Carphone Warehouse Warning ! (simlock)

[miffed]

I bought an N95 on Orange through CPW , (with a view to paying Orange to unlock it )

I am Told by Orange the CPW have the codes , therefore they cannot unlock it ,
So I contacted CPW , they say this is rubbish, and that Orange have the Codes and they don't

(. .... This goes on infinataely )

Leaving me with an N95 permanantly locked to Orange (until unlockers are more widespread at least )

MORAL OF THE STORY

PHONES FROM CARPHONE WAREHOUSE ARE NOT UNLOCKABLE BY YOUR NETWORK OR CARPHONE WAREHOUSE !!

( I am absolutely kicking myself as to why I didn't pay the extra few quid and have it on T-mobile in the first place )

[solo12002]

Ae they not breaking oFCOMS ruling about you have the right to unlock your mobile. Would small claims court action help?

[miffed]

^^^ That is what I thought , I sent mails to that affect to Orange & CPW's Exec offices and their CS depts , so far I have just had this reply from Orange ( I had previously spoke to each company's CS at least twice also )

Dear Matthew

Thank you for your mail.

I can only reiterate what you have been previously advised. We cannot unlock generic handsets.

As this handset is generic, we are under no obligation to unlock it.

I can also advise that the unlock codes are actually held by the manufacturer.

I hope this information clarifies our position.

Kind regards

Ruth

Now I understand fully that they haven't got the codes (if that is the case) but that is not my problem really is it ? ... or at least it shouldn't be
If they are obiliged to give me an unlock code they should make damn sure they have access to one ! there is obviously a major flaw in the system if no one has these codes !!

Anyone have any experience in getting out of this hole ?

[Ben]

I take it you can't just tell them it's an Orange handset? They're telling you it's generic from the IMEI?

Did CPW actually lock the handset to Orange? You've got to wonder why they'd do that, a friend of mine recently got an E65 from CPW on Orange completely generic and unlocked. If they did, go in store and make a scene until they resolve the issue!

[whatleydude]

Yeah Dude - I'm with Ben.


Be prepared to kick up a stink and not leave their shop until they insist on sorting you out...
That is really poor customer service.

[miffed]

Trouble is , I bought it from CPW's web site , so I am not sure that they'll even entertain me at the shop

[Ben]

They're not going to be entertaining you, you're going to be entertaining their customers until they sort you out

[miffed]

Hmm, may be worth a go though , the problem is one of them (either Orange or CPW) is either lying , or short delivering on CS , and I am not sure who !

Just come off the phone to Nokia , who agree that it is Orange and not CPW who are responsible

Just to make matters worse , I have had a look at the OFCOM ruling , and it suggests that there is no obligation to unlock before the minimum term is up

So , looks like I've bought a lemon

I am tempted to pop over to Canterbury & beat the crap out of the first "Phone trainer" that I see , whcih will make me feel a lot better

[3g-g]

I was just having a look there for you fella, there are a few things about generic handsets on our intranet, and all the reference material refers the caller back to the point of purchase.

A while ago Orange started to allow some retailers the ability to offer generic handsets in order to get them out to the public quicker, on the premise that if issues arose, the point of sale would be responsible for them. As far as locking them is concerned that's a new one on me, one of my friends has just got a k800i from CPW and it's unlocked and generic. Perhaps in the light of resale of unlocked handsets CPW have decided to start locking them, they buy a great deal of SIM free handsets and have their repair centres with the kit to do it en-masse.

I agree it's a pest, but when buying from a 3rd party Orange are only the airtime provider and CPW are the seller of the hardware.

[whatleydude]

Keep us up to date Miffed - interested to see how this unfolds.

[miffed]

My next line of attack is to phone CPW (again) - and ask them to use retail/ dealer support to ring orange and establish who is lying & who is telling the truth
I have a feeling that the phone is not going to be unlockable by code - Iam guessing that this is a major oversight that neither CPW or Orange have even considered ,and the log of codes is probably in a dustbin somewhere

[miffed]

Oh dear, that was bad !

