Unlock GSM on sprint tour with bad ESN???

**Endorphin** · 05-14-2010, 07:32 AM

I got a sprint BB tour with bad ESN. I bought it online on Ebay and thought I could unlock it to use it on a GSM network. I bought the IMEI unlock code but it simply does not give me the MEP2 option to enter the unlock code.
Does any 1 have a suggestion what would be a solution to unlock the GSM?

How can I find out if the pin is locked without having to call RIM?

**Heavy Fluid** · 05-14-2010, 07:43 AM

Sprint Tours are already unlocked afaik. That is how they come.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

**Endorphin** · 05-14-2010, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by Heavy Fluid

Sprint Tours are already unlocked afaik. That is how they come.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

What do you mean with unlocked afaik?

**ridesno159** · 05-14-2010, 08:46 AM

Most of the Sprint Tours come already unlocked. To check if it is,
1. Options> Advanced Options> SIM Card
2. Type in "mepd" (won't see what you're typing)
3. Look at "Network" on the list
4. It should say "Disabled" or "Inactive"

If the PIN is blacklisted the only way to find out other than calling RIM is to try and activate on a BlackBerry Data Plan

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

**denison1g** · 05-14-2010, 10:46 AM

Afaik = as far as I know, I think. And like the previous comment had stated, most Sprint tours come shipped already unlocked.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

**Endorphin** · 05-14-2010, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by ridesno159

Most of the Sprint Tours come already unlocked. To check if it is,
1. Options> Advanced Options> SIM Card
2. Type in "mepd" (won't see what you're typing)
3. Look at "Network" on the list
4. It should say "Disabled" or "Inactive"

If the PIN is blacklisted the only way to find out other than calling RIM is to try and activate on a BlackBerry Data Plan

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

When typing MEPD everything is Disabled.
The Network is disabled, but on the BB homescreen it says SIM Card Rejected.

**MrObvious** · 05-14-2010, 12:19 PM

Just put another SIM in and it should work.

**Endorphin** · 05-14-2010, 12:26 PM

Guys thanks for the Info. I tried to more sim cards and the last one worked fine. I had 2 faulty sim cards not working. Sorry I am a crackberry newbie. Switched from Android to BB9700

**Flyer729** · 05-19-2010, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by endorphin2008

Guys thanks for the Info. I tried to more sim cards and the last one worked fine. I had 2 faulty sim cards not working. Sorry I am a crackberry newbie. Switched from Android to BB9700

If the tour has a bad ESN, will the pin work outside the country? or is the pin blocked by sprint/vzn somehow?

**bb2iphone** · 05-19-2010, 04:01 PM

Originally Posted by Flyer729

If the tour has a bad ESN, will the pin work outside the country? or is the pin blocked by sprint/vzn somehow?

Interesting question. I think not since the ESN and PIN are tied to one another. I say that because when u register ur blackberry via blackberry online control panel you have to input ur esn and pin. You might not be able to activate it on BIS though u might be able to add a data plan to it. Obviously you won't get push email, BBM and the native browser won't work, but maybe u can get a 3rd party browser to.

**Flyer729** · 05-19-2010, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by saqer

Interesting question. I think not since the ESN and PIN are tied to one another. I say that because when u register ur blackberry via blackberry online control panel you have to input ur esn and pin. You might not be able to activate it on BIS though u might be able to add a data plan to it. Obviously you won't get push email, BBM and the native browser won't work, but maybe u can get a 3rd party browser to.

I wonder if all pins are in one massive database. I've seen in the control panel were it will ask you for the esn, but that's for CDMA providers only, if your provider is GSM, no ESN is needed. Also, are ESNs carrier specific?

**bb2iphone** · 05-19-2010, 04:25 PM

Actually I might be wrong. If you're using a sim the ESN will have nothing to do with it. So instead of logging in through sprint blackberry's website you would do so through the carrier's sim blackberry website instead.

**Heavy Fluid** · 05-19-2010, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by Flyer729

I wonder if all pins are in one massive database. I've seen in the control panel were it will ask you for the esn, but that's for CDMA providers only, if your provider is GSM, no ESN is needed. Also, are ESNs carrier specific?

ESN's are device specific. Has nothing to do with the carrier.

**ceb** · 05-19-2010, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by endorphin2008

I got a sprint BB tour with bad ESN. I bought it online on Ebay and thought I could unlock it to use it on a GSM network. I bought the IMEI unlock code but it simply does not give me the MEP2 option to enter the unlock code.
Does any 1 have a suggestion what would be a solution to unlock the GSM?

How can I find out if the pin is locked without having to call RIM?

Congratulations on buying stolen property.

**Heavy Fluid** · 05-19-2010, 09:47 PM

Just because the ESN is bad does not mean the device is stolen.

The device could be - attached to a non paying account. The device could be reported as lost, and then found. Not necessarily stolen, but still reasons to be blacklisted through Sprint.

Don't make assumptions without knowing the whole story please.

**grahamf** · 05-19-2010, 09:52 PM

well, technically the pESN (They ran out of ESN numbers a while ago) is a hash of the IMEI, so there could possibly be a conflict.

**torres546** · 05-20-2010, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by ridesno159

Most of the Sprint Tours come already unlocked. To check if it is,
1. Options> Advanced Options> SIM Card
2. Type in "mepd" (won't see what you're typing)
3. Look at "Network" on the list
4. It should say "Disabled" or "Inactive"

If the PIN is blacklisted the only way to find out other than calling RIM is to try and activate on a BlackBerry Data Plan

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

When I type in "mepd" nothing happens. Help?

**MTH3333** · 05-20-2010, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by torres546

When I type in "mepd" nothing happens. Help?

Hold down the Shift key and type MEPD

**torres546** · 05-20-2010, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by MTH3333

Hold down the Shift key and type MEPD

Thank you very much! Now I know my phone is unlocked as well

**ceb** · 05-20-2010, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by Heavy Fluid

Just because the ESN is bad does not mean the device is stolen.

The device could be - attached to a non paying account. The device could be reported as lost, and then found. Not necessarily stolen, but still reasons to be blacklisted through Sprint.

Don't make assumptions without knowing the whole story please.

Correct - there are other reasons to blacklist a phone - but - each one of those other reasons is equally a reason not to buy a "bad ESN" phone as they are all unethical.

A "lost" phone was either reported as an insurance claim (and is now the property of the insurance company) or it needs to be returned to the rightful owner. The person selling it on eBay should have done that if he (or she) "found" it.

If the phone was blacklisted due to an unpaid balance then the seller defrauded Sprint and it is still unethical to buy such a phone.

The bottom line is that there is something "wrong" (either legally or ethically) with a "bad ESN" phone and we should not reward that action (theft, theft of services[the unpaid bill] or the unreturned "lost" phone) by buying it from a seller.

That, my friend, IS the whole story - or can you think of a legitimate way to get a "bad ESN" phone?

Oh - if the original owner lost the phone, didn't file a claim, bought a new phone and then found the originally "lost" phone, the a quick call to Sprint (by the original owner) would get that phone "un blacklisted" very quickly - allowing them to get much more for the phone when they sell it on Craigslist.

I stand by my original opinion that the OP purchased a phone from a seller who did not have legal ownership of that phone.