Question Help getting former Lifeline phone working, take 2

[somnomania]

My previous post, here, was locked even though I was asking for genuine help and was not breaking rules of any kind, and neither reply addressed my actual problem. Ultimately, I am not asking how to hack this phone. I am asking how/why none of the update functions work, and if there's a way to correct that behavior. As I stated in that post, I very much doubt Assurance Wireless will be able to help me, and my mom never dealt with Sprint directly, because this was a Lifeline phone, so they won't be able to help me either, and as far as I can tell the phone is unlocked already. If no one can help me with the updating issues, then I'm done here.

 

[COLGeek]

The issue is that the phone appears to be locked to the original carrier. Unless you resolve that, with the original carrier, you are stuck.

 

[somnomania]

I don't see how that's the problem. The updates never worked even when it was an active Lifeline phone. But it's looking like I'll have to cave and try calling Assurance. I can't even find the SIM card that was in this phone before, it got lost to the ether during all of this. If they can unlock it with just the IMEI number then that's great, but I'm not optimistic.

 

[COLGeek]

I don't see how that's the problem. The updates never worked even when it was an active Lifeline phone. But it's looking like I'll have to cave and try calling Assurance. I can't even find the SIM card that was in this phone before, it got lost to the ether during all of this. If they can unlock it with just the IMEI number then that's great, but I'm not optimistic.

Good luck. Honestly, this is not a very good phone, but it should work and update itself accordingly. For it to have never updated itself supports the notion of it being locked as well.

 

[somnomania]

Thanks. So far just for running apps and going online it's miles better than the one I'd been using, except the battery life is a little weak. The fact that the updates never worked was part of why my mom requested yet another new phone from Assurance, because they could never provide any help with that problem either.

Edit: Nevermind, I forgot we switched off of Assurance after this phone because their phones are crap and their service is crap. I can't even log in on their site right now to see if this phone even shows up anymore. I feel that since we're no longer customers they REALLY won't be able to help me, but I guess I'll try anyway.

 

[somnomania]

Okay yeah, Assurance couldn't help me, because we aren't active customers and the phone isn't active, so I guess I'm on to rooting. Thanks for your help.

 

[COLGeek]

Rooting may be your best option anyway. That way you know what is actually installed on the phone and that it is as up to date as possible.