Now most contracts are for twenty four months I feel buying a phone outright (SIM Free) and only using a network for airtime is the right way to go. Tying the two together for such a long period of time will, in my opinion, always be problematic.
Anyway, leaving all that aside (I could write a large piece on why I think that,) I went and made the mistake of getting a phone directly from Vodafone which is obviously locked to their network.
Having now seen sense again I recently bought a new SIM free phone and so would like the Vodafone supplied phone unlocked.
In October I took out a new SIM only deal from Vodafone, despite the problems I've had with them the discount they offered me to stay was just too good not to take and I've been using this in my new phone. I assumed (mistakenly) if I put my SIM card in my old phone, make a couple of calls and use some data to register it on their network then request an NUC that all would be well.
The response I got states;
"To unlock your phone from our network you need to have been with us for at least 30 days. That means your SIM must have been used in your phone 30 days ago or longer. We insist on this as a prevention against fraud."
The phone is over two years old, most definitely paid for and sold to me by Vodafone directly. the SIM is almost two months into a twelve month SIM only deal, sold to me by Vodafone directly. The SIM and phone are individually and collectively registered on Vodafone's systems as belonging to me, sold to me by them.
So, forgiving the meandering post above, my question is a simple one.
What fraud does waiting thirty days to provide an NUC prevent?
If I have to use my old phone for another twenty nine days then what a pain in the neck that is. My new one is just going to sit there doing nothing. This process just reinforces that I'm correct in thinking an unlocked SIM free phone is the right way to go.
