Help imei blocked in UK - now what?

[jimlad]

So O2 sent my mobile to the wrong address some 2 weeks back. i complained and so on.. 2 days later some chap comes around and says i got this package delivered to me... i open and find my phone!

Now o2 are sending me a new one when they get stock, and have blocked this one, which is not good.

I presume they locked via imei and im stuffed ?

 

[Gearu]

So in other words you have a free, but IMEI locked SII?

 

[jimlad]

So in other words you have a free, but IMEI locked SII?

yes!

what should i do? can i get it unblocked? keep for spares? would it work in say portugal? as my dad lives there could send to him!

 

[uktivo]

yes!

what should i do? can i get it unblocked? keep for spares? would it work in say portugal? as my dad lives there could send to him!

Why not ask O2 to unblock the phone, tell them the story about the chap bringing the package to you..

Thats the honest way to do things.. after all, I'm pretty sure a blocked imei is no use to anyone if you want phone functions.

 

[jimlad]

Why not ask O2 to unblock the phone, tell them the story about the chap bringing the package to you..

Thats the honest way to do things.. after all, I'm pretty sure a blocked imei is no use to anyone if you want phone functions.

well i have a brand new one coming today, the phone functions fine but cant make or receive calls/txt

 

[uktivo]

well i have a brand new one coming today, the phone functions fine but cant make or receive calls/txt

OK.. it's just not legal and the good thing to do .. thats all I was saying. If your conscious is clear, then good luck

 

[jimlad]

OK.. it's just not legal and the good thing to do .. thats all I was saying. If your conscious is clear, then good luck

yeah i may as well keep it for spares, doubt they would be bothered if i returned it now

 

[trick202]

Karma, mate.

Send it back, do the right thing.

 

[jimlad]

Karma, mate.

Send it back, do the right thing.

dont believe in Karma, they messed me about for 3 weeks, if they want it they can come and get it, but for now its in my spare parts draw!

it buggered now anyway, once blocked they are blocked for good

 

[Cyph3r]

dont believe in Karma, they messed me about for 3 weeks, if they want it they can come and get it, but for now its in my spare parts draw!

it buggered now anyway, once blocked they are blocked for good

Lol no. They can unblock them again.

 

[jimlad]

Lol no. They can unblock them again.

thats no good to me unless they unblock it for me

 

[Gearu]

There is a chance O2 will try and find out what happened to the one they locked by contacting the delivery co. who may be able to id which driver took what package where.
But at least keep the battery lol.

 

[libCivil]

Other users have reported changing the IMEI by flashing the ROM. Try that.

 

[Slug]

Even if it were possible to alter the IEMI programmed into the handset by simply flashing a ROM, and I've never heard of such a thing, it is completely illegal.

 

[libCivil]

Even if it were possible to alter the IEMI programmed into the handset by simply flashing a ROM, and I've never heard of such a thing, it is completely illegal.

That seems to depend on who you ask, and more importantly what country they're in. Some of the prohibitions (in the nanny states) at least have exceptions -- that is, you can alter the IMEI as long as you're altering to the original factory IMEI. Some phones will get hosed up and have a blank IMEI or junk. This means the tools, processes, and discussion are lawful, because users need to be able to exercise a means for repair.

In theory, the OP need not alter his IMEI. Even if he is under the most draconian regime, he could leave his sensitive IMEI in tact, and merely have an app intercept the IMEI request and reply with something different without affecting the original IMEI. Seems possible, because we know LBE Privacy Guard is able to intercept requests and block them. Perhaps an app could simply lie to untrusted apps about the IMEI (as opposed to blocking the request).

 

[KTP]

phone theft can land you a jail sentence in the uk these days and what you are doing is theft.

 

[Slug]

That seems to depend on who you ask, and more importantly what country they're in.

Exactly. You replied to a UK user, who if he followed your advice could find himself in court and facing a hefty fine or even a few months behind bars. As an worldwide forum with an international membership, the owner of AF has decided that such legally-dubious subjects are not appropriate here for this reason.

This means the tools, processes, and discussion are lawful, because users need to be able to exercise a means for repair.

Not on this site. See above.

 

[libCivil]

phone theft can land you a jail sentence in the uk these days

When you say "these days", are you saying the UK has become more conservative in recent years? Will one phone theft be cause for incarceration in the UK?

and what you are doing is theft.

Who? Me? Or the OP? You seem to have replied to me, but that would be a senseless reply to what I've said.

If I assume you meant to direct that toward the OP, I wouldn't call it theft. Granted, I'm at a disadvantage not knowing UK law, but do we know if the OP is in the UK?

Suppose he were in the U.S. In the U.S, if you receive something you did not order, it is legally defined as "a free gift". That means if you order one phone, and the merchant sends you two, one of them is a free gift - yours to keep. In fact it would be theft on the part of the merchant if they were to take it back!

Are you saying if you receive something in the mail in the UK that you did not order (or in excess of your order), you are legally obliged to return it? And it's theft if you don't? Do you have to return it at your own expense? The reason for the above mentioned US law is to protect consumers from scams and merchant mistakes.

 

[libCivil]

Not on this site. See above.

This doesn't correspond to what was said above. At that point I was talking about lawful IMEI modification. Are you saying it's illegal to repair a broken phone (i.e. non-original IMEI) in the UK? If so, only then would it start to make sense.. however, the OP did not claim to be in the UK. In fact, he could be in Portugal when he makes his phone useable.

 

[Slug]

Will one phone theft be cause for incarceration in the UK?

Altering the IEMI of a handset is more serious than mere theft - it's an offence under the Telecommunication Act

You seem to have replied to me, but that would be a senseless reply to what I've said.

You are being addressed directly because you are advocating something that is prohibited by our site rules.

Granted, I'm at a disadvantage not knowing UK law, but do we know if the OP is in the UK?

Well, the topic title is "IEMI blocked in UK" so it's kinda obvious.

Any further discussion would be pointless - the Site Rules have been explained. If you haven't already read them, and as a new member you should have done so very recently, I would urge you to do so to avoid any further misunderstandings.

/thread