Lost phone...info please.

[mickyas]

I lost my Nokia N95 the other day (contract phone). Called o2, who put a block on the phone and sim, i also had a pin code lock on the phone which you had to enter before it would allow access.
What i'd like to know is ...can the phone be enabled again for use by whoever found it?
Cheers
Mick

[drpaulos]

Sorry to hear that Mick. I would be lost without my N95!

There has been a lot of discussion on the N95 Users forum about N95's that have been reported stolen, and then bought by innocent members. Some don't work from day one, but others stop working later after buying from the bay of E, and it is thought that this is because the seller later reported it as lost or stolen, and claimed on their insurance.

It seems that most UK networks will bar the IMEI of the phone if it has been reported lost or stolen to the home provider, which would mean that even if the phone is unlocked, it would not be able to register on the network. I seem to recall that "3" might be an exception.

I also read though, that while the phone might be useless on UK networks, it would probably work in Europe, although there was some talk that the EU might extend the bar. Outside Europe, the phone would probably still work even in the future.

Doc

[idunne]

in short.....yes

[drpaulos]

in short.....yes

How? Members on the N95 Users forum have even had difficulties getting their own phone released for use on the networks, when they find it after being stolen.

If the IMEI is blocked, you can only use it on networks that have not blocked the IMEI, and theoretically if one UK network blocks the IMEI, all will.

Doc

[KES]

thought phones could be re progged with a valid emei no,say from a old working phone??



regards
kes
:respect-048:

[drpaulos]

This is news to me, how would they go about it then? Even if they did, surely there would be a problem if an IMEI is logged on to a network, and then the same IMEI tries to log on?

[KES]

the old phone imei would be progged into stolen phone to give new identity and old phone thrown in bin.
1 new phone with a valid imei .widely used on analogue phones too.



regards
kes
:respect-050:

[mickyas]

Thanks for all the input fellas, i rather believe drpaulos but knowing my luck the phone is probably already being used :001_07:
Thanks again guys
Mick

[aslat]

A phone can have the IMEI cloned with a legit phone.

All the networks in the UK use the EIR (equipment identity register) as well as about 40 other networks in ;
Belgium Chile Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Greece
Hungary Ireland Italy Kenya Malta Norway Portugal South Africa Spain weden
United Kingdom