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Question for you cell phone experts

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boxer4:
There's only one board in most phones, and it's in the firmware to check whether the SIM card inserted matches the subsidy lock provider.  If you transplant the board, the lock goes with it.  Better to go look for one without a lock.

I've seen some REALLY crappy-cheap phones out there for less than $50 without a subsidy lock, I know this will look like an advertisement but I did not mean it, I'm not even sure I'd buy one:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.39980

Cheap crappy quad band new dual SIM phone for less than $50 with no subsidy lock.  Unfortunately it's probably of questionable quality, who knows how long it will last, but it is new...

Freedom Kira:
The reason why I am iffy about your explanation is because I have looked into cell phone unbranding. It is supposed to make your phone download different firmware that does not include all of the extra bloatware that the carrier latches on, meaning you get firmware updates earlier and without extra crap. However, unbranding does not affect the SIMlock, and nothing you can do can remove it, besides trying unlock codes. If it really was in the firmware, replacing it with new firmware should remove the SIMlock, but it doesn't. You're right that there's only one board, though, so it also wouldn't make sense that a SIMlock can be anywhere other than the mobo.

I might actually get that just for the heck of seeing how it's like, but yeah I wouldn't expect much either. Looks to me like a fake phone.

Anyway, still looking for confirmation on the SIMlock being on the mobo.

boxer4:
Well, if you can actually reflash the firmware and/or whereever it sticks the code to indicate lock, then more power to you.  Likely reflash firmware routines are also prevented by the subsidy lock.

It all depends on the implementation of the lock.  I'd most likely guess that the firmware lock exists in either some bits in the processor chip or the firmware chip. It could be very difficult to deal with if it were in the processor chip.

daveLovesIt:
I never really played with phone locks much, but from my understanding, there are very few that can't be unlocked. And Nokia are usually pretty open about technical specs, have you tried researching the phone itself, rather than the issue you are having?

Whether or not you can manage to do it yourself or would need specialist equipment and/or obscure software I dunno... but phone shops basically have both of these and usually don't charge anything like what you are considering paying for a used handset to do a full unlock on a phone. At least thats the deal here in the UK. I'm not even sure of the legality in other places.

Main question: If the handset is battered to the extent you describe, why would you take another phone and swap the mobo's when you could just use the other phone? ???

Freedom Kira:
I'm having doubts about being able to reflash the lock out.

I haven't researched it, actually. I kinda assumed it was like all the other Nokias.

In Canada, it costs money to unlock a phone, usually about $25-30. Depends how much the unlocker wants to rip you off by. It's definitely legal though - there are no laws saying anything about locking and unlocking.

As for the main question...
1. Because I can buy just a working mobo (not necessarily an entire phone) and it'd still be fine. A damaged phone would be fine too, as long as the mobo works, and those are a lot cheaper as well.
2. I am considering putting everything into a new housing anyway.
3. The possibility that the SIMlock isn't on the mobo. Most used phones come from the US, and they have different carriers than we do in Canada, meaning it'd be locked on a different network no matter what if it is a US phone.

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