CPW were more than useless , spoke to three of them , none of them could grasp what I was saying , and to make things worse the last guy actually thought it was ME that had it all wrong , and was trying to explain the difference between a network and a retailer - I pretty much gave up

I have now fired off an email to CPW and Oranges Exec offices , telling them that I am concerned that I have been sold a handset that is unable to comply OFCOM's requirements ,and that as a (cough) as a (cough) Telecommunications Journalist I have a duty to inform my readers of this

TBH I have come to terms with the fact that it will NEVER ber unlocked (untill the soloution is out mainstream)
Not sure what to do now .....

Either get the £8 unlimited data add on and give them a go (and waste the HSDPA feature of the phone) ....or sell it on e-bay and buy a T-mobile or an unlocked one
I like the second Idea , as the thought of even giving extra money to Orange turns my stomach now

[miffed]

All sorted !

An unlocked n95 is winging its way to me , and the Orange one will go on E-bay to fund it
The Orange sim will be milked for it's minutes , and Orange and CPW can stick the prospect of any future business where the sun doesn't shine



I still feel the need to hit an Orange "phone trainer" though

[Ben]

Oh well, I'm glad you resolved your issue - people power I guess! It's still a crazy situation, and one that I'm sure countless others will have found themselves in and, unfortunately, more will continue to discover.

Nice avatar

[miffed]

Orange never cease to amaze me

Now I have given up all hope Orange after their refusal and claimed inabiltiy to unlock my phone I, got myself an new , unlocked handset ,

Then , a few minutes ago ,this arrives in my inbox

Dear Mr Homer J Simpson



Orange account number:

19XXXXXX

Orange phone number:

079XXXXXXXXX - incidently, the have the wrong account !







With regards to the unlocking of your Orange mobile phone, please find enclosed the unlocking codes and procedure required to unlock the handset.



Should you have any further queries regarding the unlocking of your mobile phone please call your specific Customer Service Help desk.



Business Customer Services 07973100158





Yours sincerely





Paul Franks



Orange handset unlocking dept

Now I don't know whether to laugh or cry !

I suppose it'll knock the value up a bit on flea bay

[miffed]

And todays mail .....

Dear Mr XXXXX

Thank you for your mail.

We can confirm that we are unable to unlock Generic handsets.

I am sorry we are unable to assist you further.

Kind regards

Joe

Orange truly are numpties of the highest order

[Hands0n]

Y'know - if I were you, if I were, I'd send that entire email string and your tale of woe to Orange's Exec office anyway. Clearly there is an ar*se and elbow syndrome on the go there. Reminds me to decline any offers of a P*ss Up at the local Orange Brewery too .....

What an utter shambles!

[miffed]

There is one interesting point there though

I have a Business account , and the new account is a Domestic one
(I also have another acoount that was on OVP Virgin - which I kept for old time sake )

All communication was through my new Domestic account , but when I initially made the request , the CS guy got confused because my new account hadn't been set up at that point , - he assumed I was taliking about the business account

Now - the letter with the Unlock code enclosed has my business account number at the top - which leads me to conclude a couple of things

1) Business users get their phones unlocked ,domestic users don't !

2) My original request (which after 14 days , Orange domestic CS denied all knowledge of , HAD actually gone through (via Business CS) , and when domestic CS tried to process it subsequently - the requests failed (because it had already been unlocked ? )

Whatever the reason - Orange are still numpties !

Funny , I had not had *that* much of a problem , despite having 3 contracts running with Orange - until this one ! then I get the 5 day connection thing and the problem with the codes , then , to top it off there is the insult of a Data package they are "offering"

All make me love T-mobile all the more (had I mentioned I love T-mobile ? )

[3g-g]

I'll not try and defend them as it's a total tits up IMO, but the fact that you've more than one account with O and that's not given you any clout is totally pathetic. Domestic users can get unlock codes for their handsets, but business users are, not more important, but they spend more usually, so, they are kinda more important if you catch my drift... But the fact they can obviously see that you're a higher than average user/spender and still not manage to help is pathetic.

Dire.

[miffed]

But do they have any Idea how stupid they are making themselves look ?

One arm has unlocked my phone , while the other arm is insisting it is "not possible , we CANNOT unlock Generic handsets "

Yeah , it is not policy to , more like