Jan 2008 Update – The new EASY and FREE method is here, which also works on the W960 and the P1.
Jun 2007 Update – Feel like doing it the hardway and for FREE? New step by step guide for the P990 and M600 here!
Got Vodafone, o2 or Orange branding on your Sony Ericsson smartphone? Slightly annoyed that those who have the Generic version have had several firmware updates, whilst your service provider has limited the functions of the phone? Well now you can change the phones version to the generic one via USB on your own PC for only €6.
Now I can’t confirm that it actually works, nor does anything I say mean that I’m liable, however these people on esato and these on my-symbian are extremely happy.
Remember any action you take on your phone is completely your own choice. If you’re not 100% confident then DON’T do it.
Here’s how to do it:
- Perform a back-up of your phone via the PC Suite (or however you prefer)
- Download KulanKendiClient.exe
- Give it a try to ensure that it runs on your computer.
- Purchase a credit for €6 (you only need one)
- Sit back and wait for KK to contact you with your username and password (you may have to wait 24 hours and weekends don’t count, be patient)
- Run the software
- Turn off your phone, hold down the C button (or back button if you can find C), plug the phone into the PC via the USB cable. (Don’t worry if it thinks your M600 or W950 are P990s)
- Tick change CDA and enter CDA162007/1 (P990i) or CDA162011/1 (M600i) or CDA162014/1 (W950i)
- DON’T tick anything else!
- Press Flash Phone
- Wait a short while
- Turn the phone back on. You should now have an extra CDA.
- Wipe your phone via the hidden service menu. Up * Down Down * Down * -> Format internal disk
- Run the Sony Ericsson Update Service, you should now see that you have a Generic World One phone. Hit the Update Phone button and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Wait 10-20 minutes
- Turn the phone back on. Bingo phone is now brandless.
Hope this helps those who are stuck, or have been visiting this blog looking for the answers.
Updates
7th March 2007 – I can now confirm that this works after testing it on a friends phone.
Please let me know if this works for a P99Oi with Orange France
frek2b, try running KulanKendiClient without any antivirus or firewall running.
Whilst I’ve not encountered any problems, it’s a risk which you will need to weigh up.
Note – for the M600i, if the back button or C button doesn’t work when using KulanKendi, try the “internet” button on the side next to the memory stick.
Cheers
Dan
This is brilliant. Thanks for posting it! Was going to purchase one, but could only find Voda…and have heard that their branding is complete bollocks. Now there’s no worries and I can go on w/the purchase! 😀
БАЯН!!!!
Fantastic, clear instructions worked on my Orange 990i and one of the best £4 I spent in a while!
It’s 16 March 2007 btw, just in case, like me, you were wondering if this still works.
🙂
Hi, thanks for info. I followed the instructions and it works great. the phone is now a generic world version and look much better and is faster. The password came through after 2 days and if you get, check your spam folder as hotmail puts the email as spam.
Works great and paid £20 to get it unlocked, so now its Orange free. !! 🙂
worked brilliantly. Now booting it up debranded – no silly orange things everywhere.
had to press the web key on my m600i to get it to be recognised by the client tool.
It’s not going for me,
Please help
My M600i is connected but it write:
error: GDFS blk: 6
What can i do?
Please help me
It works perfectly! Done on my M600i on Swiss SunRise network. It’s faster than ever, thanks for you services!
hi!
i’ve a big problem, i can’t run the software!!
i’ve downloaded “KulanKendiClient.exe ” but when i run it…nothing!!
can someone help me!! please!!
Hi,
I can run the client, but it does not flash the phone…
This what I get :
– When I ask it to get the phone info :
Hold ‘C’ button and plug DCU60 USB cable.
Phone Connected…
Detected: DB2000: P990i,M600i,W950i Series
Phone IMEI:35959300-472369-9
Color: Red ; OTP CID: 49
EROM CID:49
Phone Model:P990i
CDA: CDA162008/1 R3A03
PDA: CXC162037 R7A001
Bluetooth Firmware: CXC162036 R3B01
Phone Firmware: CXC162087 R2A01
Flash ID: 0x2010 – Supported
MCC+MNC: 000-000
NCK: – Unlocked – 5
NSCK: – Unlocked – 5
SPCK: – Unlocked – 5
CCK: – Unlocked – 5
PCK: – Unlocked – 5
Phone Code: 0000: – Empty
Phone Code lock state: – Unlocked
All Done! – Time:00:00:01
When I push the flash phone button I get this message :
Detected: DB2000: P990i,M600i,W950i Series
Not Supported
Any ideas/tips ?
