cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
1

Ask

2

Reply

3

Solution

Phone locked

charlieelsegood
3: Seeker
3: Seeker

So i bought my grandparents two Vodafone smart turbo 7s. They live in southern ireland and i bought them from the UK. They came with two £10 English sims. However when i insert my grandparents sims it says that the network is locked, they have irish sims. Vodafone Ireland said they couldnt help me. Went to Vodafone UK and all they are saying is wait 30 days? Is this the case? I cant do anything for 30 days?

 

 

Thanks

18 REPLIES 18

AnnS
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Hi @charlieelsegood

 

Unless you are able to use the UK SIM's in the UK for 30 days making the odd chargeable activity to associate the IMEI to the numbers, you are going to have a problem getting the unlocks.

 

There is further info below.

 

Support - Unlock Codes

 

If you live in the UK, it may be an idea to ask your Grandparents to return the phones back to you.  You will then be able to use the SIM's which came with the phones in the UK for 30 days and complete the form on the link as PAYG.

charlieelsegood
3: Seeker
3: Seeker
Thanks for your reply. I'm currently with them in Ireland. I do live in the UK, yes. I currently have the English sims in them, seem to be working. Is this okay if I leave them like that? Instead of bringing them back to the UK and sending them back again? Thanks

AnnS
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

@charlieelsegood

 

If only it was that easy, the SIM's need to connect to the UK network.

 

That means you need to use the SIM's in the UK for a 30 day period.

charlieelsegood
3: Seeker
3: Seeker
Okay thanks. They are on the border, if they go to the UK every week would that be okay?

AnnS
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Hi @charlieelsegood

 

If your grandparents are on the border, ask them to select Vodafone uk manually on the network settings. 

 

With a bit of luck they will already be on Vodafone UK.

charlieelsegood
3: Seeker
3: Seeker
Can't pick it up. Although along the top of the screen it says Vodafone IE - Vodafone UK. Does this mean it's using both or something?

@charlieelsegood

 

Providing the UK SIM's are connected to the Vodafone network (UK or IE) for 30 days, we'll be able to request a network unlock code (NUC) for the phones.

 

Once they've been used on the network for 30 days, please reply back to this thread on the forum. A member of the team will be able assist you in unlocking these devices.

Annie_N
Community Champion (Retired)
Community Champion (Retired)

@charlieelsegood

 

Are you able to take a screenshot of the Vodafone IE - Vodafone UK message? Is this on the Vodafone UK phones, or on your grandparents' Vodafone IE phones?

 

This is a blind guess, but the only thing I can think of is that they might be signed up to some Vodafone IE equivalent to the Ireland Plus deal offered by Vodafone UK to Pay Monthly customers who live in Northern Ireland.

 

Even if it is something along those lines, I don't think it would help with your problem. You do need to achieve a direct connection from the Vodafone UK phones to the Vodafone UK network. I've no idea exactly how often you'd need to do so - twice a week, making sure to make a chargeable call each time, might be enough, but then again it might not.

 

I think, if it was my problem, that I'd be inclined to take the phones to the UK for min 30 days, make calls at least every day (each would have to make outgoing calls, so you could call from one to the other, but in both directions - if you see what I mean!), then apply for unlock codes, and using a SIM from another UK network, do the unlocking. Then once you know that the unlock has succeeded, take or send the phones back to your grandparents.

 

Trying to finesse the situation might work out, but then again it might not, in which case you would be back to square one, starting the 30-day period, and possibly having to top up again

charlieelsegood
3: Seeker
3: Seeker
I'm all very confused! They are planning to go to Northern Ireland every week or so, so they can pick up UK vodafone. Make a few chargeable calls and texts, then apply for the NUC in a month or so. Will update this thread in about a month, whether we are successful on getting them. Thanks for all your help.