Dear Right to Repair

I have a Samsung GT-E3210 (semi-dumb phone) made about 2013.

I have had the phone since new.

It has a lock on it. I don’t know how it got there. I don’t even know what it is. I would like to remove it.

SUMMARY

  1. My SIM card works in other phones without a PIN.

  2. My phone works, with this SIM card, without a PIN.

  3. My phone will not accept another SIM card (even if the correct SIM PIN for that new SIM card is entered).

  4. When a new SIM card is inserted the phone says SIM LOCK and asks for a PASSWORD.

  5. With my usual SIM card inserted, SETTINGS shows SIM LOCK ON. If I select it, it asks for a SIM PASSWORD.

  6. With no SIM card in the phone, SETTINGS says SIM LOCK ON. If I select it, it asks me to INSERT SIM CARD.

ELABORATION

My GT-E3210 has worked for many years with the same old BIG SIM card in it.

I have never programmed a PIN into this old BIG SIM card. I have never used a PIN in connection with this old BIG SIM card.

The phone does not require a PIN when I turn it on each day, or when I re-insert this old BIG SIM card. I have never programmed any kind of security into the phone.

If any other SIM card is placed in it, however, it will not function.

When I tried a new SIM card, the following words filled the screen,

SIM LOCK

(a padlock symbol)

PASSWORD

(a space to enter password)

(and 2 options above the soft keys : CONFIRM and EMERGENCY)

When I entered the verified SIM PIN for this new SIM card it said,

INCORRECT PASSWORD

When I go to SETTINGS > SECURITY I see that one of the four LOCK’s is on : SIM LOCK ON.

When I highlight SIM LOCK ON and press the centre button (with my usual old BIG SIM card in the phone) the following words fill the bottom half of the screen

SIM PASSWORD

8 DIGITS

PASSWORD

(a space to enter password)

(and 2 options above the soft keys : OK and CANCEL)

BUT, if there is no SIM card in the phone, when I highlight SIM LOCK ON and press the centre button, it says only

INSERT SIM CARD

TWO QUESTIONS please.

Q1. What is this SIM LOCK ?

Q2. What are my options to turn it off or remove it ?

I would be grateful for any help you could give me.

Yours sincerely ROMMMELLL

  • eco_game@discuss.tchncs.de
    1·
    11 months ago

    Your phone has a SIM lock. This usually means that it can be only be used with the SIM card you bought it with. The Pin it’s asking for has nothing to do with your SIM Pin (afaik).

    I’m pretty sure there are ways of removing a SIM lock, especially on older phones, but I don’t know much about that. Google should yield some results on removing it though, as many people want to get rid of SIM locks on their phones.

    • ROMMMELLL@discuss.tchncs.deOP
      2·
      11 months ago

      Dear E

      Thanks for your reply.

      Could you point me to someone who has experience with locks on old phones ?

      Yours sincerely ROMMMELLL

      • eco_game@discuss.tchncs.de
        2·
        11 months ago

        I just looked up your phone, I thought it was an android one but apparently it’s a very basic non-smartphone. I have no idea in what capacity those are unlockable, you could try getting into contact with the original provider that your phone is locked to and ask them to unlock it.