# Unlocking Mobile Phones - (UK)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unlocking-mobile-phones-uk/191039>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 26, 2003, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unlocking-mobile-phones-uk/191039 "2003-07-26T05:53:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![quicken78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/919ad9/32.png) [@quicken78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quicken78)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unlocking-mobile-phones-uk/191039/1 "2003-07-26T05:53:12Z")

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I have a UK mobile phone and am now living in India. The UK phone is locked to my service provider there, Orange. I have found this website:

[http://www.unlock-code.com/nokia.htm](http://www.unlock-code.com/nokia.htm)

It claims it will provide me with a code to unlock my phone but at a $14.90 price. If you look at the site, you will notice that the last line of the paragraph underneath the row of pictures of phones ends: ‘You will receive the unlock Code in the 5 minutes by e-mail !’ - great grammar.

It is a highly suspicious site and has been poorly put together. Is it possible to get a code to unlock a phone that has been locked by the service provider to only accept a particular SIM code? Are there any sites that anyone has used that have been able to do this?

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**Author:** ![Clu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/22d042/32.png) [@Clu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clu)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unlocking-mobile-phones-uk/191039/2 "2003-07-26T05:57:04Z")

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This might or might not help you.

[http://www.cellphonehacks.com/](http://www.cellphonehacks.com/)

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**Author:** ![bardos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bardos/32/1069_2.png) [@bardos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bardos)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unlocking-mobile-phones-uk/191039/3 "2003-07-26T08:04:04Z")

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in one way you’re lucky, nokia appears to be one of the most popular cellphones to unlock. There are many websites which offer unlocking… as well as individuals. I would suggest you go to this forum:

[http://forum.gsmhosting.com/vbb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=88](http://forum.gsmhosting.com/vbb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=88)

and post your needs and wait for some advice.

e.

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**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unlocking-mobile-phones-uk/191039/4 "2003-07-26T12:13:10Z")

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Hi \*\* quicken78\*\*, the methods you are trying to use are illegal. The only legal way is to contact Orange in UK and ask them for a Network Unlock Code. They are the only ones that will be able to provide it, legally atleast, for your phone. I highly doubt those websites will be able to offer you a working Network Unlock Code, since the code is different for each phone on the network.

I had a UK One2One phone that was locked to the One2One network in UK. When I brought it to India I could not use it because of the Network Lock. One2One UK released the Network Unlock Code to me for a steep 75 pounds. You are then free to use any SIM card from any network in the phone.

Since any other discussion on this topic will be illegal, I am closing this thread.

- **xash**  
General Questions Moderator