Nokia 1100 made in Bochum holds its price high

The Nokia 1100 is a cell phone launched in 2003 that still holds the world record for the best-selling phone. If you add up the 2003 and 2005 editions, the Nokia 1100 has been sold in nearly 500 million units. Actually, a fun fact is that a few years ago Nokia had 8 models in the top 10 list of most-sold phones. The Nokia 1100 became popular because it is a simple and reliable cell phone with a long-lasting battery.

Additionally, the phone was designed for developing countries and had a dustproof casing that could withstand damp weather and was very comfortable to use. It also had a LED flashlight, alarm clock, stopwatch, calculator, 6 profiles, some basic games, a large contact memory and ringtones that made it perfect for the price.

If you check eBay and other online stores, you will find that the phone is still priced between 25 and 250 euros. Well, 25 euros seems reasonable for any collector, but asking 250 euros (or more) for Nokia 1100 is a bit strange. But there is a reason for such a high price.

The Nokia 1100 was manufactured in various factories in the EU, but the device produced in Nokia’s Bochum factory has a specific software bug. There were two models, RH-15 and RH-18, but I’m not sure if both models have the same bug or not.

Anyway, this bug allowed the phone to be programmed to receive messages addressed to a different phone number so that sensitive data such as bank account information, etc. could be transmitted. Since networks require a minimum level of trust to accept the device’s authentication, the Nokia 1100 was likely able to spoof its IMEI and receive messages for another device. This small software bug made this phone very popular for illegal acts.

 

If you own a Nokia 1100, check if it is a RH -15 model that was manufactured in Bochum. You may find a good offer in webshops :).