Mobile Internet

[skinorth]

A quick post script to my previous posting concerns Harpers latest proposed copyright legislation.  I am under the impression that unlocking cell phones may be outlawed by that wonderful piece of pro (US) business legislation. The Canadian consumer loses again.

skinorth

[tmiktliu]

@skinorth - I think in my roundabout way I'm saying the same thing as you (and torturing you along the way - dredging this up all over again for what might be the 100th time for you) - i.e. it is compicated, but it shouldn't be. 

Probably the thing that keeps me going around this my naivete.   Guess I should know better than to expect "simple" from either Rogers or gov't. 

I haven't poked into that legislation, beyond some water cooler talk around these parts - have to admit I don't know how much uglier that will make things overall but I tend to agree with the sentiments overall  - you're probably spot on re: Canadian consumer interests being swept away. 

[xplornetsucks]

After some searching... I think the only way to Unlock the W35 is to open the unit, and take out the Sierra Wireless

MC 8790 or MC 8792 MiniPciE card, and put it in a laptop or netbook with such a slot. After doing this, you should be able to google "unlock  Sierra Wireless MC 8790 or MC 8792" (depending what is in your unit), and get unlock codes for it. There was a discussion on the "Whirlpool" forums a while ago about doing this.. 

Remember it is the wireless 3g card that is locked to rogers.. so.... 

http://www.dc-unlocker.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2520

Not exactly the easiest thing to do, but I believe doable with some research.. good luck

http://www.ericssonw35.com/pdf/W3xTechnical%20Product%20Description.pdf

[skinorth]

@xplornetsucks:

I read your posting with interest.  At my age I would guess that calling myself a "babe in the woods" when it comes to this particular subject might seem slightly disingenuous.

However, I submit that the subject of truly and totally unlocking a RocketHub such as the W35 is not quite so simple.

In the first place, you need root access to the device so you can really and truly have access to all of the quite sophisticated commands that are available in this quite sophisticated device. ( By the way, I would assume that the Netcomm variant of the RocketHub would have similar functionality and hence similar issues regarding unlocking.)

Here is one reason why root access is mandatory to get total access to the W35 RocketHub, and I excerpt from the W3x System Administrators Guide, page 37:

5.8.1 Allowed Operators

This feature allows for the use of SIM cards in the Ericsson W3x that meet
specific criteria. This would normally be configured to allow only a specific
operator or group of operators SIM cards to be used with the Ericsson W3x.
The Ericsson W3x can be locked to only accept SIM cards based on one or
more of the following:

• Mobile Country Code (MCC)
• Mobile Network Code (MNC)

MCCs are defined in ITU E.212 (“Land Mobile Numbering Plan”) for use in
identifying mobile stations in wireless telephone networks. A MCC is often
used in combination with a Mobile Network Code (MNC) in order to uniquely
identify a network operator.
Both the MCC and MNC are part of the International Mobile Subscriber
Identity (IMSI) number, which uniquely identifies a particular subscriber, and is
stored on the SIM card.
From the WUI it is possible to enter a secret “Unlock Operator Lock” code
(which is a random code generated at production).

The W35 already includes the functionality required to "unlock" the device.  What we need is access to the cli to use these functions.

Ericsson has included a significant amount of functionality which is only available to those who can log into the cli at "root".

There may be many ways available on the Internet, some free, some for money, to "unlock" the W35, this is not what we are discussing here.

The point that was raised by the original poster "codemonk" that needs to be addressed is actually quite broad and complex, given the intrinsic functionality of devices like the W35.  Rogers has never even nibbled at the edges of this issue, let alone swallowed the whole cookie on this one.

skinorth

[tmiktliu]

@xlpornetsucks - thanks for taking the time to dig up that adidtional material

@skinorth - where do I find the admin guide for the W35 (is it right there under my nose...?)

I see in the user guide (excerpt below) - if I put an "invalid" SIM in the rocket device, apparently the web interface then displays an "unlock" option - where I can input the unlock code (assuming I get the code, from the service provider, Rogers in this case).  it looks like I can do this particular "unlock" (SIM locked to MCC and / or MNC) via the web interface without root or CLI....?  Maybe as the "user" as opposed to an operator or admin account?  Am I reading this right? Maybe not with the Rogers firmware?   

In any case, I'm just once again banging on this one single aspect of "unlocking" in the thread here as I'm trying to understand the details - the notion that unlocking a W35 is a broader and more complex discussion is sinking in.  I think I hijacked the original thread with the more narrow focus - apologies to codemonk.   But this is a really interesting thread, and I appreciate everyone's perspective.  Learning a bit more as we go.

