Page 1 of Nokia 8210

I know this isn`t a DVD topic but hopefully someone will be able to help.

I`m on the Orange network (pay as you go) and want to buy a Nokia 8210. Its only available on the pre pay BT Cellnet tariff. If I bought the phone under BT Cellnet could I use my current Orange SIM card in the phone?

No you would need to get it unlocked, this can be a tricky task and is best only done by someone who knows what they are doing as it can mess up your phone, if you have a local market you will pobably find someone who can do it there for about a tenner, otherwise if you contact me I can do it for you.

Another option is to try your local virgin megastore, they have 8210`s on their network and I have found that they tend to not lock their phones so you could use your sim card in that one, if you do go their and it doesnt work, either get it unlocked as above or take it back with the unused sim card and they will give you a refund.

Shaun

This item was edited on Sunday, 25th November 2001, 12:26

Hi there,

To add to the above comments(i shouldn`t really be telling!), most, if not all, Bt Cellnet handsets are unlocked and work with all sim cards. I had an 8210 on Cellnet and it quite happily accepted every sim card i threw at it! I sold the 8210 in the end cause it was one of the most unreliable handsets i`ve ever had the misfortune to own. The 3310, whilst not as advanced technically, is an absolute gem-after all you`re only going to be talking, the looks aren`t everything!
Don`t hold me to what i`ve said above, but a dear female friend of mine has discovered the same with her BT handset(Sony J5). Try it!

Westy

Are you sure the BT Cellnet handsets you are talking about were on BT Cellnets Pre-Pay service??

My Nokia 3330 from Cellnet wasn`t unlocked

Shaun

There really should be a law against this ridiculous locking malarkey. Imagine buying a CD player that only played CDs released on a certain record label - it`s the same sort of thing.

Mike

It happens because a mobile phone costs a lot more to make than they sell them for, this means they make up the costs from your phone calls, if you could freely move networks they would make a loss.

Contracted phones arent locked because you have to stay with that network provider for 12 months at least, that will pay off the phone, whereas a Pre-Pay phone isn`t tied by a contract meaning they have to keep it on their network some other way.

A Network has to unlock your phone if you ask them, but they are allowed to charge you a cost to recover the loss they will make if you move networks.

I think you might find that Pre-Pay mobiles regardless of which network thay are on Will be locked. Contract phones on the other hand are not.


Its a tenner to unlock the 8210.

This item was edited on Sunday, 25th November 2001, 17:47

I can almost guarantee a Virgin Mobile is unlocked, asfor the price for unlocking It depends where you go, I only charge £5 to unlock phones.

This item was edited on Sunday, 25th November 2001, 18:16

I have got a vigin nokia 3310, with my vodafone simcard in it. I read the small print on the virgin leaflet. It said that if you want to leave their network just put £30 of credit on the fone and at your request they will send out the unlocking codes to you. I did try my vodafone card before and it was locked. The £30 is to cover their expenses for being able to sell the fone so cheap AND you still get to use the £30 of credit. After all that I`m not sure if the 8210 is available on virgin.

Its not just phones on pay as you go that are locked some on a tariff are also locked.
I very much doubt phones cost less than they are to make otherwise you wouldnt be able to get a free phone (on contract) with loads of accessories + other extras (if you look around) on a lo-tarriff such as £10-£15 p/month with inclusive minutes.