Unblocking UK basic mobile phone

[Speedo1968]

Can I ask the question here about unblocking mobile phones ?
I don't wish to buy / use a Smart phone as have no real use for one.  I use my phone for emergency call or rarely to one person in UK,

My present mobile ( bought from AIS ) is a basic model and can't use pre-texting ( where the phone suggests the word you should type after the first few letters ) for English.

My nearest town / city is Khon Kaen.

[steve187]

sorry what do you want to do, unblock pre-texting

[Speedo1968]

7 hours ago, steve187 said:

sorry what do you want to do, unblock pre-texting

No, unblock the phone bought in England so that I can use it here in Thailand with a Thai SIM card ( AIS )

 

The Thai cheepo phone I have does not allow me to use text prediction in English so I have to go letter by letter when texting.

 

Edited November 9, 2019 by Speedo1968
added text

[CharlieH]

Why would it need unblocking ? is it locked to a UK network like vodaphone as an example and you want to use a Thai sim in it ?

[Speedo1968]

2 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Why would it need unblocking ? is locked to a UK network like vodaphone as an example and you want to use a Thai sim in it ?

Yes

[Pilotman]

You can get it unlocked at most phone repair places. I have had 2 UK phones unlocked here. Its a simple process, maybe 300 Baht 

[johng]

11 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

You can get it unlocked at most phone repair places

Really.. ??   which shop did you use ?   can they also unlock phones from True,Dtac and AIS  so they can use any SIM ?

[Tayaout]

You can do it yourself for a fee: https://www.unlockbase.com/unlock-phone/

[Pilotman]

5 minutes ago, johng said:

Really.. ??   which shop did you use ?   can they also unlock phones from True,Dtac and AIS  so they can use any SIM ?

yes they can.  I used a shop in Tesco, Pattaya, but they are everywhere in Thailand. 

[CharlieH]

To do it correctly and legally, you should obtain the required code from the network who provided the phone. If the reason is legitimate and there is no longer a contract on the phone this should be no problem.

[Tayaout]

7 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

To do it correctly and legally, you should obtain the required code from the network who provided the phone. If the reason is legitimate and there is no longer a contract on the phone this should be no problem.

It's true that in some country they have to unblock it for free but I never heard of any country where it's illegal to do so. Most shop will use a website like I posted and the website also has to contact the carrier to get the code. 

Edited November 9, 2019 by Tayaout

[CharlieH]

4 minutes ago, Tayaout said:

It's true that in some country they have to unblock it for free but I never heard of any country where it's illegal to do so. Most shop will use a website like I posted and the website also has to contact the carrier to get the code. 

It is a breach of contract (UK) if the phone is still under contract and you have that restriction to other networks removed without authorization. The whole purpose is to tie the phone to the network so they get all the revenue in return usually for the discounted handset/package.

[VBF]

47 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

It is a breach of contract (UK) if the phone is still under contract and you have that restriction to other networks removed without authorization. The whole purpose is to tie the phone to the network so they get all the revenue in return usually for the discounted handset/package.

Just a thought.....  If the OP has brought the phone from UK to Thailand, and especially if he's not taking it back, does it really matter that it's officially under contract?

 

OK, legally it might, but the UK network is never going to see any more revenue if he fits a Thai SIM, and, even if he does take it back to UK, and refits a UK SIM well then they'll start earning again. And, if he's still paying a monthly fee to the network, well they're still earning anyway.

 

This tying phone to network contract thing is, I agree, technically a legal matter, but practically it's just a revenue earner (as you said) with the network squeezing as much out of the customer as possible.

 

I realise @CharlieH that you're warning about the legal position but practically, in this situation I would suggest it hardly matters and there really won't be any repercussions.

Edited November 9, 2019 by VBF

[Tayaout]

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

It is a breach of contract (UK) if the phone is still under contract and you have that restriction to other networks removed without authorization. The whole purpose is to tie the phone to the network so they get all the revenue in return usually for the discounted handset/package.

This article say specifically that's its legal in the UK. Most phone can't be unlocked without cooperation from the carrier and they have the obligation to do it. Your solution to contact the carrier is probably the most sensible approach but it's usually easier and faster to use an online service. They act as intermediary between you and the carrier and they have automated system already in place. 

[Beggar]

You can buy such telephones used or new here in Thailand. They cost next to nothing. I also don't like to carry around a big Smart phone (it is mostly at home) and I also use such an old and small phone here. If you buy one take a Thai SIM card with you to check if it works with your network. I have an old US phone that stopped working with True Move after they changed something on their network. 

[Speedo1968]

A comment from the original post:-

Thanks to all those that have commented.

 

I bought the phone in the UK where it was used for a few weeks.

I have no need for a Smart phone and the UK one fits in my pocket, basically for emergency use only ( I am in my 70's and live alone ).

I would like to keep the English phone as it has English Text Prediction for texting.

The carrier was Orange O² Pay As You Go.

I brought the English phone back to Thailand as I needed a new phone anyway after my daughters dog chewed up my Thai phone.

I could not find anywhere to unblock the English phone when I came back to Thailand and have not used it for almost 5 years.

Legalities aside, I am looking for somewhere in Khon Kaen that may be able to unblock it for me so that I can use my AIS Sim.

 

[Beggar]

Whenever I get an SMS in Thai on my foreign phone it can't be displayed since it doesn't have Thai language. Better buy one here that has Thai and English.

[Speedo1968]

On 11/10/2019 at 9:06 AM, Beggar said:

Whenever I get an SMS in Thai on my foreign phone it can't be displayed since it doesn't have Thai language. Better buy one here that has Thai and English.

I'm not worried about having Thai text and my phone has English but I cannot get it to show text prediction when typing a message.

[Beggar]

At my basic phone I can select the dictionary that it should use. Perhaps you can find one with Thai and English. 

[treetops]

6 hours ago, Speedo1968 said:

I'm not worried about having Thai text and my phone has English but I cannot get it to show text prediction when typing a message.

What make and model of phone is it?  Maybe predictive text just needs turned on.

[VBF]

13 hours ago, treetops said:

What make and model of phone is it?  Maybe predictive text just needs turned on.

Go online, search for a manual for the phone.  Many of the more common "cheap 'n' cheerful" phone manuals are available especially but not only Nokia.

Btw... "non-Smart" phones are officially called "feature phones"

Edited November 13, 2019 by VBF

[sirineou]

I always buy my phones unlocked as there is no benefit (other than interest free financing for the phone) to getting it from your cell phone provider, you still pay a monthly fee for the length of the contract, that in the end is the same or more than what you would had pied if you purchased the phone outright. 

 But in the past, before I realised the above, and had phones locked by my provider, I simply called them, and told them that I was traveling and would need to unlock my phone so that I can use it where I was going, and they always unlocked my phones. 

 I Realise, it might be to late for that to happen for the Op , and that it might be easier and less expensive to simply have his phone unlocked at a local shop, I simply provided the above information for any one else who might ben in a similar situation.  

[treetops]

12 hours ago, VBF said:

Btw... "non-Smart" phones are officially called "feature phones"

Feature phones came in between original digital mobile phones and smart phones.  Reading  betweeen the lines, the OP may be using an original.

 

https://blogs.windows.com/devices/2012/07/24/mobile-phones-feature-phones-and-smartphones-the-differences/