Cell Phones in Great Britain - IMEI numbers

Author

IMEI numbers - blocked worldwide?

alex@mtmgroup.co.uk

2007-05-23, 10:33 am

I've just been 'done' on ebay buying a phone that's been barred. Brand
new, but barred. (I believe there was some mess up with an insurance
claim but anyway I might not be able to get my money back). Now, if I
fail to get my money back, I would consider selling it abroad.

My question is: can a phone that has had its IMEI number blocked in
the UK still be used elsewhere in the world?

Ivor Jones

2007-05-23, 12:33 pm

<alex@mtmgroup.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1179932265.584221.131360@p47g2000hsd.googlegroups.com
> I've just been 'done' on ebay buying a phone that's been
> barred. Brand new, but barred. (I believe there was some
> mess up with an insurance claim but anyway I might not be
> able to get my money back). Now, if I fail to get my
> money back, I would consider selling it abroad.
>
> My question is: can a phone that has had its IMEI number
> blocked in the UK still be used elsewhere in the world?

Outside of the EU, very probably. The bar isn't worldwide.

Ivor

Gareth

2007-05-23, 3:33 pm

<alex@mtmgroup.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1179932265.584221.131360@p47g2000hsd.googlegroups.com...
> I've just been 'done' on ebay buying a phone that's been barred. Brand
> new, but barred. (I believe there was some mess up with an insurance
> claim but anyway I might not be able to get my money back). Now, if I
> fail to get my money back, I would consider selling it abroad.
>
> My question is: can a phone that has had its IMEI number blocked in
> the UK still be used elsewhere in the world?

There isn't an authoritative answer for this.

One suggestion is that it tends to be a network issue: a T-Mobile barred
phone will be barred not just in the UK but probably on responsible T-Mobile
networks worldwide.

I reported a Virgin registered phone as "lost" and the IMEI was barred. The
phone, when I found it, did not work in the UK and it didn't work in the
US/Canada either. I was shocked that it didn't work in the US but it didn't.

A cheaper but completely illegal option would be to tweak the IMEI number
via a local car boot sale. A criminal conviction and a decent fine would
however be a well deserved punishment.

Sorry to hear you were screwed by an ebay seller. It must be frustrating to
know that you have a perfectly good yet perfectly useless phone.

Gareth.

Rob

2007-05-24, 10:33 am

On 23 May, 15:57, a...@mtmgroup.co.uk wrote:
> I've just been 'done' on ebay buying a phone that's been barred. Brand
> new, but barred. (I believe there was some mess up with an insurance
> claim but anyway I might not be able to get my money back). Now, if I
> fail to get my money back, I would consider selling it abroad.
>
> My question is: can a phone that has had its IMEI number blocked in
> the UK still be used elsewhere in the world?

I believe that if you paid via paypal then you should be able to claim
via them? Or if you paid on your credit card - the card issuer should
cover the cost.

Peter Lynch

2007-05-24, 12:33 pm

On 24 May 2007 06:04:23 -0700, Rob wrote:
> On 23 May, 15:57, a...@mtmgroup.co.uk wrote:
>
> I believe that if you paid via paypal then you should be able to claim
> via them? Or if you paid on your credit card - the card issuer should
> cover the cost.
>
notwithstanding what the vendor told you about a "mess up with an insurance
claim" the chances of a bona-fide mistake, compared with it being nicked
are quite small.
[IANAL] So if you did try to claim on your CC, you could get done for receiving
stolen goods .... or whatever the term is these days - it's a long time
since "Minder" was made.
Even if someone lost it and then had it barred, it's still their (or the
insurance company's) property.
[/IANAL]

tread carefully,

Pete
--
...........................................................................
.. never trust a man who, when left alone ...... Pete Lynch .
.. in a room with a tea cosy ...... Marlow, England .
.. doesn't try it on (Billy Connolly) .....................................

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