Subsidy password for mobile phone

I think I've finally managed to unlock my UK Motorola phone. The phone said it was 'unlocked', so I'm trusting that's the case! So, I put my new Irish SIM card in, it asks me for my SIM pin, which I put in and it accepts, then it asks me for my 'subsidy password'. What the heck is this??? It's not my PUK # because I've tried that one. Is this something my new provider should give me (I looked on their website and found nothing) or is this a Motorola thing? God I hope someone can help me....this has been a nightmare!!!

Hiya,

I've never heard of a Subsidy PIN number before - it really does sound like a 'within the industry' type lock/feature for certain network dependant requirements/features/limitations.

What handset is it ? - I noticed you said 'UK Motorola phone' - so just to clarify, its a UK model, handset from a UK supplier/shop etc ?

I've a feeling it could be a handset which was exclusive to Vodafone at some point, and may or may not have had certain features included/omitted from the same handset but for other networks etc - for instance orange & T mobile do things like that on some of their smartphone/PDA handsets and some of the forums I go to users are frustrated - for instance on a variant on a HTC handset, T mobile helpfully decided to omit the Wi-fi (i think it was) feature, yet on the unbranded HTC handset it was there.

Maybe speak to
1. the place you got the actual handset from
2. the new SIM supplier
3. Look on Motorola forums or them direct at thier technical dept to see if there's any info

Cheers! DtM! West London & Slough UK!

Crap. Dennis, I thought you'd have all the answers! It's a Motorola Razr phone that I got about 2.5 years ago when I moved to Bath. I bought it at O2 (who have been pretty useless), as a pay as you go phone. I've sent an email to Motorola to see if they can help, but I'll have to stop in to Meteor (my new provider). I'm not holding out any hope. Their website said nothing about these passwords. I'm guessing it's not an O2 thing since the phone is actually unlocked. It seems that there is nothing more they need to do. I know I could just buy a new phone, but I bought this one specifically because it was quad band and it wasn't cheap! It's all just getting ridiculous!

I had a RazR V3 when they first came out - it was unlocked in the first place! - but yep, on PAYG they may well have been locked. You shouldn't really have had any issues with unlocking it anyway as the RazR series is quite popular. I'm pretty sure that O2 should've unlocked it as well - no idea really...

Theres obviously something going on here..  not sure at all what it is ..  sorry!

update this thread if/when yer get to the bottom of it ?!

Cheers! DtM!West London & Slough UK!

My O₂ PAYG RazR V3 is locked as well. I received a strict warning from the previous owner (I got mine of eBay last year for £25) that I shouldn't ever put another companys sim card in it because it deactivates the phone. (I wonder how they found that out) I love my O₂ so I'm not going to bother unlocking it but I did check into it and there was a little shop in town that would do it for £5.
Sounds like your's really isn't unlocked. Or find a little shop that will unlock it properly.

Subsidy password is another eight- or sixteen-digit code that locks your phone to a certain provider. Opinions differ if it's a unique code per every phone or per every model.

Either way, from what I saw on google, those small unlocking places should be able to get the code for you for about £7-£10.

Well, I Googled it, and found a plethora of information! It seems to be a Motorola thing. I guess once you enter this password you'll never have to enter it again. There are websites like this one:

http://www.motorolaunlock.com/

and this one:

http://www.cell-unlock.com/

Do you think these are legit? It says it will take about 2 days for the password to come through. Should O2 be able to do this since they are the ones who sold me the Motorola phone?

WebyJ - Another SIM won't deactivate the phone, you just won't be able to use it until you get this password! I tried one shop and the guy said he didn't have the software to do it.

This thread was almost four years ago.  I highly doubt they are still trying to solve the problem.