Aral Balkan

I've had it with my new Windows Mobile dumbphone and decided to go back to my old 7610 from ages past so that I can make decent phone calls again (my 6680 suffered a bad fall down the stairs and decided to retire from active service a little while ago.) Anyway, I'd forgotten that the 7610 was still locked to Vodafone and, instead of going through Vodafone's help desk, I decided to have a little fun and unlock it myself.

The first thing you notice when trying to find information on unlocking a cell phone is that there's quite an industry built around making this possible for you for a couple of pounds. Ignoring this, you notice that there's also a lot of information out there -- mostly of it conflicting with each other.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, here's what worked for me for the 7610. Your milage may vary and I'm not responsible if you mess up your phone. Warning, etc., and all that.

1. I removed the SIM card and restarted the phone.
2. Download the Ultimate Unlock Code Calculator by Unique. It's a Windows app so I ran it under Parallels.
3. I used the following settings based on this forum post (the default ones didn't work).
   • Model: DCT4
   • IMEI: Enter your IMEI number here. You can get it by entering *#06# on your phone.
   • Network code: Find yours in the text file that comes with the app. For Vodafone UK, it's: 23415
   • ASIC type: 5 (manually change this)
   • Key code: 32801 (manually change this)
   • Click the Get Codes button and use Code #1 from the list of generated codes.
   • To enter the code, press the * key several times to create the p, w and + characters.

Reportedly, if you enter the wrong code five times the sky may fall or something. Contacting Vodafone for your unlock codes is probably the safer option but I'll take any chance I get not to talk to customer support! :)

Comments

• You really don't want to enter an incorrect mastercode 5 times unless you want a nice brick ;) (I used to make a little money at school generating these numbers). Thanks for finding this nice app, the old ones all but dissappeared earlier this decade but it seems they are back!

  by Richard Leggett on 2007-03-02 00:08:14

• Aral, There's a better one out there... and there's even a free one running on a website, so you don't have to download it to your machine... Yes Richard, if you enter the code incorrectly x number of times, it won't let you enter it again manually, but you don't end up with a useless brick. :) You could always pop it down to one of the local phone shops (such as King of GSM in preston street, brighton) and get it unlocked for a fiver (even after you've tried entering the code 5 times). They plug it into a device attached to a pc, which feeds the code directly into the phone. So don't hang yourself just yet. :) However, bear in mind this 'life-saver' option works only for the nokia phones released upto and including the 7610 and 6670 (called the dct-4 range), but most of the phones released after that (disclaimer: the fancy ones in the bb5 range -- smartphones, not the simpler ranges like the 6230, 6230i, etc) cannot be unlocked by computer/cable/unlock boxes. It's always best to check with someone who knows before you play around. In fact, more often than not, most would be willing to spend the £5 and just get it over and done with. :) Sohail A. Rahim Webmaster www.dinner2go.co.uk

  by Sohail A. Rahim on 2007-03-02 03:04:39

• forgot to include the link to the online unlocker.. http://unlock.nokiafree.org/ Sohail A. Rahim Webmaster www.dinner2go.co.uk

  by Sohail A. Rahim on 2007-03-02 03:09:43

• Hey Richard -- yeah, heard about the bricking thing. Maybe I can make a nice brick out of my Windows dumbphone -- it's big and heavy enough to make a good brick. I think it's important for it's self-esteem that it excels in at least one role. Sohail: Thanks for the link and info. I was looking for an online app but couldn't find any. As is, I'm heading out to get an N73 today (yes, Josh, I've got your coupon!) -- the 7610 is a *great* phone but I can't really handle GPRS speeds any more :)

  by aral on 2007-03-02 09:10:34

• True.. I'm about to ditch my reliable 6670 (cousin of the 7610) for an n73... they look much nicer :) Sohail Webmaster www.dinner2go.co.uk

  by Sohail A. Rahim on 2007-03-03 01:51:08

• Whatever you do, stay away form 3. Their "unlimited internet" apparently doesn't include the "world wide web". It's a walled garden, basically.

  by aral on 2007-03-03 17:40:40

• 7610 aftar flashing imei_ _ _ ASIc;

  by rajender on 2007-03-19 15:02:22

• Hi Rajender, Can we have that one more time in English? :P

  by aral on 2007-03-20 07:11:33

• Hi Since there was mention of N73, I would like to know how to unlock N73 from vodafone network. I need it unlock to b able to use from abroad. Thanks

  by Mad on 2007-05-05 18:46:35

• hi ,,,, can u guide me in unlocking a nokia n73 with version3.04 in it master

  by nightmare on 2007-06-12 15:47:57

• my nokia 7610 is want lock code and i not know imei 355700/00/00/276115/9 model no 7610 code no 0514533 type rh-51

  by nicolas dchuwa on 2007-07-31 12:42:49

• Thanks, that worked on my 7610! However, if I do this on another phone where do I find out the "Model: DCT4", Keycode and Asic Type for the new phone?

  by Ste on 2007-08-12 14:39:31

• Id just like to say the official unlock calculator at unlockme.co.uk does not work for unlocking the 7610 and the description above does so well done and thanks!

  by Simon Evans on 2007-09-01 10:39:54

• hey people, have tried unlocking a N73 on 3 network with code generator programe which i paid for online. put wrong code in a few times and now handset is locked. Managed to get the unlock from 3 and that wont even work. anyone got any solutions ?

  by fletch on 2007-10-04 14:07:58

• just to add to that last comment. I'm still able to use the handset with a 3 pay as u go sim in it. would this suggest it isn't actually locked ? wot a nightmare ! ! !

  by fletch on 2007-10-04 14:48:31

• Hi! Is there any way to unlock an iphone without connecting to pc? I normally use http://www.mobile-unlocker.com/ to get unlocking instructions but some how they don't seem to have instructions for the iphone. Can anyone help me?

  by karthik on 2009-06-08 09:58:07

• Thanks for that Aral I was in between phones and needed to revive my 7610 to another provider, did just what you told me and it worked a treat.

  by Patsy on 2009-05-08 19:01:26

• thanks for leaving this here, after 3 code calculators I managed to leave my elderly 7610 with one more attempt to try, followed above with orange network code and it replied "sim restriction removed". Cheers Graham

  by Graham on 2008-09-02 21:43:15

• wow!!!!,great post,anymore?

  by alex tam on 2009-03-31 05:57:16

• i want an unlock code of nokia 7610

  by Princewell on 2010-05-28 10:38:10