Iphone 5s locked to vodafone but purchased from Apple

[sharonspooner]

Hi All

I purchased my Iphone 5s directly from an Apple store.  I have a 30 day sim only contract with Vodafone.  Tried to use alternative sim when abroad recently but couldnt.  Been to Apple store today who told me it is locked to Vodafone.  Why ????  I have seen previous posts that say iphone bought from Car phone warehouse and the like, will lock to first Sim put in them, but that Apple bought phones wont.  But mine has.

HELP Please.

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi,

Did you purchase the iPhone at full price and as Unlocked from the  store ?

[sharonspooner]

Yes, purchased as brand new and at full price.

[BandOfBrothers]

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@sharonspooner wrote:

Yes, purchased as brand new and at full price.

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Hi,

Thats a rarity I've not come across!

as per 's site. 

[sharonspooner]

thanks for the image but unfortunately it is too small to read and blurs when i expand it.  Could you possibly type it for me, sorry to be a pain!

[BandOfBrothers]

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@sharonspooner wrote:

thanks for the image but unfortunately it is too small to read and blurs when i expand it.  Could you possibly type it for me, sorry to be a pain!

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I've made it bigger. Is that better. 

[sharonspooner]

Yes, thank you, can read it now.  Says exactly what I thought i had bought.  the whole point of buying my phone outright is that i can change network provider with only 30 days notice at any time.

Guess I will have to wait for Apple to get back to me.

Many thanks for responding.

[BandOfBrothers]

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@sharonspooner wrote:

Yes, thank you, can read it now.  Says exactly what I thought i had bought.  the whole point of buying my phone outright is that i can change network provider with only 30 days notice at any time.

Guess I will have to wait for Apple to get back to me.

Many thanks for responding.

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Cool. 

You're Welcome. 

I always buy my iPhones from the  store and they have always accepted any networks SIM cards and believe me I've used all the Networks in my current iPhone 6 Plus. 

This is why I'm guessing the frontline specialist may have given you the iPhone from the wrong pool of stock. 

[sharonspooner]

It does sound like that could be the case but seems strange they would have the "wrong" ones in the store stock.

[AnnS]

@sharonspooner

Unless you purchased the phone to go with an airtime contract in the Apple store, the phone should be unlocked if it was purchased outright paying the full price.

I am sure you have tried an alternative SIM in the phone here in the UK.  It may have only been a roaming restriction bar on your account when you were abroad preventing you from using an alternative SIM to access the overseas network.