[Q] Stock Note 3 lose Unlock after Sent back to Repair

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loppv

Senior Member
Jan 8, 2010
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27
Hi to all
I have a Stock AT&T Note 3 on KitKat, And I bought the unlock code from a website and the Code was working fine
I sent my phone to the Samsung repair center in TX to fix the memory card slot problem.
After a week they sent the phone back to me, and Of course the phone is back to the original settings

When I turned on the phone and inserted my T-mobile Sim card, the phone is asking me for the network
unlock code, so I entered the same code that I used before and it is not working ...


Thanks
 

440bro

Senior Member
Oct 14, 2008
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You probably didn't get the exact phone you sent them. They probably sent a different one. Check for an old receipt, or the original box for the imei code. See if it's different then the new one. It most likely is. If it is, you will need to obtain a new unlock code.
 

loppv

Senior Member
Jan 8, 2010
95
27
I checked the IMEI number and they matched
I also thought of that it might have to do with the unlock code
so I ordered another Unlock code from a different site
and it turned out to be the SAME Unlock code from the other site !!
 

440bro

Senior Member
Oct 14, 2008
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Yes there's only 1 unlock code per imei. It doesn't matter where you obtain the code, it will be the same.

I hate to tell you this, but you'll need to contact the warranty dept and probably send the phone back. Again :'(
 

loppv

Senior Member
Jan 8, 2010
95
27
Yes there's only 1 unlock code per imei. It doesn't matter where you obtain the code, it will be the same.

I hate to tell you this, but you'll need to contact the warranty dept and probably send the phone back. Again :'(

Do you think this has anything to do with the Region lock restriction ?
 

440bro

Senior Member
Oct 14, 2008
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No I don't believe it to be related to region lock.

Check one more thing for me please. Verify that the imei of the phone is what you believe it to be. Open settings and in "about phone" check under status and verify the imei is what you think it is. You can also Press * # 0 6 # on your keypad, Press 'Call' or 'Send' as if making a call. Your IMEI number will be retrieved and displayed on your screen.
 

loppv

Senior Member
Jan 8, 2010
95
27
No I don't believe it to be related to region lock.

Check one more thing for me please. Verify that the imei of the phone is what you believe it to be. Open settings and in "about phone" check under status and verify the imei is what you think it is. You can also Press * # 0 6 # on your keypad, Press 'Call' or 'Send' as if making a call. Your IMEI number will be retrieved and displayed on your screen.

Yea.. they are the same.. I still have the original box and they matched !!
I am contacting Samsung right now, let see what they can do about it
 

loppv

Senior Member
Jan 8, 2010
95
27
Ok, keep us posted please. And good luck!

do you know anything about this ?

NOTES: If you have a Samsung Galaxy S3, S4, Note 2, Note 3 or your Android version is Android 4.4 (KITKAT): All SAMSUNG devices manufactured after the date of JULY 2013 and Samsung devices running on Android version is Android 4.4 (KITKAT) are subject to REGION LOCKING. If your phone has been used previously with the original carrier, this will not apply to you. However, if your device is BRAND NEW, your must activate it with the original carrier. If your Samsung device becomes Region locked, you will not be able to fully factory Unlock your Samsung devices so it can be used internationally. Even the correct code will not work anymore. In order for your Samsung device NOT to be region locked, you MUST activate (FIRST USE) your S3, S4, NOTE 2, NOTE 3 with your ORIGINAL carrier at least ONCE to take your region lock OFF. After your Region lock is off, you can Sim Unlock your device via Unlock Code. All Canadian Carriers are NOT subject to Region Locking. All USA and European Carriers ARE subject to Region Locking. Region lock is removed automatically after you activate your device with its original carrier. Make some calls before unlocking. (Insert an active original sim card into the device and make a few calls to activate the phone and bypass the region lock. Once you've activated the phone, you can input the unlock code.)
 

440bro

Senior Member
Oct 14, 2008
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Well after reading that I'm amazed. I believed region lock was based on where you lived and used the phone. Like a person in Europe couldn't use an at&t phone overseas until it was used in the states. I was unaware a person in the U.S. had to do the same if they were using it in the U.S. but with a different carrier. My apologies.

You wouldn't happen to know anyone on at&t would you? Maybe a Samsung rep in bestbuy can help you with borrowing an at&t sim and making a call or 2 on your phone.
 

loppv

Senior Member
Jan 8, 2010
95
27
Well after reading that I'm amazed. I believed region lock was based on where you lived and used the phone. Like a person in Europe couldn't use an at&t phone overseas until it was used in the states. I was unaware a person in the U.S. had to do the same if they were using it in the U.S. but with a different carrier. My apologies.

You wouldn't happen to know anyone on at&t would you? Maybe a Samsung rep in bestbuy can help you with borrowing an at&t sim and making a call or 2 on your phone.

I tried to use someone's ATT sim and it doesnt work
Also Samsung is telling me that "as you have unlocked the device from third party site , and this is not considered as official unlock for the device"

I might bring the phone to bestbuy and let them check it out.. since the phone is still under Warranty
 

loppv

Senior Member
Jan 8, 2010
95
27
There's defiantly something wrong if an at&t sim doesn't work. Are you the original owner? If not do you know the original purchaser? It could have been blacklisted.

The phone is working Fine with an ATT sim card, it has signals
it is just that it is not working after I inserted my tmobile sim card
and entered in the unlock code... So the imei should be fine !