Unlock 4G Mini (purchased from Curry's)

[Kreiness]

SSIA;

Purchased a EE Wifi Mini from Curry's.

Attempted to unlock online via the EE website, but the device is listed as "Unknown", and I am told to contact Technical Support and wait 7-10 days.

Alas, I cannot wait that long to have this device unlocked.

Called and spoke to multiple people who said it cannot be unlocked over-the-air, as it was purchased from a 3rd-Party and thus is not connected to the Network.

I have read about putting unlock codes into the device somehow, but I cannot find a setting/option/tab for it logged in via 192.168.1.1

I am desperately seeking help, please.

Model: EE72E-2BE8GB3

Firmware: 4G_WiFi_V01.03.01

Had I known this would have been such a hassle, I either would have bought the device directly from EE in the first place, or I would have not used EE at all to begin this process.

Thanks in advance.

[Kreiness]

Apologies, @XRaySpeX , and others for reopening this chat.

It seems my 3rd-Party-Purchased Device (Curry's) was NOT unlocked prior to purchase. And since it is an "Unknown Device" to the EE Network, I am being told it cannot be unlocked. Yet, I am heard people discussing unlock codes.

I am unable to even find a place to enter such a code at 192.168.1.1, and when I insert the alternative sim, I am unable even to connect to the router via that IP to see if there are new options.

Please help!

[XRaySpeX]

As its model is dated "Oct 2023" it must be unlocked by Ofcom rules that from Dec. '21 all new devices must be sold unlocked.

You don't enter a code at 192.168.1.1. It's a URL that you enter into a browser. Login to your MBB router at http://192.168.1.1 with username/pwd as "admin"/"admin" or with the admin password found under the battery cover.  

[EssexBoyEE]

@XRaySpeX - As its model is dated "Oct 2023" it must be unlocked by Ofcom rules that from Dec. '21 all new devices must be sold unlocked.

As far as I am aware that ruling only applies to actual Phone Devices, Routers, MiFi, etc can still be locked apparently.

[EssexBoyEE]

@Kreiness I believe this model ( EE72E-2BE8GB3 ) did in fact have an Unlock issue, where the Firmware was upgraded to a 16 digit Unlock Code instead of the previous 10 digit codes which rendered them difficult to Unlock.

I'm uncertain as to what the outcome was on these older Devices.

You may be better of searching for an the Unlock Code on eBay, they are around £1 each and normally the Codes get emailed to you within a few hours.

As per normal on eBay make sure you Model No is correct and in relation to the 10/16 digit Unlock Codes, also do some Homework on the available Sellers of Unlock Codes and there Feedback, but for a Quid or so it could be worth a Punt.

@Kreiness - I am unable to even find a place to enter such a code at 192.168.1.1, and when I insert the alternative sim, I am unable even to connect to the router via that IP to see if there are new options 

On the actual Unlocking method the Code Unlock will will not be be any menus of the Device, normaly you would put in a foreign Network SIM in the Device (ie, Non EE or any MVNO,s that use the EE Network), Restart, and it should ask for the Unlock Code to be entered before it fully Boots Up.

[Kreiness]

But when I insert the non-EE sim, it flashes red and white lights, then basically shuts down and my connected devices cannot even recognize it.

Am I meant to login at 192.168.1.1 with the new sim installed? Because it doesn't seem to work that way. And on the off-chance I can connect, I am never asked for an unlock code.

So peculiar.

[Kreiness]

Just wanted to let you all know that after spending hours tweaking all sorts of settings and such manually, I got the alternative SIM to work.

It turns out the device must have been unlocked from the start, but it is not user-friendly in working with new SIMS.

Thank you all for trying to help, though!

[EssexBoyEE]

That's probably why it wasn't asking you for an Unlock Code.

Don't forget to Set Up a New APN Profile for the New SIM, as being EE Branded it will not do it Automatically, it was never designed to be used with another Network SIM, hence why you are haveing difficulty.

[XRaySpeX]

Thanks! You're welcome 🙂 ! Glad I could be of assistance & trust it is now sorted.

[XRaySpeX]

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@EssexBoyEE wrote:

As far as I am aware that ruling only applies to actual Phone Devices, Routers, MiFi, etc can still be locked apparently.

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You're right! Ofcom only ruled on mobile phones but why would any network not extend the rule to all SIM'ed devices & put themselves to extra work & queries dealing with the minority of devices when they don't for the vast majority?

As the OP subsequently discovered 😉 !