What kind of phone?

Why the secrecy? This is useful information that I'm sure many people would be interested in....

yes, i would be interested in the information, as well ...

I would also like to know the information, wana unlock my Samsung phone.

it's just a samsung phone, quite basic. it's with swisscom. I agree with zonker: why the secrecy? obviously a few people are interested in the info! thanks

mine is a samsung, as well ...

I would also be interested as I have an Iphone that I would like to unlock.

Thank you kindly

go to: www.afterdawn.com

Some phones can be unlocked for free. Read through "forums". Type in "unlock" in search box.

Some codes are sold online.  

Hi guys. King GSM does this. I used their service many years ago and was quite satisfied. I had to drive to Annemasse back then, but it seems they have stores in Geneva as well. Here is their website:

http://www.kingofgsm.fr/

@justdoit: what happened? you tease us all with the answer, and then disappear....

In any case, I saw a place on Rue de Lausanne, just across from the Molard tram stop, I think. Looking at Google Maps with Street view, it seems to be the corner of rue de Lausanne and rue de Zürich.....It says in really big letters: TELEPHONE DEBLOCKAGE (or something similiar).

Hope that helps.

p.s. i can unlock your iphone....

Just saw a sign on Rue de Laussane (corner of rue de lausanne and rue de mole) for unblocking all kind of cell phones.  The stores name is King GSM.  Don't know any more details.

Justdoit: unlocking a phone is perfectly legal as you are free to do whatever you want with your own phone. If you got a locked phone that was subsidized, that was in exchange for a certain length of promised contract with Swisscom and you cannot end that contract without paying early termination fees. However, as long as you keep your Swisscom service until the end of the contract, you can do whatever you want with your phone.

Yes like you said, the companies have an insentive in locking the phones so they do it, but that doesn't make it less legal. In fact shops in Geneva (or around the world as a matter of fact) would not be advertising unlocking services on their windows if it was illegal. The worst thing that can happen is a void warrenty.

how much you will charge?

I have samsung phone from US (cellular)

Yogeshwar: check one of the local stores in Geneva like King GSM; they are legit and do it for reasonable prices usually. Best is to compare prices.

I can't believe the shop is on rue de Lausanne with a huge sign and I never even saw it!!! Just goes to show how you get used to the scenery and only see the usual things. I will check it out...As for Justdoit I would like to point out that I am on a prepaid phone so I don't have a contract to breach. Besides as alp already pointed out you're free to do whatever you want with your phone. I plant to keep my number but it would be nice to know that if my other one breaks down, or if I move abroad, I can still put another simcard in it and not have to buy a new one...

Thanks everyone!

That's the first time i hear of something like that. Do you have something to show to back this up ? I'm quite interesting in seeing this. As far as I know, the phone doesn't belong to the service provider so they have no say in what you do with it.

sorry I should specify, they have no say in what you do with your phone that doesn't involve their service. If you have a sim card with Swisscom and Orange and keep swapping the sim card on the used-to-be locked Swisscom phone, it doesn't do anything to them as long as you keep paying the bills you promised to pay.

My 2 cents to the noble cause of cell phone unlocking .... and fight against operators abuse ...

In general, unlocking a cell phone can be considered "improper" manipulation, so I would suggest to read carefully the small letter of the contract signed with the carrier. The fact that you paid for it doesn't entitle you to do whatever you want with it. You're still bound by terms and conditions set in the buying-selling contract. This doesn't mean you'll get convicted or anything similar. I simpy suggest you to be discreet with it ....

In general it is not an illegal activity, though there are always exceptions. Operators in most countries feel threatened by unlocked cell-phones, as they cannot use them to keep customers captive, and they include clauses in the contracts that allow them to terminate your service if you unlock your terminal.

By the way, as far as I know the American carriers use different standards, not based on GSM, so the devices are usually not compatible with the European networks.

To All,

A general word about "codes" to unlock anything, from a DVD player, to Satellite decoder, to cell phones: DO NOT PAY A CENT, it is just "knowledge". ANd you can get this knowledge by searching the Internet.

Type your phone model with "unlock" or "sim-lock" in Google, weed-out the guys who want to make a buck by selling you a code, and usually you will find the answer in a forum or similar.

The same goes for iPhones from the USA (I did this twice now), but you need a little program on your PC or Mac (works on both) to flash the phone and inject it a piece of program along with the current program to just get rid of the carrier limitation. Who cares if it's legal or not, who's going to check? and how? (that was for Pascual E).

So Emma, if you feel confident with Google, try it yourself, otherwise, there is another way, the Operator. And here is the trick: tell them that you are going abroad for a few weeks, and that you will be buying a local prepaid sim card to put in your phone. They cannot prevent you form doing this nor can they refuse to unlock it. If they do, make a scene on the phone or in the store. Bring your receipt with you.

Hope that helps you Emma and others.

Patrick, I second that. I was just going to say that some operators unlock phones on demand. In fact, I heard Orange unlocks iPhone if you ask. I will try that soon with mine.

I just wanna add a little something.

Today I called Orange and asked them if they could unlock my iPhone. Since my year of contract (the one when I purchased the phone) was over, they said they could do it for free. My iPhone is now unlocked :)

Basically it's always good to ask the phone provider first, you never know.

That's true, I suppose it depends on your contract etc. In the case of Swisscom and prepaid cards, they will sell you a phone but it is simlocked for 2 years. Just a note on King GSM on rue de Lausanne: they have to keep your phone overnight, and charge 40 CHF for it....don't know if you think that's a reasonable price or not, but that's it! thanks for all the feedback 

You can use this site http://www.city-listings.co.uk/geneva/shopping/electrical_goods/mobile_phone_shops/  to know the mobile unlock shops in geneva. Sometimes, mobile unlock shops are not unlock your Samsung properly. Better, contact your service provider/get unlock code from any of the online service providersa like Mobile-unlocker.com to unlock your Samsung.