topic Re: Unlocking Strangeness in Other Devices

Unlocking Strangeness

tullyhubbert — Sun, 21 Jun 2015 23:11:39 GMT

About 10 months ago I bought a Lumia 925 of a neighbour, it was a new but unwanted O2 upgrade with O2 firmware.

Twice a year I visit the Isle of Man and use a Manx SIM while I'm there. As I'm a pay monthly O2 customer I requested an unlock code for the phone. While I was waiting I tried the Manx SIM and was surprised to find it worked fine, the phone seemed to be unlocked. An O2 unlock code later arrived by email but I never needed to use it.

I bought a Lumia 830 in Feb and eventually sold the 925 on ebay about 5 weeks ago. I had advertised it as unlocked and running O2 firmware. I included a picture showing the phone working with Manx Telecom.

Much to my surprise I received a mesage from the buyer today, he has been out of the country working and when he tried his EE SIM it woudn't work. I had visions of everything going sadly wrong but I gave him the previously unused unlock code supplied by O2 and its now working fine with his EE SIM.

So how come it worked with a Manx SIM? I never actually used it in the IOM, only in the UK when it was roaming but reporting Manx Telecom? Strange but at least my ebay customer is sorted

Re: Unlocking Strangeness

jonsie — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 04:41:46 GMT

I'm sure it's because of this :

Mobile coverage on the Isle of Man is provided by Manx Telecom, a wholly owned subsidiary of Telefónica O2 Europe and the Island’s telecommunications operator for fixed, mobile and Internet services.

Re: Unlocking Strangeness

viridis — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 07:01:35 GMT

Yup like a Manx giffgaff

Re: Unlocking Strangeness

MI5 — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 07:37:05 GMT

Manx is owned by Telefonica - just another of it's subsidiaries.
It would work with giffgaff, Tesco, Moviestar, O2-DE, O2_CZ etc.

Re: Unlocking Strangeness

jonsie — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 07:44:07 GMT

....but not EE

Riddle solved!

Re: Unlocking Strangeness

MI5 — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 07:47:07 GMT

Correcto

Re: Unlocking Strangeness

Cleoriff — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 07:51:31 GMT

@MI5 wrote:
Correcto

Blimey...it's like watching Sherlock and Dr Watson at work...

Re: Unlocking Strangeness

MI5 — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 07:54:55 GMT

Elementary, my dear

Re: Unlocking Strangeness

jonsie — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 08:13:13 GMT

@MI5 wrote:
Elementary, my dear

You know my methods, Watson

Re: Unlocking Strangeness

tullyhubbert — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 09:59:14 GMT

I thought of that, but according to Wiki Telefonica sold Manx Telecom off in 2010 😊

Re: Unlocking Strangeness

MI5 — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 10:03:10 GMT

They clearly still use the same network protocols though.

Re: Unlocking Strangeness

jonsie — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 10:07:49 GMT

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manx_Telecom