After spending much time talking to Cingular staff and their Tier 2 tech. support I got Cingular to unlock my Cingular BlackBerry 7290. It took me three weeks of calling once or twice a week to check on the status of the code. Since each Blackberry has different codes it took them a while to get the correct code. Listed below are the terms and conditions that they have to abide be before they can unlock your Blackberry.


The Subsidy Unlock Code (also known as the SIM Unlock Code) is unique to each device and functions as a "lock", so the device will only accept a Cingular (or other specific carrier) network Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card. Cingular subsidy locks their handsets in order to recover subsidy costs and to control theft of devices. The following information outlines the policy for requesting a device Subsidy Unlock Code.

The unlock code process should only be handled by Tier 2 technical support representatives. Incorrect entry of an unlock code 5 times during the life of the phone will permanently disable the unlock ability.
Cingular can only unlock Cingular devices and not those of other carriers.
Cingular will only unlock the original Cingular device that was used during the service period. Alternate Cingular devices may not be substituted.

Cingular will only unlock a Cingular device on request by the authorized account holders either directly or indirectly through another carriers representative.
A Cingular device without valid proof of purchase at the no commitment price that has never been activated on the Cingular network will not be unlocked.
All the conditions for eligibility must be met before a Cingular device can be unlocked.
Activation is not required for a Cingular device purchased at the no commitment price

Postpaid Contract Eligibility Contract terms must have been completed or Early Termination Fee paid following cancellation.
The account must have a $0.00 balance.

Postpaid Contract Eligibility for tri and quad band devices (typically customers who travel internationally) Verified Cingular tri or quad band handset.
After 90 days of continuous service.
Account in good standing with $0.00 balance.
The international roaming code feature has been added to the customers account.

Prepaid Service Eligibility After 90 days of continuous service
Secondary Market Cingular devices Examples: obtained via a friend, family member, EBay, garage sale, etc.
Must have been previously activated on the Cingular network.
The IMEI number of the Cingular device can be located in the billing records.
The original Cingular customer who owned the device successfully completed the terms of their contract (or paid the early termination fee) and their account is in good standing with zero balance.
Device has not been reported stolen

Looks like they took a page from the T-Mobile handbook.

Very useful info, thank you!

is there a unlocking program that generates the code?

There are no unlocking programs (code generators) out there today.

i asked a cingular bb tech the other day and he said my bb wasn't locked (he didn't see an unlock code)
will find another sim card and see if that's true

Cingular Tech support dosent have the proper clearance to give you the codes. You need to speak to Teir 2 Tech support. Read the Orig. post.

I bought a Cingular phone and paid the higher price so I wouldn't be under a monthly plan with Cingular. In doing so, I paid the higher price for the phone so that I wouldn't be on a Cingular contract. I asked to have the phone unlocked so that I could use it internationally since I travel overseas quite frequently. After initially being told that it would be no problem to have Cingular unlock the phone since I would have paid the higher price and have full ownership of the phone, Cingular later said that they would not unlock the phone. After about 4-5 days of talking to Tier 2 Tech Support about it, they confirmed that they wouldn't be able to unlock the phone since I was never under a Cingular monthly plan. So, what's the point of paying the higher price and buying the phone outright from the beginning?

Needless to say, I returned the phone, but again... what's the point of paying the higher price to buy the phone completely without a contract if you can't get it unlocked?

Agreed:
That is why I opted for only a 1yr contract and pay an additional $50 for the unit (about $350 before a $50 rebate) after 90 days if I have the international plan I can have them 'unlock it'. Certainly a lot more expensive than the TMO units / plans but the coverage is a lot better.

Dave

If you are already under contract and want a new phone. I signed up for Cingular 3 months ago and purchased the Razr phone. Then last month I decided I wanted a Blackberry. So I had to pay full retail. But of course I was able to sell the Razr.

What exactly does unlocking the device get you ?

The ability to use another carriers SIM card in your handheld, provided that carrier operates on the same type of network.

We just received (from cingular) 5 new BB's 4 7290's and 1 7100g. They were sent locked on the AT&T system. I called Cingular to transfer one of the devices to another number and they told me the number was a cingular number and the sim was an AT&T sim. They also said they would NOT unlock the device over the phone. So now I have 5 devices locked to AT&T but we have a cingular contract.

Dude, I just relinquished the copyrights to the it sucks to be me club..

Seriously, If I understand you right, you bought 5 phones from Cingular and they sent you AT&T locked phones. I would get a manager on the phone and not let him off until they resolve this to your satisfaction. Don't make suggestions, just demand they fix the problem. This shouldn't be your problem, it is theirs. Make sure you don't pay a dime until they fix it...

A friend of mine bought an alternative fuel car to go easy on the environment. I applaud his effort but he waste a tank of fuel trying to find a station with fuel. Every time it would run out of fuel he would call the dealer under warranty. Soon, the dealership got the hint and traded him for a different car.

Are there any known problems with service after unlocking the BB? I would be worried that some features may not work once unlocked.

Richard, We you able to get this resolved through Cingular or what was the outcome of your try? I have a BB 7290 locked on ATT as well and am going to Tier 2 and escalation tomorrow and could use some advice. Thanks, Eric

There are no issues or problems. Unlocking works fine. I have used unlocked phones and unlocked BlackBerrys and they work fine.

I just popped my TMOBILE SIM card into my Cingular BBERRY and I got "INVALID SIM CAR"

How can I speak to a Tier 2 Technician directly? Do they have a direct number?

I am in the last month of my service w/Cingular and decided to, just for grins, pop my wife's TMO sim card into my phone 7290. I was able to make a call and had very strong service here at the house (something I do not get with Cing).

Could my phone be unlocked?

Phone also said "data service not available" I assume it was not reading data from TMO.

Does TMO support the 7290?
can I sign up with them in another month and go with their service?

When I first got my phone I tried the same thing with the TMO SIM card and it did not work. The only thing I have done lately was contact a guy at GSMPHONESOURCE http://www.gsmphonesource.com/ I paid him $45 to unlock, but he ended up refunding my money because he could not find the unlock code for my IMEI...now my phone may be unlocked!

Any thoughts?

Thanks

Brettman