Does iPhone 6 locked to Vodafone UK, work on Vodafone regions elsewhere?

[SunnyK8547]

Hi. Can someone please help me. My Iphone 6 seems to be locked to Vodafone UK. I rang customer services in UK and asked if my phone would work on Vodafone India Sim and they double checked the information and said yes it would (without any kind of unlocking). However, I am in India at the moment and I am having issues activating my phone. It says 'Sim Not Valid'. 

Also, I had given the request for unlock to Vodafone few days ago. I did this just in case I had an issue like this. 

Another interesting thing is that My phone is OPEN to all UK Networks i.e. I can use other UK network sim cards in it. But according to Apple and Vodafone, It is locked to Vodafone Uk. 

It is a very confusing situation. Can anyone help out there Please?

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi

No it'll work only on UK Vodafone. 

You'd  have to request it's unlock - This type of unlock request would allow the iPhone to be used on any UK Network and foreign networks too. 

Stipulation is "Does the phone need to have been used on Vodafone UK?

Yes, even if you've bought your phone secondhand. For Pay as you go, you'll need to have been using your PAYG SIM in the phone for 30 days. For Pay monthly you'll need to have paid three bills on time.

Do you need to be in the UK to complete the unlock process via iTunes?

No, but the phone would need to have been used in the UK as above."

Unlocking-your-phone-NUC FAQs. 

Unlocking Request form unlock-code-request form

[jeffkinn]

If you can use non Vodafone sim cards in the phone in the UK then by defintion it isn't locked. Locked iPhones can only ever use the network they are locked to.

If the phone is unlocked then your issue is something else entirely and you'd need to speak to the local network about it.

[BandOfBrothers]

Is it possible to try an alternative SIM card ?

[kids]

@SunnyK8547

Did you buy the phone from Vodafone on a contract or from a third party and since having the phone have you updated the iOS?

If the phone was from a third party it is possible that the phone was jail broken to open it to all network sims but by updating the iOS it has relocked itself to Vodafone.

[SunnyK8547]

Thank you for your reply. 

I even spoke to apple about this. And they told me that according to their system, the activation policy of my phone states that it is locked to Vodafone. 

Even they were confused with the fact that I could use an EE sim card in it without any issues. The problem only arises when I use an international Sim. 

Anyway, just as a precaution, I went to the voda store in London 2 days ago and asked them to unlock my phone so I can use it abroad. They checked their system for my phone and said It can be done. They took my details (IMEI, email and phone number) and fee of £20.00 and told me I would get an email from them with in 10 days, confirming the unlock.

@bandofbrothers1 

[kids]

If you are using a non UK sim in the phone in this country then  unless you have enabled international roaming on that sim number it will show No Service. If roaming has not been enabled then it will only work in the country the sim is intended for. 

[SunnyK8547]

Hi. It is on Pay as you go and yes it was brought from a third party. I did update it via itunes as well.

I tried an EE sim card in the phone the day after I updated the OS via itunes, and it worked.

Also, Just to be clear, I am in India at the moment. My Voda UK Sim is working here. But Voda India Sim is not working here.

[SunnyK8547]

Also, my Voda India sim was working fine in the Uk in a different unlocked phone and it working fine right now as well in a different phone. Its not wokring on the iphone tho.

[kids]

It seems strange that EE worked if Apple say the phone is locked as appears to be.

You may not receive an email telling you it has been unlocked, what you need to do is to keep connecting to iTunes with your Indian SIM card in the phone until you see a pop up in iTunes telling you it is unlocked. It can take Apple up to 21 days to finalise the unlocking.