Stolen Huawei handset

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Bloodnok

10 posts

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#182522 19-Oct-2015 15:47

Hi all   -------

My mobile handset (Huawei) has recently been stolen.    It is prepaid and running on the Spark network who I have rung and was advised that it is now blocked.
The phone was purchased from Spark who I assume had it locked to their network.     Can someone please advise just how "deep" this blocking goes ?
Is it possible for anyone to unlock the phone and use a SIM from another network ?

Thank you for any information

Bloodnok

tripp

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#1409318 19-Oct-2015 15:52

If you still have the box etc it will have a IMEI number on it, spark can block this on their network and share the blacklist with the other telcos

hairy1

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#1409331 19-Oct-2015 16:00

Nope. Once the IMEI is blocked it can't be used with another SIM. In the past 2degrees wasn't using the blacklist but they are now.

Cheers, Matt.

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wellygary

8325 posts

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#1409349 19-Oct-2015 16:36

https://www.spark.co.nz/help/mobile-data/mobile-data-security/lost-stolen/

johnr

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#1409357 19-Oct-2015 16:45

IMEI blacklisting is done on all 3 mobile networks in NZ so shared EIR data

richms

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#1409372 19-Oct-2015 17:05

It will just get partsed out which is how the dirt cheap phone repair people keep their supply of screens and cases for broken phones.

Richard rich.ms

Bloodnok

10 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1409454 19-Oct-2015 19:46

Hi thanks guys   ----

Just a couple of side questions
1.   When a phone is locked to a network - is this done within the phone itself or is it done on the network ?
2.   If a phone is not locked to a network, is the provider aware of the IMEI number.    In other words does this info go down the line if you change SIM card.

Thanks a lot

Bloodnok

RunningMan

8955 posts

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#1409456 19-Oct-2015 19:47

It's an IMEI lock - that IMEI is barred from connecting to the network.

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richms

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#1409457 19-Oct-2015 19:48

Within the phone. It will see a different operators sim card on power up and demand a code to remove the lock.

providers have the IEMI of any phone used, but they will not give up the phone number used in that IEMI to you because you once owned the IEMI, too many privacy concerns and the police are the correct route to go if you suspect someone of stealing it, but they wont go doing any investigation into phone theft because most are not theft but just people leaving them places and then saying they were stolen so they can get insurance.

Richard rich.ms

tripp

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#1409561 20-Oct-2015 07:24

Bloodnok: Hi thanks guys   ----

Just a couple of side questions
1.   When a phone is locked to a network - is this done within the phone itself or is it done on the network ?
2.   If a phone is not locked to a network, is the provider aware of the IMEI number.    In other words does this info go down the line if you change SIM card.

Thanks a lot

Bloodnok

3 different things here

1. Lock
A phone can be locked to a network so it only works with that network until its unlocked (normally by unlock codes entered into the handset that you get from your telco after paying money). This is normally done at phone level and the reason why some telco's can release phones so cheap. This has nothing to do with stolen handsets etc, it is used to lock a phone to 1 network so the user has to use that network.

2. Blocked
If a phone is stolen then the telco can put a block on the IMEI. Every mobile phone sold in NZ (and most phones made) have a IMEI number, the telco can block a IMEI from getting on it's network. In the past telco's would not share this info so if it was blocked on 1 network i.e. spark then it could be used on others however a few years back the telco's in NZ started to share this info so if you it's blocked on 1 network it will end up blocked on all of them after a few weeks. This is at phone/network level, once this is done there is very little that can be done to re-enable the phone back on to any network and a very limited amount of people in NZ can even get it off the blacklist. Just easier to buy another phone.

3. Sim blocked
Telcos will block the sim if you report the phone stolen as a first step to stop people using the stolen account.

tripp

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#1409563 20-Oct-2015 07:27

Also most phones now (apple and new android devices) come with an account lock at device level. This means that once a user has signed in with a google account (android) or a icloud account (apple) it is then locked to that users ID. This means that even after a reset of the device (clean wipe and reload of firmware) you still have to enter in the user ID to activate the device. If you do not have this then you can't use the device.

Bloodnok

10 posts

Wannabe Geek

#1409758 20-Oct-2015 12:08

Hi thanks again guys ----------------

The phone being stolen aroused my interest in these matters for general knowledge purposes. I have now learnt a lot more on the wonders of mobile
telephony.

Anyway, last night I got my phone back. Some kind sole found it discarded and rang a number in the contacts list after which I went and picked it up.
It is now unblocked and all go.

Regards to all

Bloodnok

Finch

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#1409767 20-Oct-2015 12:29

mrtoken: Also most phones now (apple and new android devices) come with an account lock at device level. This means that once a user has signed in with a google account (android) or a icloud account (apple) it is then locked to that users ID. This means that even after a reset of the device (clean wipe and reload of firmware) you still have to enter in the user ID to activate the device. If you do not have this then you can't use the device.

Really? What happens when you want to sell your device to upgrade?

RunningMan

8955 posts

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#1409964 20-Oct-2015 17:10

Finch:
mrtoken: Also most phones now (apple and new android devices) come with an account lock at device level. This means that once a user has signed in with a google account (android) or a icloud account (apple) it is then locked to that users ID. This means that even after a reset of the device (clean wipe and reload of firmware) you still have to enter in the user ID to activate the device. If you do not have this then you can't use the device.

Really? What happens when you want to sell your device to upgrade?

Remove it from your iCloud/Google account.