iPhone 4 and 4S

[dschiefer]

Hello,

I'm a Vodafone Pay Monthly customer and my contract is now in its last month. Therefore, I've requested from Vodafone to unlock my iPhone. However, there's a problem: The iPhone developed a fault back in December and Apple replaced it with a brand-new one. This meant that the new IMEI was different to the old one stored on Vodafone's databases and now I've received a reply from Vodafone telling me that they are unable to verify my IMEI and can't process the request and now I'm kind of stuck. Who will unlock the phone now?

What do I do? The phone is still locked to Vodafone even though technically it's a different phone.

[jeffkinn]

Only Vodafone can unlock the phone. A little research on their part will show that your IMEI has been active in your account. You need to persist a little I'm afraid.

One of the team here will be able to help no doubt.

[dschiefer]

I hope this gets cleared up because at the minute, no one seems to be able to unlock it.

[dschiefer]

Called up Vodafone - they can't handle it via the phone as the system won't accept the IMEI. I've been told to get it unlocked instore.

[jeffkinn]

That's mad isn't it - not good enough I would say.

[dschiefer]

It's not ideal, no. If they managed to lock the replacement phone as soon as I received it, why can't they unlock it as quickly?

Crazy.

[jeffkinn]

The replacement phone would have been locked before it was sent to you and when you activated it via Itunes. The unlock process involves VF asking Apple to add your phone to their database of unlocked phones.

But not being able to cope with the IMEI of a replacement phone is pathetic.

Such is life!!

[dschiefer]

No, that's not completely correct. All iPhones are shipped unlocked, that's why iPhones must be activated in-store as the lock will only be set once the provider SIM card has been inserted and activated via the provider's iTunes gateway.

When I had it replaced, the guy insisted that he activated the phone via his terminal, so I guess that's when he locked it.

What I don't get is why they aren't in sync though, as this evidently doesn't seem to be the case.

[jeffkinn]

Not that it matters but I don't think that is right. The locked or unlocked status us maintained by Apple not the network. They know whether the IMEI has been supplied directly from an Apple store or by a network. 

I didn't get my iphone in a vodafone store - it was shipped directly to me by Vodafone and its was first activation was when it connected it to itunes.

Did this activation that you refer to take place in a Vodafone or an Apple store?

[PaulE]

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dschiefer wrote:

Hello,

I'm a Vodafone Pay Monthly customer and my contract is now in its last month. Therefore, I've requested from Vodafone to unlock my iPhone. However, there's a problem: The iPhone developed a fault back in December and Apple replaced it with a brand-new one. This meant that the new IMEI was different to the old one stored on Vodafone's databases and now I've received a reply from Vodafone telling me that they are unable to verify my IMEI and can't process the request and now I'm kind of stuck. Who will unlock the phone now?

Hi dschiefer, 

I can help you get your iPhone unlocked

I've sent you a PM with some instructions on how to contact us - follow these and we'll call you as soon as we can after we get your email.

It sounds like you're thinking of using your iPhone with a different network SIM - we might be able to offer you a new deal too so mention that to the advisor that calls you

You can find your PM inbox here

Paul

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[dschiefer]

Hello,

I have already called Vodafone and they did indeed offer me a new "SIM Only" deal, which I signed up for. I have been told to take my iPhone 4 to their store to get it unlocked as they cannot do it over the phone (because the IMEI isn't in their database)

Thanks for your help!

[sparrow8]

i am a vodafone payg customer, i purchased my iphone 4 off  of a chap in the pub, he told me the phone is locked to vodafone but there was a brand new voda payg sim card in it that i could use,

my problem is the network coverage in my home area is terrible, to the point that the phone takes over 5 minutes just to load www.google.co.uk

i need to change the carrier as i cant live with the terrible voda signal and also i am planning on travelling around Western Europe so will be needing to change carrier!

i applied for an unlock code with the online unlock request form but was told by vodafone that the mobile was still under a year with their network,

this isnt good enough, they are holding me to their network by force,

really need to know if they can just charge me a one off payment e.g £20.00 to unlock my iphone 4

please if anyone can help me i need this phone unlocked desperately

i have payed £270 cash for this handset please help somebody ????

sincerely

Phil

[kids · Accepted solution]

Did the 'chap in the pub' (always a bad mistake) tell you where he got the phone?

If the phone was supplied on a contract the the request for the unlocking has to come from the person on whose contract it was supplied, if it was originally a PAYG phone then £20 will unlock it for you. From what you have been told by Vodafone it would appear that the phone was on contract, so you will have to try and find the 'chap in the pub' and find out where the phone came from.