150	I did say might But thanks for the clarification prking. radish, if you do try and it doesn't work you'll just have to get it unlocked like you were planning to anyway, no harm done, it'll just refuse to logon to Virgin until you do.

18-01-2009, 15:50	#7
radish Guest Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,663	Thanks for all the comments. Just to let you know, I popped into my local Virgin Mobile store today and a Virgin SIM does indeed work fine in my T630 Speaking to the sales guy, it would seem quite a few folk are leaving T-Mobile since they became a little more stingy with their loyalty discounts.

18-01-2009, 16:02	#8
darkpaw Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ♂ Posts: 11,500	Quote: Originally Posted by prking A phone can be locked to a Network or to a Service Provider (or in other unusual ways). This is why the official advice is to try it and see. Quite a few handsets are locked to the host network, but many are locked to the specific service provider. on a Sony Ericsson phone, you can access the hidden Service Menu: using your D-pad or joystick, select: right, star, left, left, star, left, star then select Service info > SIM lock > and that will tell you whether or not you are locked, and if it's the Network or the Service Provider etc. (red padlock = locked, green padlock = unlocked)

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Sony Ericsson T630