Does anyone know anything about the N-Gage?

[ReddMcKnight]

I just got one, and I'd like to unlock it, but I don't know how. Does anyone know how to? If this is the wrong place to post this, someone please move it. Thank you.

[ZeroAX]

I just got one, and I'd like to unlock it, but I don't know how. Does anyone know how to? If this is the wrong place to post this, someone please move it. Thank you.

what do you mean unlock it? You just download a file manager and the games and you install them with the blizzard ngage installer. At least that's how I did it on my 6600 phone, and I'm 90% it's the same thing for the ngage.

[ReddMcKnight]

I just got one, and I'd like to unlock it, but I don't know how. Does anyone know how to? If this is the wrong place to post this, someone please move it. Thank you.

what do you mean unlock it? You just download a file manager and the games and you install them with the blizzard ngage installer. At least that's how I did it on my 6600 phone, and I'm 90% it's the same thing for the ngage.

Unlocking it means that you can use any or most Phone Service Providers on it.

[dlmvii]

I'd PM Mod_Man, I know he spent some time with an Ngage a month or so ago

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

Go here and use this:

http://www.gsmliberty.net/shop/nokia_unlock.php

Follow the instructions as per your model of N-Gage (aka, regular N-Gage is just N-Gage and the QD is only the N-Gage QD) and ignore all the other models listed.

To get your IMEI remove the sim card, turn on your phone and dial:

*#06#*

In case you can't get it to come up just remove thee battery from the N-Gage and read the IMEI sticker on the back. This is just written in retardedly small font though.

As for the carrier choose:

USA-Cingular-Pacific Bell Wireless

All N-Gages were Cingular only, so do not choose any other option.

After that put in the code they give you that is highlighted as the recommended code and it should unlock for you no problem!

If you have any questions PM me as you only get five chances to unlock the N-Gage before it permanently locks itself irreversibly to the original carrier.

[ZeroAX]

Unlocking it means that you can use any or most Phone Service Providers on it.

ooooooooooh....shouldn't locking the phones be illegal? it seams to me like restricting the user to only 1 provider is against free market rules.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

Unlocking it means that you can use any or most Phone Service Providers on it.

ooooooooooh....shouldn't locking the phones be illegal? it seams to me like restricting the user to only 1 provider is against free market rules.

Actually no.

The thing is the phone is owned by the phone company in most cases as a lot of people here simply buy the phone on a contract and get it for "free". If you buy the phone outright from the phone company like at an AT&T or T-Mobile store (The only US GSM carriers), then you can ask them to unlock it and they'll be legally obligated to as it's your property. Under current US law selling you a product that you'll own outright which is not theirs like a leased "free" or discounted contract phone is illegal to offer without an unlock option of some sort.

In America GSM got here late in the game (circa 1996/1997) and therefore became the second standard behind closed source CDMA phones, which are permanently and irreversibly locked with proprietary hardware. This basically means that over here about 65% of all US cellular users are tied to one and only one phone company PERMANENTLY for the life of the phone or the length of their contract.

[Niode]

Unlocking it means that you can use any or most Phone Service Providers on it.

ooooooooooh....shouldn't locking the phones be illegal? it seams to me like restricting the user to only 1 provider is against free market rules.

Actually no.

The thing is the phone is owned by the phone company in most cases as a lot of people here simply buy the phone on a contract and get it for "free". If you buy the phone outright from the phone company like at an AT&T or T-Mobile store (The only US GSM carriers), then you can ask them to unlock it and they'll be legally obligated to as it's your property. Under current US law selling you a product that you'll own outright which is not theirs like a leased "free" or discounted contract phone is illegal to offer without an unlock option of some sort.

In America GSM got here late in the game (circa 1996/1997) and therefore became the second standard behind closed source CDMA phones, which are permanently and irreversibly locked with proprietary hardware. This basically means that over here about 65% of all US cellular users are tied to one and only one phone company PERMANENTLY for the life of the phone or the length of their contract.

In this country once you have had the phone for the length of the contract term (12/18/24 month etc) you can request the phone to be unlatched. O2 allow you to unlatch the phone at any time. You just call up, request an unlatch code. They send you a message within 14 days with instructions on how to unlatch along with your unlatching code. Doesn't cost anything. I'd advise to call the company that that the phone is latched to and request an unlatching code. They can either say yes and do it for free or charge you. They can't refuse.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

I'd advise to call the company that that the phone is latched to and request an unlatching code. They can either say yes and do it for free or charge you. They can't refuse.

Actually in the US they don't have to and won't do anything to unlock a phone for anyone if you've gotten it through a third party or another company. The only way to get N-Gages now is to buy one from a guy on ebay, someone that still has one, or a used phone store. All three of those are not Cingular (Now AT&T wireless) which had the exclusive distribution rights to the N-Gage in America.

If it's a phone that you've bought outright from an AT&T store at the full retail price, or your contract has just ended then yes they have to unlock it when you ask them to. BUT, if you got the phone through some other means or just tried to switch from another carrier and keep their phone then they won't do squat.

As it stands in the US, the N-Gage comes pre-locked with Cingular wireless and therefore is compatible with AT&T and AT&T's Go Phones by default as well since they're the same company. But it will NOT work with T-Mobile unless it's unlocked by some unlocking service or the user themselves.

[ReddMcKnight]

Does anyone know how to get the thing out of "File Transfer Mode"? I've looked under tools and everything else and can't find anything.