Chipset/Chip/Platform
Chipset is basically a set of chips (part of phone’s hardware).
From the service viewpoint the mobile phones with the same chipset act in the same way, the chipset decides what interventions are enabled in the mobile phone. Chipsets are organized into groups called platforms. According to the platform you identify which operation is available for your mobile phone.
Note that sometimes chipsets are referred to as platforms and platfroms as platform groups.
Each Sony Ericsson (SE) mobile phone belongs to a platform according to the type of chipset in the phone. SE mobile phone can use Ericsson or non-Ericsson chipset.
For example:
EMP (Ericsson mobile platforms) PLATFORM – CHIPSET:
- A0 – DB 1xxx
- A1 – DB 2xxx
- A2 – DB 3xxx
Non EMP - PLATFORM – CHIPSET:
- S1 – Locosto
- S1 – Neptune
- Calypso – ...
CDA (Customization data article)
Customization data article (CDA) is a „number“ that defines which variant of a specific firmware the phone should have. In indicates what language-pack / branding / bandlocks the phone is flashed with.
For example a generic (unbranded) K750 for use in Scandinavia will be CDA102337/12, whilst a Telenor-branded K750 will be CDA102338/62. Both will be flashed with the same languages / dictionaries, but the latter will be flashed with Telenor-branded firmware.
This number is stored in
GDFS /
TA.
CID (Caller ID / Customer ID)
This "number" defines the version of Sony Ericsson's (SE) protection present in the phone.
New CIDs are deployed from time to time, for preventing the phones from beeing unlocked / flashed / tampered with non-SE service tools. Current CIDs in use by SE are 16/29/36/37/49/50/51/52/53/80. The OTP (One Time Programmable memory) and EROM of a phone might be protected by different CIDs.
Colour BLUE/BROWN/RED
„Colour“ of the phone defines what kind of phone we are dealing with:
BLUE phones have been assembled in the factory but never programmed with software/ GDFS/ IMEI – it means they are in their „factory state“
BROWN phones are "developer phones", used for testing. Less restrictions are present as these are used for "debugging/beta" purposes.
RED phones are your typical retail ones. Highest level of security is present in this state of phone, it‘s usually not possible to write into OTP (one time programmable memory) in this state.
Flashing and customization
Flashing
operation writes flash files (data) on the flash
chip of the mobile phone. It comes handy when you want to update the firmware, debrand the phone from any network branding and/or change the set of languages in the cell phone.
Customization helps to adjust the file system for the particular region / provider. For example you may flash your mobile phone with FS for Central Europe (CE) and then customize it for particular provider.
Custpack
Custpacks are zip-files containing ORIGINAL customization files. These serve as basic configuration files for the handset, which languages to allow, data accounts, branding etc...
(FTP) File Transfer Protocol
File Transfer Protocol is a method to upload and download files over the Internet or any network.
It is a standard network protocol that allows users to copy files between their local system and any system they can reach on the network. It is a very common method of moving files between two Internet sites. FTP is a way to login to another Internet site for the purposes of retrieving and / or sending files.
Firmware
Something in-between hardware and software. Like software, it is created from source code, but it is closely tied to the hardware it runs on. Permanent instructions and data programmed directly into the circuitry of read-only memory for controlling the operation of the phone.
Full and permanent unlock & relock / Unlock-by-patch
Permanent network unlock causes your mobile phone to be able to use any
SIM card of any provider (not only the one that you bought your mobile phone from). On the other hand, relock operation locks your mobile phone to a specific operator. It means, that after locking your cell phone, it will only work with the SIM cards of the one specific operator.
Unlock can be achieved via two different ways. While permanent unlock is based on the recalculation of the
security zone, so called patch unlock (Unlock-by-patch) accepts the SIM card without recalculating the security zone, therefore after
flashing the phone with another
firmware the locks are recovered (so unlock is not permanent) and you would need to unlock your phone again.
However, permanent unlock is not available for all the
platforms and all mobile phones, so the unlock-by-patch will just have to do for the time being.
