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Microsoft Lumia

Yaroslav
2: Seeker
2: Seeker

Hello. I from Russia. In July for the first time I was in England. I left phone in a taxi and therefore decided to purchase new. In Vodafone I asked the seller: this phone will work in Russia? He answered: yes. But phone does not work, demands an unblocking code. Who is guilty? Perhaps, the seller not especially went for deception. But how to me to be to open phone now when it worked in Russia? What to make whom to address?

21 REPLIES 21

grolschuk
Community Champion (Retired)
Community Champion (Retired)

Hi,

 

I think that may have been a simple mis-understanding.

 

Most people who ask 'will this phone work in another country' are asking because they want to know if the phone will work while they are on holiday, using their vodafone sim card and UK number.

Not put another sim card in there from a different country's network.

 

Do you still have the telephone number and SIM that you got with the phone?

 

You can try requesting the unlock code here.

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/vodafone-uk/forms/unlock-code-request/

 

I was in England only 4 days at conference. I left the phone in a taxi therefore has decided to buy new. I didn't buy a sim card as I departed this day. according to this reference I am not given a code for an unblocking because there it is possible to write only the English number, and my Russian number doesn't approach...

 

Moderator note: Deleted personal details, please have a look at our Community Guidelines

BandOfBrothers
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Hi @Yaroslav

 

 

You would need to be in the Uk and using your Vodafone Uk SIM card in be phone sending texts ,making calls , using data and or toppling up to be eligible to unlock after the required 30 days.

 

The options as I see it are:

 

Look at the listing of the phone if bought off eBay etc and see what its description is in relation to its locked / unlocked status and then check any T&C's. If you bought privately then I don't see much recourse I'm afraid. 

 

Ask the original owner to request its unlock although vodafone cannot guarantee an unlock code will work outside the uk and not latched onto the Vodafone Uk Network. 

 

Or send it to someone you know in the uk for them to use it for the 30 days on Payg , request the unlock , unlock it and send it back to you. 

 

Sell it on and buy a model that's already unlocked to all networks or locked into your own countries network. 

 

Check if any standalone shops in your country can unlock it as a last resort. I must emphasise this isn't the route to really take and can have issues with the unlock not holding or further issues being caused. 

 

 

Current Phone  >

Samsung Galaxy s²³ Ultra 512gb Phantom Black.

 

 

I bought phone at office of vodafone. I said to the seller that I buy phone for use in Russia. Нe didn't sell me a simcard, didn't explain that phone needs to be unblocked. I just didn't know such things. I am very baffled with the vodafone service as I can't write to them directly. I can write only on a forum.

drey_p
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

@Yaroslav wrote:

I bought phone at office of vodafone. I said to the seller that I buy phone for use in Russia. Нe didn't sell me a simcard


If you bought a phone from a Vodafone Store in the UK, it would have been sold with a PAYG SIM card and a topup.  The shop assistant may not have mentioned this to you as it is standard practice - Vodafone do not sell phones without SIM cards.

 


@Yaroslav wrote:

It is an error of the seller of Vodafone.


 

@IT depends on what you said to the person.  If you said that you wanted to use the phone in Russia - they aren't at fault as the phone can be used in Russia with the Vodafone UK SIM card in it.  This seems to be what you asked for originally and what @grolschuk explained here

 

If you asked if you could use a Russian SIM card in the phone, that is very different from asking if the phone would work in Russia.  If you asked this, and you were told that the handset would work with a Russian SIM card in it, then you have been given the wrong information.

PWIAC

Unfortunately, but in Russia there is no Vodafone...

BandOfBrothers
17: Community Champion
17: Community Champion

Hi @Yaroslav

 

 

If you cannot ship it to someone you know in the Uk and they use it for 30 days on Vodafone Uk Payg , unlock it and ship it back to you. Costs of shipping would need to be weighed up. 

 

Then the only options that maybe open to you are selling it on or asking if a local shop can unlock it for you.  

Current Phone  >

Samsung Galaxy s²³ Ultra 512gb Phantom Black.

 

 

drey_p
16: Advanced member
16: Advanced member

@Yaroslav wrote:

Unfortunately, but in Russia there is no Vodafone...


There is no Vodafone in Russia, but that isn't an issue.  Because of International Roaming, you'd be able to connect to one of the Russian networks and use the UK phone number and handset in Russia.  So, when asking if you could use the phone in Russia, the answer is yes which is correct and is the answer you were given when you were in the store. 

 

Asking if you could use a Russian SIM card in the phone is a very different question from asking if you can use the phone in Russia. It would also give you a very different answer. 

PWIAC

To use the English operator in roaming in Russia? It is very expensive!