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Samsung Mobile Purchased in KSA cannot be used outside

Posted in Saudi Arabia forum

If your are planning to buy a new Samsung phone, please read.
Dear Samsung,
I purchased this phone Samsung Note 3 4G from Danube Hypermarket in Riyad. I was thinking I could use this when I go on vacation. I spent 3 days to fully customise all the settings and loaded all my data onto this phone including Google authenticator. After reaching India, I inserted my new SIM in India hoping I could enjoy the vacation with my note3, but to my surprise It is asking for SIM Network Unlock pin. I paid the full amount in cash hoping the phone is not locked to a provider and I can use any SIM or Network As I Like. SIM or Network Lock was not mentioned anywhere on the package. A quick google search revealed that you will be tied to the Network of the First SIM card you insert till you change your phone. Some people in US managed to unlock it with help of their network provider. Frustrated, I gave this phone to Samsung authorized service center at kattappana, KERALA, INDIA. They demanded 2500 rupees to unlock. Since it is very important, I agreed to it. They reset my phone to factory settings. and tried many things. Even after wasting my full day and losing all my settings and data, they could not unlock it. So even after spending 2199 riyals, this thing is essentially a paper weight. I never expected a Microsoft like attitude from you. Please fire that crap head who advised you to install such a lock on the Phone.
The Samsung India online customer care is also crap. They are saying it is a 4G phone and India’s 3G network is not compatible. When they escalated the issue to the next level, they are saying they cannot help me because this phone is not made in india. Its Hardware and software are from some alien country so they cannot fix it.
I will not again repeat this mistake of buying a samsung phone. but
please send me the network unlock pin .
The im ie number is 357507055241973
The Sim currently working is 00966509337689 prepaid SIM from Saudi telecom company (STC)

HOPING FOR A POSITIVE OUTCOME
DOMINIC SIMON
00919995398720
See the reply from Samsung
In response to your query regarding “Warranty Issue” Samsung note (4G), we would like to inform you that Samsung India does not provides the warranty for the warranty for out of India Products.

However, as per the mentioned query regarding "Country Lock" in your Samsung mobile model GT-P9005, we would like to inform you that every country has different power technology. India worked on AC power technology as per hardware manufacture

  • Go to Az Har Ibrahim's profile

    posted by  in Saudi Arabia forum 

    Dear friend...
    am from kerala and i also had a similar experience.
    I bought samsung note 3 from Madeena. At first. when i tried to insert indian sim, it asked for network unlock code.
    So, i did a brief search and got the trick.
    What u have to do is to factory reset the phone, then insert the saudi sim and make calls for atleast 100 minutes. Then keep the sim on the phone and when coming back to India, change the sim from flight before it lands.. it will be automatically unlocked and the unlock pin will be sent to ur phone.
    Thatz what happened to me.. hope it will help :D

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