Unlocking phone

[Vybe]

Hi
I bought a new phone (iphone) from a 3rd part
They iphone was on vodafone but it was still new and sealed
I want to unlock it
How do i go about it?
I put in a vodafone sim in the phone and filled and i got a unsuccessful email as below.
I did hear something ablut using the sim for 30 days? Is that meaning using just the sim or using the sim in the phone?
Also does that mean topping it up and makinf calls everyday or something can anybody please help
Thank you for getting in touch about unlocking your phone. We checked the details you gave us, but could not find a match for the IMEI number (your phone's serial number) on your account.

We can only unlock a phone that we know belongs to you. This means you need to have used a Vodafone SIM in it. You need to give us details of this SIM when you fill in our NUC form.

What you need to do next

Double check the details you gave us when you filled in the form - the IMEI number you gave us was **************.

Check this against your phone's IMEI by tapping in *#06# - you will then see it displayed on the screen. If the numbers don't match, you need to fill in our online form again.

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi

My knowledge is this.....

Vodafone will send you an email confirming the unlock have been requested. They then contact Apple to request the Unlock. 

The iPhone is not typically unlocked at this stage. 

It can take Apple another 20-30 days approximately to then complete the actual unlock. 

Pop in an active non Vodafone sim card in this timeframe periodically to complete the unlocking. From the iPhone 5 onwards it's not always necessary to hook up to iTunes to complete the unlocking. An iPhone is not unlocked by a code you key in. 

[Vybe]

Please can you send a proper reply not automated

[BandOfBrothers]

Nothing automated about me @Vybe

Read my signature. I'm a customer like you. 

[Vybe]

Okay but what am telling you is that they saying thats its done but it isnt

[AnnS]

@Vybe

The email can be misleading.  It basically means Vodafone have sent the request off to Apple.  You are then at Apple's mercy.

The only thing to do is to keep trying an alternative SIM in the phone.  Hopefully, Apple will complete the unlock ASAP.

[63johnw]

Hi, in your other thread here http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Pay-as-you-go-products-services/Unlocking-phone/m-p/2539718#M5031

you say you recently bought the phone and wanted to know about unlocking, that was dated 6th December, you were advised you will need to use the phone for 30 days then apply for the unlock, have you followed that procedure, have you used it on Vodafone UK for 30 days?

[Vybe]

Yes i know about that
But at the time i got the person who i bought the phone off to do the request for me...
So they emailed saying its done

[AnnS]

Hi @Vybe

If the original owner has made the unlock request on your behalf, if could be where your issue starts.  The seller wouldn't even be in a position to request the unlocking.

Your very first post mentions 'They iphone was on vodafone but it was still new and sealed'.

Until the phone has been used on a network, it will remain unlocked.  The phone locks to the first SIM used in the phone.

This means the phone would never have been used on the Vodafone network and would never have seen a Vodafone SIM card.

You need to contact the seller and ask how you can be sold a locked phone still packaged and sealed as new.

[Vybe]

Okay fair enogh but the phone was a contract upgrade and i was told it could be unlocked from the person whos contract it was bought on aslong as the phone number matches the imei of the phone to the name of the person who bought it

[AnnS]

Hi @Vybe

Fair enough, but if the phone was sealed and packaged as new, until a SIM was inserted into the phone, it would not be locked to a network.

If a non Vodafone SIM was used in the phone, with the phone coming being provided by Vodafone if the phone became locked to a different network, getting it unlocked would cause awful problems.

It would be easier for you to simply get a PAYG Vodafone SIM, use it in the phone for 30 days and then request the unlock in your name.

Unless of course, the seller is not telling you everything.

edit.  It might be worth mentioning that unless it has changed, Vodafone have the 3 month rule for when a new phone has been provided.  That means the seller would have been unable to get the phone unlocked until the third months payment had been made.