Huawei U8650 sim unlock and cyanogenmod issue

A few days ago I wanted to insert another operator SIM card into my old HUAWEI U8650. I already wrote about rooting this phone and installing custom rom. I installed Cyanogenmod 7.2! I have to say that this is one of the best custom roms out there for this phone and generaly for older andoroid phones.

SIM Unlock - what does this means?

When you buy phone from telecom operator, SIM slot is locked to work only with that operator SIM cards. This way operator protect his investment because when you sigh contract for some time period that includes phone you usually get phone very cheap or for free. If you want to unlock SIM by yourself you would loose warranty, if you go to telecom operator they will tell you that they cannot SIM unlock your phone until contract expires! When you insert SIM card from other telecom operator, phone will report that SIM is not inserted and then ask for NETWORK UNLOCK CODE. You will be prompted to insert this code. By inserting SIM unlock code, you will unlock your phone to SIM cards from other telecom operators. You will not be able to use it until you unlock SIM protection.

How to get SIM unlock code?

Depending of policies of your telecom operator, sim unlock code you can get from your telecom operator for free or not when contract expires. If you lost your contract papers you can buy sim unlock code from ebay. SIM unlock code is generated by using phone IMEI and telecom operator "key". How to do this, I do not know but those information is only thing (besides money) that you need to get SIM unlock code! I takes a few days to receive code.

Cyanogenmod SIM unlock issue

In case you have already installed Cyanogenmod ROM, there is a problem.
This is from one forum:
"I had this problem. Cyanogenmod does not prompt you for an unlock code when putting in a different sim.

You have to flash back to a stock rom, and then put in your unlock code. Then flash back to Cyanogenmod."

What to do?


1. Find stock rom for your telephone! For Huawei U8650 here is stock custom rom!
2. http://sysadmin-tricks.blogspot.com/2013/12/huawei-u8650-rooting-and-downgrade-from.html
    part about rooting and downgrade
3.This will install, stock custom rom. When you insert SIM card from another telecom operator and turn on the phone, you will prompted with this

NETWORK UNLOCK CODE

Insert code.

You will be prompted that network is unlocked!

That is it! You phone is now SIM unlocked! 

Only bad thing about stock rom installing is that wipes up CWM recovery so if you want to install some custom rom, you have to first install CWM!