Thanks
Tagazou, sounds like you aren’t following the instructions.
You should only tick the change CDA, enter the new value CDA162007/1 (P990i) or CDA162011/1 (M600i) or CDA162014/1 (W950i)
And then press Flash Phone.
I can’t seem to buy a credit. Allpay is not working.
How do I enter the service menu on a p990i, up * down down * doesnt work for me.
Fredrik, it’s Up * Down Down * Down *, with the ups and downs as one click on the jog wheel best to do it in the phone screen.
As for Allpay are you trying to pay via Switch/Maestro? As that won’t work.
Having bought my “1 credit” and spent two days reading the manual, i finally flashed my SE M600i Vodafone.
I works so beautifully. If you want to debrand your fone just check “CDA change” with the new CDA number, that is all.
All you need for the instruction to debrand is this “https://blog.artesea.co.uk/2007/02/debrand-your-p990i-m600i-w950i.html”
I am vry happy with the result. Many thanks
:):):)
Does changing the CDA and uploading a generic firmware remove the initial start-up phone operator logo (Orange, in my case)?
Sly, uploading the generic firmware will mean you’ll get the Sony Ericsson startup logo.
Also if you’re on Orange you’ll have the Sony menus instead of Orange’s version.
I bought a P990i from ebay, supposedly brand new. But the 0000 phone lock code is wrong, how can I reset that back to default
Banjo, if the default 0000 doesn’t work, you should contact the seller.
04 April 2007.
Just completed the debranding of my P990I. Worked brilliantly. All my O2 software cleared and phone is more efficient. Highly Recommended.
Mawosola
04 April 2007:lol:
ryan, i did contact the vendor, he said it was a brand new replacement from orange, and he had only switched it on to check it worked. Orange were no help, and Sony Ericsson suggest i should send it back for repair (at a great deal of expense) its hard to believe there isnt a software fix available cheers Banjo
I have recently purchase 2 credit and I copy and paste the password with spacing. Now my account have been lock.
I have tried to contect kulankendi via “..:: GSM info ::..” and [email protected] since 3/4/2007.
Till now no reply… 🙁
No contact number or address….. HELP !!!!
Patrick, I have no direct contact with anyone involved in the debranding process. I’ve only written a tutorial. I can only recommend that you sign up on GSM Forum and post a message there.
Debranded my m800i today from Vodafone’s crappy version. Changed from a ‘dunb’ phone to a smartphone. Thanks for putting together the instructions. 🙂
Any experience of SO W950i???
I followed the indications for changing the CDA of a P990 but after formatting the internal disk, when I run SEUS and keeps the “C” pushed nothing happens. What can I do ???
Aaron, not tried a W950 myself, however many people have reported successful firmware changes on the forums.
Ggna, try using the @ key on the side, or the back button or even plug it in without holding anything.
I understand everything except the hidden service menu thing.
Up * Down Down * Down *
Does the * Mean Click ?
And also, is this to be done on the buttons on the number pad or the side scroll wheel?
Thanks !
Tommo, Up and Down are with the jog wheel (and only one notch)
* is the star button on the phone, you can either press Star with the flip on or press Star on the screen in the phone mode with the flip off.
Hi there
I have executed the procedure as described. It worked like a charm and I now have a debranded M600i.
Great trick ! 😆
thanks Ryan. Worked a charm debranded p990i now and v. happy! All or that welcome to orange, and the orange custome menu and standby screen GONE !!
Only one question:
i’m in the mood of debrand my p990i, i’ve downloaded the kulankendiclient.exe and i’m ready for get a credit.
Can you tell me if after installed the program i’ve to download manually some flash files or if the only thing i’ve to do is put user id and pass and thant press “flash phone” (and yes, pick the CDA change)? the program download all that it needs automatically? i’ve to download or search nothing else but kulankendiclient.exe,right?
thanx guys
sggk, no need to download flash files (as SEUS will do that bit for you). Just tick the CDA box and enter the value you want, enter your Username and Password, then press Flash Phone.
man, really thanx! xD
it was my only fear and now is vanished.
As soon as my account will be activated i will become an happy member of the generic world…ahah
that sounds like exactly what im lookin’ for!
but.. am I the only one who can’t reach the kulankendi.com webpage??
no, you’re not the only one xD
the site seems to be offline in this moment…we have to wait just a little
great, i did it! the site works again…the KKclient either! 😉 i’ve just flashed and de-branded my p990i!
now with the generic world it runs better than before…a lot better!
bye
well.. my KKclient 1.51 can’t create a connection.. neither can i..
The page is reachable again!!
