My UK bought Vodafone phone wouldn't work with a Germany Vodafone SIM card??

[Mickstereftb]

Hi, i recently purchased a Smart 4 Power handset from this very website to give to my German girlfriend who is need of a new phone as her old steam driven iPhone 3 is crap! She is on Vodafone(Germany) so i assumed that there would be no problem (except the SIM card size). On inserting her newly resized SIM card, the phone asked for her SIM lock which i duly inputted and then asked for a Network code which i found rather odd as this is a Vodafone branded phone on a Vodafone network using ( or hoping to use) a Vodafone SIM card!! 

Obviously we didn't have one, or had no means of getting one then so the phone is being returned. 

I am sure some clever wag will tell me it is county code locked or that i damaged the SIM card or something similar but i tested the card in my HTC One which i use on Vodafone UK and no problem there (and no, she won't be getting my HTC One!!) and the SIM card went back into her iPhone 3 with no problem and works just fine there too. All rather curious and annoying  so was there anything else i could have done? Many thanks, Michael. 

[grolschuk]

Hi there

If you get yourself a free PAYG Vodafone UK sim, you can reqest to get it unlocked.

Although sharing the Vodafone name, the different countries are different operating companies, and thus have different SIM ID numbers.

So it is SIM/network locked to VF UK, rather than country locked to just the UK - you couldn't put an EE sim in there without getting it unlocked first.

Some handsets come unlocked by default and can be used anywhere

Some lock to the first network that you put into it.

Some come locked to a network.

Of the ones that are locked, some are easy to unlock, some are a PITA.

If you don't want the hassle of returning it, get yourself a PAYG sim, turn off data services so it does not connect to the internet and use your credit, stick £20 on it, and then fill in this form https://www.vodafone.co.uk/vodafone-uk/forms/unlock-code-request/

[Mickstereftb]

Good idea thanks but why did my HTC One work over there with the same SIM card? It isn't unlocked at all. And i could just have bought any phone from Carphone warehouse and gave her that as all their phones are unlocked but by buying a Vodafone phone i thought i was safe and without problems. 

[grolschuk]

Good thinking and logic there, and I recon you managed to convince yourself to buy one of the few handsets that would actually be network locked. :smileyfrustrated:

Your HTC is probably unlocked by default, which is why it worked.

The outgoing iPhone (and any new ones) unless purchased directly from Apple will be locked.

A 'Sim Free' purchase from CPW could get you either a totally unlocked phone, or one that locks to the first network inserted. Again depends on manufacturer.

I think Vodafone's home brand, some of the Sony handsets, and all Apples are locked, if you had gone for any other there is a lot higher chance of success

So it's all a bit of a minefield

Hopefully you get it unlocked, or returned and swapped, and all will be well again.

[Mickstereftb]

And still have the dilema of getting a working phone for her? Hmmm, maybe i will just get this unlocked. Or buy a phone which i can get unlocked for less than £20! Thanks. 

[hrym]

The unlocking charge will be £20 for any device, I'm afraid.  As far as I know, all PAYG phones are network-locked and the only way to be sure of getting one that isn't is to go down the SIM-free route, which means not buying from a network, basically.

[Mickstereftb]

Yes, I understand that but I meant one that I could get unlocked elsewhere, markets, shops, eBay etc for as far as I can tell, the smart 4 turbo unlocking code hasn't been cracked by the high street\online community.

[hrym]

Unofficial unlocking always carries the risk that, if a factory reset becomes necessary, the lock may re-establish itself.  If you stump up the £20 and ever have a problem, you can come back to Vodafone and should be able to get it done again without charge.

[Mickstereftb]

Seriously...what a joke...Nothing to do with you HRYM but i took your advice and paid my £20 to have it unlocked properly and this is what i get.....

Hi Michael ,

Here’s an update on your request to unlock your phone so you can use it on a different network.

We are getting the code for you

We didn’t have the code on our database so we’ve asked your phone’s manufacturer for it.

 Reference Number: 14*****

How long does it take?

It can take up to 10 working days from today for us to get the code from them. As soon as we do, we’ll email it to you – along with instructions on what to do next.

Thanks,

Abhijeet Dhanoki

Vodafone Network Unlocking Team

Insult to injury i think...Vodafone cannot get a code for a Vodafone branded phone.....(Which i am aware is made by someone else, Alcatel maybe)!!!