Change IMEI

[dj_muncher]

Hi ! I need change my IMEI code on HTC Amaze. because I living in turkey but my phone is from another country and I have to pay lot of money to use it in turkey.
is it possible ?

 

[dontpanicbobby]

It can be done but it is illegal in most countries. The penalty for Tax Evasion (which this would be) in Turkey can result in 18 months to 5 Years imprisonment. Is saving 115 Turkish Lira, 54.19 USD worth the chance?

 

[mikedt]

Hi ! I need change my IMEI code on HTC Amaze. because I living in turkey but my phone is from another country and I have to pay lot of money to use it in turkey.
is it possible ?

Sure you're not confusing IMEI blacklisting with simply unlocking your phone? Because it sounds like what you're describing is a locked phone and that you're roaming, i.e. it will only work with one carrier's SIM, and you can't use a SIM from another carrier in different a country with it. If it's just unlocking, that's only illegal in America AFAIK. Many independent phone dealers should be able to unlock it for you, the sort of places that's often found in shopping mall stalls and kiosks. In fact your carrier might be able to unlock it, if you tell them you're travelling overseas. Probably the reason you're paying a lot of money is due to the fact it's doing international roaming. If you get the phone unlocked it should work with a local SIM no problem.

Changing the IMEI is illegal in many jurisdictions and countries. Usually IMEI blacklisting only happens when a phone is reported stolen or missing, or for defaulting on a contract(in the US). If a phone is IMEI blacklisted in one European country, e.g. Turkey, it won't work in any other European countries. Because AFAIK IMEI blacklisting covers all European carriers, with a Europe wide database of blacklisted IMEIs.

 

[dj_muncher]

It can be done but it is illegal in most countries. The penalty for Tax Evasion (which this would be) in Turkey can result in 18 months to 5 Years imprisonment. Is saving 115 Turkish Lira, 54.19 USD worth the chance?

I got your point. you're right. but I am just for 25 days in turkey maximum a month for this short time why pay for this ? and I have a phone how can they know that ? and when they already know I wont be here..

 

[dj_muncher]

Sure you're not confusing IMEI blacklisting with simply unlocking your phone? Because it sounds like what you're describing is a locked phone and that you're roaming, i.e. it will only work with one carrier's SIM, and you can't use a SIM from another carrier in different a country with it. If it's just unlocking, that's only illegal in America AFAIK. Many independent phone dealers should be able to unlock it for you, the sort of places that's often found in shopping mall stalls and kiosks. In fact your carrier might be able to unlock it, if you tell them you're travelling overseas. Probably the reason you're paying a lot of money is due to the fact it's doing international roaming. If you get the phone unlocked it should work with a local SIM no problem.

Changing the IMEI is illegal in many jurisdictions and countries. Usually IMEI blacklisting only happens when a phone is reported stolen or missing, or for defaulting on a contract(in the US). If a phone is IMEI blacklisted in one European country, e.g. Turkey, it won't work in any other European countries. Because AFAIK IMEI blacklisting covers all European carriers, with a Europe wide database of blacklisted IMEIs.

I got your point. you're right. but I am just for 25 days in turkey maximum a month for this short time why pay for this ? and I have a phone how can they know that ? and when they already know I wont be here..

 

[smurfOnE]

It can be done but it is illegal in most countries.

Only the UK and Latvia.

Of course, the only legal jurisdiction that really matters here is the US because androidforums.com claims the US as their jurisdiction for legal compliance. In the US it's certainly legal to change the IMEI.

The penalty for Tax Evasion (which this would be) in Turkey can result in 18 months to 5 Years imprisonment. Is saving 115 Turkish Lira, 54.19 USD worth the chance?

I've heard about Turkey's bizarre tax on phone imports... but I'm a little fuzzy on it. Often European tax is applied to *new* imports (specifically, products for which the receipt is dated within 90 days of the product crossing the border). Is that not the case with phones? If so, one could purchase a phone abroad and simply wait 90 days before bringing it into Turkey.

 

[Hadron]

The OP is in Turkey for 25 days, and the Amaze is a GSM handset. So I think Mike has it right: to use a local SIM (s)he needs the phone unlocked. This is nothing to do with the IMEI, and indeed changing the IMEI won't affect the SIM lock.

If the IMEI was blocked the phone wouldn't work with any SIM. If it's not blocked then you just need to be able to use a local SIM. And changing the IMEI while still using a non-local SIM won't make it cheaper, because it's the SIM (ie the home network and your tarrif and roaming terms) which determine that.