3.4.3.2 Unlock Operator Lock
If the SIM card used in the Ericsson W3x is locked to a specific operator it
cannot be replaced with any other SIM card without having received an
unlock code from the service provider. If this is the case, and an invalid SIM
card is inserted, the Unlock Operator Lock button is displayed besides the
“PIN” field. Click the button to display the Unlock operator lock page

[skinorth]

@tmiktliu:

The W3x System Administrators Guide used to be available online from an Ericsson web site.  I just checked and that site appears not to be accessible any more.  Send me a private message with your email address and I will send you a .pdf copy of it as an attachment.

skinorth

[codemonk]

I have sourced another W35 unit from a friend that was used for 2 years and the commitment period ended in December 2011.

According to Rogers tech support their unlocking policy applies to this product and accordingly I'll pay the $50 fee to officially unlock the device in January.  This will force them to do something in exchange for the $50 ....

I'm looking forward to see how they plan to unlock this device:

- Are they going to actually unlock the device or they will find an excuse not to do it ?

- Is this going to be an over the air unlock ?

- do I need to bring the device to them ?

- do they change the firmware of the device ?

If the root password and full CLI access is not provided then I'll escalate this to the office of the president at Rogers. The next escalation point should be talking to a lawyer or some legal mind specialising on hight tech issues like this. 

I would describe the current situation in a CAR analogue as the following:

- I leasad a car but the leasing company keept the trunk closed and not provided the trunk key.

- Lease ended , car paid and purchased from the leasing company

- Leasing company refuses to provide the trunk key to a car that I fully own.

I think Rogers as a corporation here just acts like an old fashioned greedy cell phone company that worries about short term easy profit not realising that there is a market for advanced users . Case in point : If I could use the VPN capabilities of this unit I could deploy dosens of them through my business. However Rogers decided that we shall have no access to this and any other advanced functionality. 

This will be fun. At this point all I have to lose is $50 and a piece of hardware that I cannot use anymore.

codemonk.

[skinorth]

@codemonk:

your leased car analogy may be apt in some ways.  But I guess I think the plot is much murkier than that.

In the first place, we are told we are "purchasing" the device, an Ericsson W35 in this case.  What is never discussed, not even in contract fine print, is that Rogers has implicitly set certain terms and conditions on this "ownership" which redefine the term.  In other words, don't go to your normal dictionary definition of ownership, for that is not what Rogers means.

In the second place............well, do I need to go on?  Nah, I don't think I will.

So, let us know what happens, as we are quite interested in the ongoing saga.

Enuf said.

[jensentech1]

@codemonk:

I am very curious what Rogers will provide to you for the fee. I am in the US, and the company I work for has 5 Rogers Rocket Hubs (Ericsson W35) in use by clients on the AT&T 3G network.  All it took to use them was purchasing a smart phone SIM card from AT&T, plugging it in and having the right kind of service plan on the associated # for the card. The clients bought the units outright from a retailer I am not at liberty to reveal, therefore any and all liability Rogers would have is eliminated.

Skinorth graciously provided me with the afore mentioned admin guide he was able to obtain before Ericsson was (presumably) muzzled. It has all the pertinent info, however Rogers changed at least the password for the CLI access, thus locking down any user control of the advanced configuration of the device.. Thus far I have been able to get NOWHERE with Rogers support on this issue, however someone somewhere must know what is going on with this. Their forum moderators have to know this is a serious subject by the number of threads posted on it (like this one), and whether or not the subject has been escalated  who knows.

It truly amazes me how poorly gray area support issues are handled by almost every technology company out there, regardless of what they provide and to whom.

[skinorth]

@jensentech:

you write: "It truly amazes me how poorly gray area support issues are handled by almost every technology company out there, regardless of what they provide and to whom."  Actually, I am not sure Rogers is really a technology company like, let us say, Cisco might be.

Rogers, in my opinion, is more like a Walmart or a Zellers.  Rogers sells consumer goods and services much like Walmart sells DVD players, iPods and laptops.

I suspect that in this day and age of sophisticated but cheap, disposable consumer goods, providers such as Rogers simply cannot afford to support a device such as the W35 as you would like to have it supported.  Although I too have big reservations about the quality of Rogers support, I can understand their point of view, even if it frustrates me.

 I understand both your desire to be innovative/cost-effective and the potential risks associated with your approach.  If this requirement is truly mission-critical to your company, you may need to take a different approach.

Send me a PM and we can discuss some of the options.  I prefer not to do that in this Forum.

skinorth