Have you tried to, or want to, unlock your Alcatel with doctorSIM but are having problems?
Unlocking your Alcatel via IMEI is the fastest, easiest and safest way to be able to use your phone on any network, save on your monthly bill and increase its resale value.
However, occasionally questions arise during the unlock process. Below we have listed the most common ones and what to do in each case:
1. - My Alcatel doesn’t prompt for the unlock code when I insert a SIM card from a network provider different to the original.
2. - The unlock code doesn’t work or I get an error message when I type it in.
3. - What is, and where can I find, the Provider ID of my Alcatel.
4. - My Alcatel is locked to T-Mobile or MetroPCS and does not prompt for the unlock code.
5. - My Alcatel does not connect to the internet.
6. - The phone accepts the unlock code but has no coverage with the new SIM card inserted.
7. - The phone displays “Network Unlock Code” briefly and then disappears from the screen.
If you are still unable to unlock your phone, please reply to the email we sent you with the unlocking instructions for further assistance.
1. My Alcatel doesn’t prompt for the unlock code when I insert a SIM card from a network provider different to the original.
1.1 Check that the device recognizes the SIM card being inserted:
Verify that the phone prompts for the SIM card’s PIN. This number is a security measure your Alcatel will normally request by default (if activated).
If your phone doesn’t prompt for this security number it means the phone is not recognizing the SIM card being inserted, reason for which it neither prompts for the network unlock code.
Make sure the SIM card is correctly inserted inside the SIM card reader. If that doesn’t solve the issue, we recommend inserting a different SIM card to rule out the possibility that the first SIM card is defective.
1.2 Type the unlock code without a SIM card inserted:
Complete the unlock process following these steps:
- Turn the phone on without a SIM card inserted.
- Type *#0000*UNLOCK_CODE#
- If the previous code didn’t work, type *#0001*UNLOCK_CODE#
- If that doesn’t work, type ###765*08#UNLOCK_CODE#
2. The unlock code doesn’t work or I get an error message when I type it in.
Reply to the e-mail we sent you with the unlock instructions with the following information:
- A photograph or screenshot displaying the IMEI number of the phone (type *#06# on the keypad).
- A photograph or screenshot of the Provider ID of your Alcatel.
- A photograph or screenshot of where you typed in the unlock code we sent you (do not retype the code).
Also check that your Alcatel hasn’t been rooted or modified at some point in the past. If your phone’s software has been modified, we recommend restoring the phone to factory settings so it responds correctly to the unlock instructions.
3. What is, and where can I find, the Provider ID of my Alcatel.
The Provider ID is a reference number determined by the model of the phone and country of origin. It is located on a sticker underneath the phone's battery. The Provider ID must be exactly 13 characters long and has the following format: C332X-2BTLRS9.
You can also find the Provider ID under Settings > Regulatory and Safety.
4. My Alcatel is locked to T-Mobile or MetroPCS and does not prompt for the unlock code.
Check you have the Device Unlock Application installed on the phone.
If so, you must make your request using our Device Unlock App Service by clicking on the link below and selecting either T-Mobile or MetroPCS:
Unlock Alcatel Device Unlock App
5. My Alcatel does not connect to the internet.
To connect your Alcatel to the internet, you have to configure the phone for your new network provider. We show you how to do this here:
How to connect your Android phone to the internet
If you still cannot connect to the internet after the configuration, contact your network provider’s customer support team to check that internet service has been activated on your phone.
6. The phone accepts the unlock code but has no coverage with the new SIM card inserted.
If the phone doesn’t prompt for the network unlock code again it means the phone is unlocked.
Press the Settings icon on your Alcatel, find Network operators and then select the Automatic option. If the phone doesn’t register on the network, change to Manual and select the network you want to connect to directly.
If the phone still won’t connect to the network, there are 3 possible reasons:
- The SIM card inserted doesn’t work with the phone you want to unlock or has not been activated for that network. To rule out either possibility, insert a different SIM card.
- Hardware failure. We recommend contacting Alcatel’s technical support team for assistance as there could be an issue with the SIM card reader, the phone’s antenna or something else.
- The Alcatel’s IMEI number has been blacklisted due to loss, theft or unpaid bill by the original operator. To check if your Alcatel is Blacklisted click on the link below:
https://www.doctorsim.com/us-en/phone-imei-checks/
Blacklists are updated regularly, however it is possible that very recent changes are not included in the report you receive. If your Alcatel is blocked, you must contact the original operator to confirm if the IMEI number has been reported due to loss, theft or unpaid bill.
7. The phone displays “Network Unlock Code” briefly and then disappears from the screen.
It is possible the phone no longer has unlock attempts remaining or has a software failure. We recommend restoring the phone to its factory settings. This process eliminates possible errors preventing the phone from prompting for the network unlock code. You can find the option to restore to factory settings under Settings on the phone’s menu.
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NOTE: If we did not answer your questions or you have a different problem unlocking your Alcatel, reply to the instructions e-mail we sent you including the message history with a detailed explanation of the problem you are having. In this way, we will be able to locate your request and assist you much quicker.
If you didn’t make your request through doctorSIM, we recommend you click here to request an unlock code for your Alcatel. It's the fastest, easiest and safest way of unlocking any Alcatel.