GDFS (Global data file system)
Global data file system is a proprietary filesystem used by
Sony-Ericsson on certain of their
mobile phones. Data stored in the GDFS includes hardware customization data (e.g. radio channel parameters, settings for display, audio circuitry, calibration data, etc.), security/identification data (IMEI, lock codes, etc.) and user data - sounds, pictures, SMS, phonebook, calendar and so on. Some of GDFS units ("files"), or sometimes parts of them, are protected by checksums that are stored in other GDFS units.
See also
TA.
GDFS Backup
It’s a minor operation processed automatically with our software as a part of other operations, creates backup of initial data (calibration data).
GDFS Reconstruction
Operation that causes the reconstruction of
GDFS (Global data file system), all damaged data,
security zone recalculation (it’s a part of GDFS that contains SIM locks, signatures, etc.). For GDFS restoration the backup from other phone is used, which causes destruction of all unique data (e.g. calibration data).
IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity)
International Mobile Equipment Identity, a 14-digit number which includes information of the origin, model, and serial number of the device. The IMEI is a number unique to every GSM mobile phone and it is used by the GSM network to identify valid devices and therefore can be used to stop a stolen or blocked phone from accessing the network. It is usually found printed on the phone underneath the battery or accessed by dialing *#06# on your mobile phone. In SE phones the IMEI is stored in two places, the
OTP (One Time Programmable memory) and
GDFS (Global data file system).
The model and origin comprise the initial 8-digit portion of the IMEI, known as the "Type Allocation Code/TAC". The remainder of the IMEI is manufacturer-defined, with a "Luhn check digit" at the end (which is never transmitted). The "Luhn check digit" is calculated from the rest of the IMEI.
(OTP) One Time Programmable memory
It is a form of digital memory where the setting of each bit is locked by a
fuse or
antifuse. Such memory is used to store programs permanently. The programming is applied after the device is constructed.
Operation
Operation in this case is a set of steps and acts that produces some change in your mobile phone. All depends on what you want to do with your mobile phone and how you want to customize it. You can unlock or relock it (
Full and permanent network unlock & relock / Unlock by patch), do
flashing or customization, reconstruct the GDFS (
GDFS reconstruction), browse, upload, download or delete the file system (
Phone filesystem browsing & management), reset your user code (
User code reset), and a lot of other various operations.
Phone filesystem browsing & management
This
operation enables you to browse, download, upload and delete the file system. Our application will communicate with your favourite
FTP (file transfer protocol) connected to
ftp://localhost and enable browsing, download, upload and delete
(please note that if the mobile phone is “red”, application will not enable downloading, only uploading).
(ROM) Read only memory / (EROM) extended read only memory
Read only memory is recorded when the phone is made and it can not be edited.
EROM/SEMCBOOT is extended ROM, first level of memory that can be edited although it has a certain level of protection present. For A1
platforms EROM contains primary certificate.
Server
Server is a computer that provides a specific kind of service to client software running on other computers. The term can refer to a particular piece of software, such as a WWW server, or to the machine on which the software is running.
Security zone
Security zone is a small part of GDFS / TA containing all information about SIM-locks, together with their signatures.
SIM-lock
SIM-lock is a parameter inside the mobile phone, which tells to phone, what GSM network it can be used with. If the SIM-lock state is "unlocked", you can use the phone with any network in your country of any operator. If SIM-lock state is "locked", it means that you can use only SIMcard of the operator who has locked the phone to his network.
SIM card
Subscriber Identity Module card is a well known small printed circuit board that must be inserted in any GSM-based mobile telephone when signing on as a subscriber. It contains subscriber details, security information and memory for a personal directory of numbers.
TA (Trim area)
It's the same as
GDFS, but in S1 platforms. A2 platforms have continued using the term TA as well as GDFS, moving part of the data from GDFS to TA. TA is a little bit simpler, and GDFS little bit more difficult.
It is often still referred to as GDFS
Testpoint
Piece of hardware that is used for testing purposes – phone diagnostics, change of phone functioning, etc…
User code reset
Operation for resetting the user code. User code in your mobile phone serves as the protection against an unauthorized access (it protects your list of contacts, or prevents using other than your SIM card on your phone). In case you forget the number then this operation comes handy – it will reset the user code to four zeros, so that you can set it up again.
