o2 UK shouldn't SIM lock their phones, but I could be wrong - try a non-o2 SIM and see what happens...

debranding the phone will just remove the operator-specific modifications - it will still work on the Market if you're just going to a generic HTC ROM. Custom ROMs may differ, though

 

Did you get the phone direct from 02? Also 02 lock their pay as you go phones as far as im aware.

 

Where in the world are you? If you have an o2 UK Desire and debrand to generic then the Market will be the same. I can't comment on other countries, though

 

It's still governed by the ROM version running on the unit. If you debrand it the Desire will be a WWE Desire regardless of where in the world you are. The only issue is you'll need to make your everyday SD card into a gold card for ALL future updates otherwise things'll go a bit pear shaped

 

WWE = World Wide English

Updates are NOT done by the network, the Desire will check the HTC server to see if your ROM version has an update available. If it has, it will try and download it using either the mobile network or WiFi.

If you don't have a gold card then the update will fail as it will see the product code of the Desire originally doesn't match the ROM version on it. Please go read up a bit more as all the answer are in the n00b threads on various forums (here, MoDaCo, XDA, etc...). If I were you I wouldn't even think about trying to debrand until you can grasp the concepts involved and understand what you're doing. Don't mean to sound harsh but you need to know what you're doing and not just jump in feet first, so to speak...

 

If 2.3 is the next build number, might be 3.0 or it might be nothing as the Desire might not get it!!!

I'd say debranding IS the best thing to do as you don't have to wait for the operator to get their new version out. They can take months so having a generic WWE handset always makes sense.

I'd go over to XDA and read a lot of the stickied threads on there. Also use the search function. All the answers you need are there somewhere - I've not got the time to sift them out (I am at work after all)

 

I'm in the same boat and I even do the odd I.T. job and still cannot fathom all the info about debranding and custom ROMs. Plus there does not seem to be any process that can be done with a Mac.

Good luck.

 

The first fw revisions of rooting could be done on a Mac, and unrEVOked (the tool used to root now) can be used on a Mac too. It's just the way of (normally) flashing a Desire RUU that needs Windows. There are ways of doing it without a PC at all but it involves extracting the ROM.zip file from the RUU, but doing this needs Windows as you first need to run the RUU!!!

It's all very complicated BUT I can get the ROM.zip files of ROMs in question if needed...the main thing you need to make sure you have is a working gold card as without it you can only flash ROMs with the matching vendor ID you already have. E.g. If you've got a ROM with x.xx.405.x you can only flash ROMs with x.xx.405.x in them

 

All updates come from HTC. If you are generic, this is received first. Branded handsets rely on the carrier to give HTC their branded version which is why the delay.

Unbranding makes your phone generic so receives the updates earlier.

However, to unbrand you need to download a generic Rom upgrade utility. It's an .exe you run from pc which upgrades your phones OS. If you are branded you need to make your SD card into a gold card. This will also be true for future updates which are delivered over the air. Because your phone was originally branded, the phone is not supposed to be generic. The hold card fools android into thinking it is generic, ergo updates can be received.

Rooting does not debrand. It gives you super user access to android

 

i rooted my desire on a mac and it was easy, just used a pc guide and winged the rest of it

 

Yes that's right as the SIM card is irrelevent

 

Settings>About phone>Software information>Software version

Chances are it'll now be x.xx.405.x

 

You get what is available on the Market for that ROM version - the bloke unbranded with the wrong version. He should've used 2.10.405.2 or 2.29.405.2