Dial A Code, Nokia Unlocking, FAQ

In this section I will answer the following frequently asked questions:
1) What are the advantages of unlocking your Nokia phone?
2) How do I check to see if my phone is locked?
3) I have entered the code and the phone displayed the message
"cannot undo restriction" or "not allowed", what now?
4) I entered the code and the phone displayed the message "Code Error"
5) Nothing happens when I enter the code (no message is displayed at all)
6) Can you unlock the new 6630, 6680, N-Series?
7) Is unlocking illegal?
8) What is remote unlocking?
9) Is remote unlocking safe?
10) Is changing IMEI numbers illegal?

1) What are the advantages of unlocking your phone?
When you purchase your phone many people are not aware that there is a good chance that your network provider has locked the handset to accept only SIM cards from its network.
For example if you purchased a handset that is locked to Vodafone it will not work with a SIM card from T-Mobile, O2 or Orange etc..

In many peoples opinion this is unfair. If you unlock your phone you can then change your SIM card to that of a different network provider. But why would you want to unlock your phone? Four of the main reasons are listed below:

i) You may own more than one SIM card running on different networks, if you want to swap the SIM cards from time to time your phone must be unlocked.
ii) You may find your network is not as competitively priced as another and you would then need to put a different SIM card into the phone.
iii) If you are travelling overseas you may want to use your phone with a SIM card from that country to save yourself money.
iv) You may be looking to sell your old handset, in which case you will be able to sell it at a higher price and not have to worry if your potential buyers SIM card will be accepted by your handset.

2) How do I check to see if my phone is locked?
The simplest way to check if your phone is locked is to insert a SIM card from another network and see if the phone will accept it. If your phone is locked you will often see an error message of some kind.
Nokia = "Enter restriction code" or "SIM card rejected"

If you do not have access to a SIM card from another network then there is a less scientific method you can use to check if your handset is locked. Simply look to see if your network has placed their logo on your phone somewhere. For example in the UK orange always lock their handsets and they always "badge" their phones with their own Orange logo either on the front or the back of the handset. It is a sure give away that the network has customised the handset to their requirements which means they have also locked it!

3) I have entered the code and the phone displayed the message "Cannot Undo Restriction" or "Not Allowed", what now?
When entering unlock codes you only get 5 attempts. The message
"Can Not undo Restriction" or "Not Allowed" means that an incorrect code has been entered 5 times or more prior to entering the correct code we generated. This may have been yourself or the previous owner of the handset. This means that even a correct code will not unlock your phone. Sadly your phone can now only be unlocked using a direct cable method, your local market unlocker should be able to help.

4) I entered the code and the phone displayed the message "Code Error"
If you see "Code Error" after entering the code then your phone may be unlocked regardless of the message. Try another SIM card in the phone to see if it is accepted! If the phone is still locked it is likely you have entered incorrect details during the phone call. Please visit the contact us section and drop us an email with the information we request.

5) Nothing happens when I enter the code
(no message is displayed at all)
As soon as you enter the final "#" of the code we generated, you should see a message displayed by the handset. If nothing happens at all please insert a SIM card from a network that is NOT accepted into the phone and turn it on. The handset will then prompt you to enter a restriction code. At this stage enter the code we generated as you did before. The code will now be accepted!

6) Can you unlock the new 6630, 6680, N-Series?
The Nokia 6630, 6680 and N-series can not be unlocked at the moment, but we hope to support these models soon. Keep checking our web site as when we add support we will update our site accordingly.

7) Is unlocking illegal?
NO, it is a common misconception that unlocking your phone is illegal!!! In fact quite the opposite, it is your consumer right to have your handset unlocked. The networks have to provide you with an unlock code if you request it. BUT they normally charge approximately £35 - £100 !!!

8) What is remote unlocking?
Remote unlocking has now become the most common way to unlock your Nokia Phone. This is because it is so simple and no data cables are required at all! All you need to do is type a specially calculated code into the phone! It's that simple!

9) Is remote unlocking safe?
YES it is 100% safe! It is very easy and safe to unlock your phone using unlock codes, in fact this is how the networks themselves unlock their customers handsets.

10) Is changing IMEI numbers illegal?
YES!! We give no information on illegal activities such as these. There is only one reason why you would want to change your IMEI. Please visit our links section for more information.

Glossary / Definitions

MCC = Mobile Country Code

MNC = Mobile Network Code

DCT = Digital Core Technology

GSM = Global System for Mobile Communications
IMEI = International Mobile Equipment Identity (number)

SIM = Subscriber Identity Module

PUK = Personal Unlocking Key