I Have a problem
After the Format internal disk , still I have in my phone two CDA
CDA 162007/1 R6A05
CDA 162008/1 R6A05
Can you helpme please?
Thanks
Klaus, just run SEUS anyway. It will tell you which version it thinks you have after detecting the phone. If that doesn’t say Generic World 1, then you might have a problem.
hey guys, am from australia n ma fone is on crap vodafone branding…
do u fink using this method i could remove da branding ???
ma phone is a M600i Sony Ericsson….
has anyone from australia used this method…
thanx everyone. 🙂
Yep, it should work fine. Have loads of hits from .AU forums.
😆
Has any1 experienced any problems with the phone (P990) after they ran seus presuming they debranded the phone beforehand usin KK…. ie. in the forum i read the phone dies when updated using seus …which has made me think twice….
Thanks…
Ohhhh one more question guys…
i didn kno voda brandin was this shit so i have updated ma voda phone through SEUS about a month ago to da latest version…
do u think tht this might stop seus to change ma cda to da world generic one since da other one is fully updated….
i hope u guys understood what i meant n could supply me with a reply,
cheers to all:)
indo, thousands of people have flashed their phones successfully and so far no-one has posted a comment on my blog to say that it went wrong.
Brad, a recent SEUS update shouldn’t make any difference.
Just did my P990i, worked perfectly… very happy with the success, no more Vodafone branding!! 🙂 🙂
:(I dont know why i cannot run KKclient on my PC
Help me Plz>.
King, at your own risk disable your firewall and antivirus, then try running the software.
i have already disable my firewall and uninstall my norton……….but still no reaction>.
The phone still locked by operator, who can i do?
Kanedin, debrand and unlock are two different things.
The easiest method will be to pay your network to unlock it.
When will the sever be up and running ?
Want to do my p990i 🙂
Mark, the servers been back up for ages now.
emm ok ill give it a go now, keeps telling me the servers down ??????????
ok got it working, thank…
p990i debranded and working well… 😆
Hello, I have a singapure version (bought it in USA through Ebay). Will this method allow me to have a world 1 generic version and hopefully lose the chinese character configuration?
Antonio, Chinese input P990s seem to be a bit riskier, I would suggest asking on the Esato forums to see if anyone else has pulled it off.
Error: Bypass!> REQ.
what is that meaning a??
it appear during flash phone
i can run /……………but it show “Bypass! REQ.” during flashing……..how can i solve it ??
King, there is no need to spam these comments with the same message. Try ensuring that PC Suite is closed, and maybe a reboot of your PC, otherwise look at the forums mentioned above and see if they have an suggestions.
how can i solve the problem of “Passby!>RED”
Hi there, is the server running at the moment?
trying to do my orange p990. GRRRRR!
When checking account balance, it says:
ReadTimeOut
Communication Closed
?????????????
scrub my last, got through and running now, fingers crossed
Hi, I’m in Australia. My M600i is locked under 3 (three) operator. Do I need to unlock it first and then debrand it ? Or I have to unlock it first ?
Thanks.
kiki, order doesn’t matter.
I’ve found a way of debranding your p990i to a world generic one without the use of KK credits.
Done totally at home.
:):):)8)8)8)
Anon, what’s the point of commenting if you’re not going to help the community. Links? Examples? Walkthroughs?
Great , I can debrand W950i & update to world Generic1 without problem :lol::lol::lol:
i dont own a credit card wer can i get kulankendi credits from? 🙁
josh for credits via PayPal try GSM-Suppport (but they are at $12.95), else you might want to give this ago which is FREE (but harder)
thankyou very much, i have purchased a credit form there. And yeh i had a look at the FREE debranding, but decided i woul use KK, since im a noob in this area! One question before i begin debranding, before i start i need to know im not going to kill my phone! i have a w950i and read a lot of forums of people killing their fones after SEUS update due to illegal CDA numbers. My current CDA version is CDa162017/2 R1A21- will thsi be OK to change to World Version 1, then SUES? without killing!!
Thankyou
josh, this should be fine as long as you follow the steps.
cool thankyou so much, im just waiting for my credit now! steps away from stable firmware, finally! Orange really do butcher up phones.
Thankyou:)
hey i followed all the steps above, however SEUS is still recognsing my fone as old firmware and is saying no update available 🙁 any help?
yep still now working, still picking up two firmware versions and not using the world 1:(
Many thanks for this great tutorial.
