I’m about to buy a new phone (a Vodafone Smart Ultra 6) which will need unlocking, which is apparently possible with a code from an ebay seller. I’m curious as to how they get the code. What info do they have that I don’t?

Access, one way or another, to an unlock code generator.

You need to supply phone model number and imei number.

You looked at Carphone Warehouse? Say what you will but their stuff is just about all unlocked.

Luck guess?

What info do they have that I don’t?

In the interest of being civil I won’t say, but isn’t it obvious

Apparently 3 will unlock their phones for you for a small fee

O2 unlock their phones for free once your contract has ended.

Yeah – I’d contact Voda in the first instance.

Ime, the networks won’t unlock “their” phones for a third party. If you want voda to do it, it’ll have to be “their” customer that makes the request. Most do charge a fee though.

I have recently bought a Smart Ultra 6 and got an unlock code from Ebay for £2.25

Delivered in an hour – it was about a 10 digit code that the phone requested when powered up with a non voda sim.

Typed in the code, it unlocked and works no issues!!

Vodafone wanted £15 for the privilege!

Voda will want £20 to unlock it. Ebay or bloke down the market will do the same thing for less.

It’s a scam run by the networks. No surprise there then.

I used a guy on eBay for £6. He then emailed saying he can’t do it and I would get a refund which I’m still waiting for (paypal dispute).
If the phone is out of contract it can be unlocked for free. If it’s still in contract be wary as if the contract owner stops paying his contract your phone gets blocked.

All 3 phones are unlocked by default and they will unlock any older 3 phone containing a valid sim.
O2 will unlock contract customers for free, £15 for plebs
Vodaphone will unlock at the end of a contract.
Not sure about EE or Virgin

Buy a phone from Denmark and it’ll be unlocked as its illegal to network lock them there.

The OP wants a Vodafone Smart Ultra 6 – they are available under contract but mainly PAYG @ £115 from Asda or Vodafone directly.

Major presumption but guessing OP is buying new so contracts etc wont be an issue.

The unlock code for this type of phone is generated by software that uses your IMEI number to generate a unique code for your phone.

To get this code the IMEI is entered into the software, the unlock code is generated and then passed to the customer. Vodafone charge £15 to give you this code, eBay sellers, with access to the same code generator software, charge £2.25 – same result as its the same code!

The Smart Ultra 6 is made by ZTE, so its most likely standardised software, not Vodafone specific!

Thanks for the replies. As smurfly13 notes it’s (much) cheaper to get the code from an ebay seller than Vodafone. I am indeed buying new, and intending to immediately unlock and use on another network.

I’m intrigued as to what is going on. How come whatever secrets allow the phones to be unlocked make it reliably to a seller on ebay (it appears it was possible to unlock the Voda Smart Ultra 6 soon after it was released) but don’t make it any further so that anyone could do it?

well why would they! If I could make a couple of quid a go at unlocking phones I wouldn’t exactly be giving up a viable income stream!

Vodafone unlocked mine for free 18 months into a 24 month contract. I think they can’t legally refuse any more.

I used an ebay seller, he then couldn’t get a code and said he needed to go to the manufacturer but it would take 10 days.

When the code come through I could see he had some sort of account with Sony (or a company doing Sony unlocks) that allowed him to generate 3 unlock codes per week. So the delay was because I had to wait for his next allowance to come through.

just reading this out of interest as i dont need a phone unlocking, but just wondering if the software needed is actually ‘out there’ on the internet for us all if we were techy enough?
you know, like youtube tutorials on rooting and just about anything else, can the average man on the street actually do this with a bit of techy skill, or do you really have to pay someone ‘to be on the safe side’ and not brick your phone?

Unlock generators can be found. But hard to come by as the software is usually £££, and those who buy it aren’t of the torrenting ilk

it appears it was possible to unlock the Voda Smart Ultra 6 soon after it was released) but don’t make it any further so that anyone could do it?

Ultra 6 is a standard ZTE model just rebranded, the unlock code generator will be based around ZTE phones.

Why would the unlock code generator be shared with the masses when you can charge people for the pleasure…

EDIT – ref the networks unlocking. They do have to allow this, but there is a clause in contracts which goes something along the lines of whilst still in your initial contract you get charged for the unlock, but once out of initial contract you are entitled to it for free. I’m always amazed so many people don’t do this.