One of the worst messages that users can receive is that of the SIM card blocked. Having the card blocked does not mean not being able to use the phone, but rather not being able to make calls or use mobile data. This can occur for various reasons, but today we bring you the possible solutions in this regard and tell you how you can unblock the blocked number on your SIM card.
Any of the The most common reasons why the mobile phone can block the SIM card is because it is not correctly inserted or your mobile does not recognize it. After you have entered the PIN code incorrectly three times, the SIM card will be locked and you will not have access to the phone, this is a way to protect yourself if someone tries to access your phone.
What's wrong What to do if you have forgotten your unlock code and the SIM card has been locked?
Locate the PUK number
After entering the PIN code incorrectly, the mobile will request the PUK code to be able to unlock the SIM card. This code appears on the same card that your operator gave you when you bought the SIM together with the mobile rate. You can find it below the initial lock code.
The problem comes when after so many years, you cannot find this card with the information you need because it is not something that is used often. For this reason, the operators give the possibility of locating the PUK to be able to unblock the SIM card through applications or web pages.
- Movistar: enter My Movistar and click on the My customer data section. Here you will find your PUK code information.
- Vodafone: enter the Personal Area and look for the My Mobile section where you can see the 8-digit PUK code to unlock the SIM.
- Orange: if your mobile is blocked, you can see your PUK number by entering the Orange Customer Area in the My line section.
- Yoigo: within the clients section, Mi Yoigo also has the personal data section and here you can find your PUK number.
But remember that If the PUK code is entered correctly more than 10 times in a row, your SIM card will be permanently blockedhey here we will have to move on to the next solution.
Request a duplicate of your SIM card
If you can't find the PUK code, enter it wrong 10 times, or can't get rid of the SIM card blocked message, then you will have to request a duplicate SIM card. Some operators charge to do this, and you can request it both online and in person. The best thing in this case is to contact your operator to tell you the steps to follow so that you can have your SIM card operational and can use it.
But you also have to take into account what to do if the blocked number is the IMEI of your phone and not the mobile number. Let's see what we can do in this case.
Why is my phone locked?
Once the verification has been made from these websites, we can conclude that the operator has blocked the phone. And this can happen for several reasons.
Mainly and in most cases, this happens with second-hand phones. For example in case of stolen phones that have been sold to a third party without him knowing when buying it. In these cases it is best to go to the police. However, this will not guarantee that you can unlock it, but it will guarantee that you will not have legal problems for buying stolen products.
Other reason for the operator to lock the phone is that the seller owes some of the purchase fees for the phone in the case of having been purchased in installments. In this case, there are more ways to solve the problem easily, as we will explain below.
First you need to know what the IMEI is
First of all, you have to be clear about the IMEI to be able to unblock a blocked number. IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity code. The main function of IMEI is to identify mobile phones globally.
As each person has their ID, or cars their own license plate, phones also have an identity number. All phones that go on the market are registered so that the authorities have a certain control over them and a legal use of these devices can be guaranteed.
The IMEI is a 15-digit code, unique and non-transferable. But if you want to know what the IMEI of your phone is, you have several ways to find out.
If you type the number * # 06 # on your phone, after this, the code will immediately appear on the screen. In Android you will have to go to Settings, select the option "About phone", then "Status" and finally press "IMEI data" to find the information we are looking for.
En iOS you will have to go to Settings, select the "General" option and from there access "Information". Once inside, we search the screen until we find the IMEI code that you can see at the bottom.
Another way to locate the phone's IMEI code is by looking at the device case. It usually hurts to be written on a label, along with other documents.
Second step: Verify the IMEI
When you know the IMEI of your device, the next step is to verify its situation. Many times the number is included in a black list shared with all network operators, and this is what prevents us from making calls, sending SMS and using the Internet with mobile data.
This verification can be done through some specific web pages for it. Although there are many of them, the most used is National Numbering Plans . This is how we should proceed with it:
To check if the IMEI code is blacklisted using the International Numbering Plans, these are the steps to follow.
- Enter the International Numbering Plans website in your Internet browser.
- In the left menu click on "Number Analysis Tools".
- Now click on "IMEI Number Analysis".
- Here you enter the IMEI number and click on the «Analyze» button.
- The result will tell us if that number has been blocked or not. It is important to pay attention to the symbol> | <that you can see in the bottom bar of «IMEI Vaidity Assessment». The closer this mark is to red, the more likely it is that the number is blocked by the operator.
Step XNUMX: Unblock a number blocked by an operator
First you will need to contact customer service. If you explain what the problem is and present all the purchase documents, it won't take long to fix the problem.
Although there is not a specific number of cases that have been resolved through this process, the usual thing is that everything goes well and the operator ends up unblocking the number. It depends on each particular case, it will be different and also due to the process to be followed by each operator., some will be slower and others a quick and uncomplicated process.
But also It may happen that the administrator who performed the lock does not consider the explanations to be true and does not want to unlock the device. In this situation we have to enforce our rights and go to an association for consumer protection. It often happens that a complaint from an organization of this type, the company reviews the case again and this time with preference to the client.