From David@21:1/5 to All on Tue Mar 5 12:53:34 2024
So some phones are sold as locked to a carrier. It's seemingly a crypto
scheme based on the IMEI. At some point, after X number of months, the
carrier may unlock the phone.
I'm interested in the unlocking process. In some cases, the carrier
issues the user a code for entering via the keyboard.
There is also a scheme to allow remote unlocking. I'm curious how that
actually works; how does the phone receive the unlock code? This issue
is: the phone number may have already been ported to another carrier.
Some sources say the GSMA trade association had an online database of
every GSM phone made, and the locked/unlocked status is stored there;
meaning the phone must consult it; how?