What is Application Locking / Application Certification ?

Orange were the first mobile network to carry an Windows Mobile SmartPhone, and they decided to implement "Application Certification" - it basically means that you can't install anything onto the phone that doesn't have a valid security certificate. Or, to put it another way, if Orange say "no, this isn't approved", then you can't install it.


Why did they do it ?

As they were the first network, they wanted to protect their investment. The SmartPhone hadn't been rolled out to so many users at once before. Who knows - there could be viruses opening GPRS sessions for hours on end etc etc. Developers however were less than amused. To develop software they needed to check it worked in a real environment - they were being stopped from doing that.



Is every network going to "lock" the SmartPhone ?

No, and indeed almost every network operator who releases a SmartPhone now will NOT lock the phone in this way. Much has been learned from Orange, as have Orange themselves - who now allow you to unlock your SPV through their website.



How do I check if my SmartPhone can run any software ?

You need to try installing some unlocked software. The favourite here appears to be Doom, found elsewhere on this site. If it works, your phone is "application unlocked" - if it doesn't, then you must have some sort of application lock on it.

 

I have an Orange SPV and it's locked. How do unlock it?

Use this link to unlock your Orange SPV handset.