As some of you probably know.. Cingular owns ATT wireless now. My cell provider WAS ATT and I had a really nice phone.. a Nokia 6820b.

I can't use it with Cingular, and they won't unlock it for me

So for the past few months I've been using an el-cheapo Nokia phone that I got from Cingular for $20.... would like to use this phone since it has blue tooth.

I've heard there is a way to unlock it to work with any GSM network, and cingular is...

Anyone know?

Thanks!

Been lurking here on the forums for a long time and thought i would contribute .  Being that your phone is a Nokia, it's one of the easiest brands to have unlocked.  Try google.  There are so many websites, companies, etc. devoted to releasing the subsidy lock on GSM phones.  You'll need the IMEI number on your phone when you contact whoever.  Also, you might try ebay where you can buy a data cable and software to do it yourself.  Lastly, good luck getting a store locally to do it.  Most Sales People have no idea what a subsidy lock is and would have no idea what the codes are beacuse they are based off the phone's IMEI.  I went thru this with an Motorola Timeport a few years ago and most of the time t-mobile just told me that the phones couldn't be reprogrammed because that's just how it is.  Good Luck.

I *had* the IMEI at one time.. but I didn't write it down.. and I don't have the original ATT SIM any more so I can't input the little #06# to get the IMEI..

Any ideas?

Thanks!

How easy is it for you to go to Vancouver?   Last time I was there I walked by a street market where they sold all the kind of stuff from DVDs to clothes.   Two stands that draw my attention were selling cellphone unlocking.  Last year (when I went there) I think it was around $20 (canadian) to unlock a phone and they were doing it on the spot.

I am on the opposite side of the state from Canada...

The IMEI is on the label under the battery. Not sure how to ID which # it is.

Thanks! Just unlocked it using a free utility

Awesome, I forgot this thing has a cheesy camera in it too!

i'm glad it worked.  I always hated the fact that you've payed a carrier for a phone but it's locked to their network and impossible to get them to unlock it.  All GSM phones are made without subsidy codes(the only exceptions are CDMA,TDMA,WCDMA,etc.  These need software to properly recognize the networks).


Fortunately, most carriers are going to various GSM like networks that employ sim cards which will make phones cheaper and more easier to take to various carriers.  

Quoted: i'm glad it worked.  I always hated the fact that you've payed a carrier for a phone but it's locked to their network and impossible to get them to unlock it.  All GSM phones are made without subsidy codes(the only exceptions are CDMA,TDMA,WCDMA,etc.  These need software to properly recognize the networks). Fortunately, most carriers are going to various GSM like networks that employ sim cards which will make phones cheaper and more easier to take to various carriers.

The phones get locked because you generally pay far less than actual retail for the phone.  It is called a "subsidy lock" for a reason, as the carrier subsidizes the cost of the phone.  They know they'll make their profit margin in the service they sell you, not the phone.  Now if you pay full retail for a phone, the thing should be unlocked from day one (but they typically aren't.)

I have an old Nokia 1100 from Iraq that I unlocked, now I can use a crappy Nokia 1100 from any country that sells SIM cards.  

And that's typically not the U.S.  Bah.

One of the bigger phone boards...

there is also cellphonehacks.com