Fine instructions worked just fine in my voda(portugal) P990i, except usb driver give me some problems to install (had to do it in another PC and do it manually, maybe because already been installed in previous SEUS update )…one thing is not clear is: flash with or without (the way i did it) SIM on and after flashing disconnet usb cable and then turn the phone on. The phone now looks like real SE. THANX ALL
I have a couple of questions for debranding my P990i, and I hope you can answer them.
1. Do I have to install the Hermione drivers (HermioneDrivers.zip) and USB Flash driver (USBFlashDriver.zip) downloaded from the KK site?
2. Do I have to take the SIM and the MMC out before the procedure?
3. Do I enter the username and password in the client and press “Check Account”? before I begin anything?
4. When does the “Download Files” button need to be pressed?
5. Does the “Read Phone” button need to be pressed anytime during the operation?
I hope you can answer these questions for me. Thank you
when i run SEUS says that i had the latest firmware and they don’t give me the option to update anyway.it says to go to the start of SEUS.What am i doing wrong?
Is it worth me updating my CDA?
Mines a SONY P990I … R5A13
Hi, I just tried to folow the recommended instructions. P990i is now dead. CDA change with one credit was successfull. than update with seus. After done update tried to get it working. without success. secound try with seus said no update neccessary. can somebody help me? 🙁
Hi, I’m french with that bullsh… orange menu !
My phone is AZERTY, do you think the change CDA in world generic will change my phone to QWERTY
romain, I don’t believe the keyboard gets changed, however Davanci Team claim that their software will be able to make the change.
fegel yep reports say that it works on ALL shop/network sold P990s
I paid yesterday night by credit card. How long it takes to get the username and password ?
thanks
f
Fegel,
If it is working, please let me know… I’m like you with orange france.
Thank you very much
OK I will – romain- best
Hi Fegel,
Did it worked well ?
Merci
wooo~~great!Thanks for your help!
Thank you – straight forward and worked perfectly on M600i on Vodafone UK.
Hi ppl, i have reflashed with kulankendi but after pressing C when updating with SEUS nothing happens…any ideas?
M600i
Just update:
I got SEUS to make the identification but now its UPDATE NOT AVAILABLE the software on your phone is up-to-date????
Any ideas why this is happening?
Worked perfectly on UK Voda W950i, thanks for making the guide there.
Incidentally, I have found that the Vodafone firmware has patchy mp4 playback (deliberately perhaps?). My Generic World w950i phone plays everything, including a number of files that would crash the player when it was on the Vodafone formware.
there is a free method of updating the P990i! I did it and it worked flawlessly, the only drawback is that the free method requires slightly more works to do, and 3 updates is needed.
Y.W. Phang, you mean the method which I blogged about HERE in June and is mentioned at the top of the blog post?????
hello :-o)) i just payed for credit, how long does it take for me to recieve a username and password ?? thanks in advance..regards //CJ
p.s i ordered it about this time yesterday
so you all know, ive still not recieved my username and password i ordered it around 7pm on thursday 20th, and its now monday 24th………..
CJ, I have NO links with KulanKendi. For questions about credits you should visit their Support Forums
Did somebody figure out how to get rid of the Singapore chinese input? I just got the M600i & it’s driving me up the wall tryna figure out how to get rid of it. Bought my fone on eBay in the USA but the shipped from Hong Kong 🙁
Ryan,
Can this debranding solution be done on the new SE P1i?
My phone is O2 branded.
For those who are stuck, or have got themselves a P1 or a W960 (Phil), the new EASY and FREE step by step guide is here:
https://blog.artesea.co.uk/2008/01/debrand-your-w960-p1-for-free-or-your-p990-m600-w950.html
artesea edit please put questions in the correct comment section. Comment moved.
Hello !
I have a SE P990i branded with the Vodafone software. I would like to use the method presented here. I have read on some other sites that if the phone is locked on a specific network [ it doesn’t accept SIM cards from other networks ], the debranding process might block the phone permanently. Before I start the debranding process I would like someone to tell me if this is true and if I should be concerned. Firstly, should I take care of this problem ?
Thank you.
alex_667 you’ll have no problem. However your phone will remain locked to Vodafone after the process. I recommend using this method as it’s a lot easier.
hey ryan ,
i tried ur method with my p990i .it didnt work and instead locked my phone up .. even though i have a working sim inside. it says “insert sim card”.i tried to undo the whole thing by using the old file to do the update but it didnt work . i sent it to several shopd to fix the problem but they don even know whats wrong . can anyone help me with this ? i am currently in malaysia and i really nit to revive my phone back . can anyone help me ? i read about some phone unlocking services but i dont own a credit card . can there be any other ways to fix it ? pls reply asap ..
thanks
cheers,
nic