

Ask HN: Bell Canada Galaxy S II has International Restriction on new customers - samzhao

Hello everyone,<p>I'm currently in Canada and I would like to bring my Galaxy S II (in 3-year contract with Bell Canada) with me to China. I had an online chat with a sales rep about what I need to do to have it working in China without paying for roaming. She told me that I need to unlock my phone for $75 in order to get rid of the International restrictions that comes with any new customer's plan. I thought a phone has to be unlocked in order to take foreign sim cards. However, from my understanding of the sales rep's explanation, I CAN use my phone with a foreign SIM card with no problem, but I need to pay roaming afterwards. So what do I have to actually unlock in order to have my phone working in China (with local a sim card) without having to pay roaming?<p>Thanks.
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kefs
The information you have been told is incorrect. If you place a non-Bell SIM
in your device, it will read Invalid SIM (try it with a friend's). If you
unlock your device through Bell, it will cost you, but you can use it with any
carrier's SIM card.. but you can also unlock it at various local cellphone
repair shops for a < 75$ usually. Oh.. and be advised.. rooting is not the
same as carrier unlocking.

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samzhao
Thanks for your information. From my understanding, what you are saying is
totally the case. It's just that the sales rep confused me by saying "the
phone itself has some restrictions", which means there's probably some other
locks/restrictions other than the sim/carrier lock. I'll probably try the
unlocker app in the play store. And yes, my phone is rooted.

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kefs
An unlocking app from the Play store will not do what you want. Also, it
doesn't matter whether or not you are rooted. Remember, carrier unlock is
completely different than rooting, so the two have no nothing to do with each
other. Call a few cellphone repair shops in your area and ask them what they
charge to carrier unlock your specific device.. that would be your best bet.

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samzhao
Can I just purchase an unlock code from some website?

