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Bought locked phone

Newone
2: Seeker
2: Seeker

Hello. I live in other European union country and bought a used Huawei phone from ebay.co.uk. The seller did not said it is locked but apparently it is. Now the seller does not respond. I got the phone for a bargain price and it would be great to keep it. How could I unlock the phone? I read I have to buy some kind of SIM card and use it for 30 days? Is it true? If it is, that's insane. What should I do?

1 REPLY 1

BandOfBrothers
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

@Newone 

 

The ideal solution would be to ask the original owner to request it's unlock as the phones imei etc will be latched to their Vodafone UK Account so Vodafone can follow their instructions to unlock via filling out the Nuc Online form.

You could raise a dispute if the wording of the selling post said it was unlocked to all networks.

The issue your going to have is that a Vodafone UK Payg Sim Card has to be used in the phone for 30 days making calls etc.... but you need to be in the uk with the phone latched to the Vodafone UK Network. Getting someone to pick up a Vodafone UK Payg Sim Card and activate it and post it to you won't work as that's basically roaming. i.e your not in the UK.

To add to that Vodafone Uk can't also guarantee a Nuc i.e unlocking code will work if a person isn't in the Uk.

How-do-I-unlock-my-Vodafone-device-if-I-m-not-a-Vodafone-customer explains why 30 days usage is required.

The options for you I think would be....

1. Raise a dispute to get a refund.

2. Send the phone to someone you know in the UK and they use a Vodafone Payg Sim Card in the phone for 30 days making calls and then unlock it and then send it back to you. Obviously that hinges on your knowing someone in the UK and there will be shipping costs.

3. Look for a Highstreet Store that advertises they unlock phones or use an online unlocking site. These sites charge as well do Highstreet Stores. 

4. Sell the phone and then use the funds to help purchase another phone that will accept your sim card.

Unfortunately there are no other options.

 

I wish you all the best with this situation. 

Current Phone  >

Samsung Galaxy s²³ Ultra 512gb Phantom Black.