Do I need a Verizon SIM card to unlock?

[timbo59]

Hi there,
I've been through the FAQ and didn't find an answer there, so here's hoping I'm not repeating something.

My Mother-in-law recently gave us her 8830 WE because she decided she wanted to change to something else. As we're about to head off to Greece for a few weeks, we decided to unlock the phone and use a European SIM card to allow for cheap calls while we're away. Only problem is the unlocking process.

The phone was purchased through a plan with Verizon, and even though the contract was up, Verizon insisted that the only person who could get it unlocked was my MIL, the original purchaser. So we dropped it off back to her, she jumped through a few more hoops with Verizon, and then got back to me with the appropriate MEP code and one more glitch not mentioned in the FAQ - Verizon claimed that you can only unlock the phone if it has a Verizon SIM card already in it. The phone didn't have any SIM card at all when it was given to us, and my MIL said she never had one.

Now why would I want to go out and get a Verizon SIM card just to unlock the phone? Can anyone clarify whether this is correct or not, and what the process is? I've checked Youtube, and there seems to be a myriad approaches to the issue.

To make matters even more confusing, I called the local Verizon store to try and source the requisite SIM card, and they said that stores don't sell them. They only come with the phone if its a global version like the 8830WE. Well as I said, it doesn't have one on board, so how am I supposed to access this mysterious Verizon SIM card in order to unlock it, as per the instructions from Verizon?

If the deactivation process can work with just any old SIM card installed, I do have one sitting around from AT & T that may or may not still be active. The one we're going to use for the international calls isn't due to arrive for another week or so.

Thanks in advance....Tim

[freethisberrydotcom]

Any sim card will work to unlock the device.

[unlockcellpro]

no need for any specific sim card, any one would do.

[blackberryunlocker10sec]

yes you need not put the original sim into BB to unlock it.

[timbo59]

Thanks guys, that's what I thought. Just seemed weird to me that Verizon was insisting it had to be one of theirs - AND their stores didn't have any!

Now I can duck round to my mother-in-law, retrieve the phone, and see what luck I have using the code. The plus is that the European SIM card arrived today, so I can use that for the unlocking process.

Much appreciated for the advice.

Tim

[TheRemoteUnlockercom]

Great to hear! Let any of us know if you need help getting your phone unlocked for her

[timbo59]

Hi again,
Okay, something weird. I found a very helpful clip on Youtube, followed the instructions to a T, but have one problem.

Where the guy said at the beginning of the clip that the screen would show 'invalid SIM card' when I slipped in the new European SIM card that just arrived I never saw any such message. I went through the entire unlocking process for the phone, put in the MEP number, and it said that it accepted the number. Soon as I exited, up popped the 'invalid SIM card' message at the top. So in a sense its gone in the reverse of what it should have.

I'm now confused! Is my phone unlocked and functioning, or did I miss something along the way?

[timbo59]

Okay, scratch that. It seems I had to restart and punch in the US code (2) for the SIM card plus its own unique 4 digit card.

Now I guess I have to figure out if I can test it here in the USA, or wait till we get to Europe. But that's for another forum!

Thanks again for the help guys!

Tim

[pablomanguera]

hi I'm sorry i'm changing the subject but I have a big problem I have a blackberry 9650 from Verizon but I want to unlocked to use with simple mobile but I'm scare because I don't know if all my features will work properly a lot of people tell me yes 100% but I'm not sure can you guys give me some advice or some answers please thank you. when I said features I mean BBM, text message, pictures message, internet and all the others

[freethisberrydotcom]

All features will work 100% but you will need to carry over the simple mobile service books to your device.