Refusal to unlock 6+ for overseas use

[FrancisMulleady]

I've had a comedy of errors from Vodafone.

I bought a Vodafone locked iPhone 6 Plus 128gb from an eBay seller who had just received a contract upgrade but was happy with their 5S. I then went to the Vodafone shop to swap over to a nano sim. They gave me the wrong sim as Vodafone now have a new system and are migrating accounts to that, the sim they gave me doesn't work on accounts on the older system! Despite calling customer service they could not figure this out. I then returned to my local store where they diagnosed the issue. They did not have any nano sims in stock for the older accounts but found a used one and managed to register this on my account successfully.

I then called VF customer service about unlocking my phone and I clearly explained I'd just bought it from another user on eBay. I said I needed it unlocked for overseas use with a foreign sim. She said she would send me the link for the unlock request and explained it was straightforward. When I filled in the form, I received an email later that day informing me the IMEI no. was incorrect despite supplying thr right one. I then called VF customer service yesterday and rhey informed me I cannot get it unlocked despite being a contract customer for a long time because the phone is not linked to my account and I did not buy it from them. I asked to speak to a manager but the agent refused to do so saying they cannot help and the phone can never be unlocked.

I find such poor service and treatment of a Vodafone customer outrageous. My wife bought an iPhone 5S locked to 3 on eBay and they unlocked it without any issue as she was a conttact customer. My contract is up in April 2015 and I reallty do feel like walking. VF should not give such poor service, provide me with an incorrect sim, misinform me and refuse to unlock a phone for overseas use. 

[AnnS · Accepted solution]

Hello FrancisMulleady

If you had used the search facility of the forum, you would have been able to find previous threads regarding iphone unlocking and would be aware that as the phone has to be unlocked against the original owners account, only the original and first owner of the phone can contact Vodafone and get the phone unlocked.

As you are not the original owner, you would be unable to complete the form for unlocking.  Send the seller the form below.

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

Vodafone usually require three months clear payments on the account before being able to give an unlock code.  This is something you would need to take up with the person who sold you the phone.

[FrancisMulleady]

@AnnS

The e-forum is also a channel to make a complaint Ann. It isn't just about searching previous customer issues. There is no excuse for poor service and misinformation or the runaround I've experienced. Some other networks don't have such difficult rules and policies. April comes and I can make my own rules then.

While the information you provided is helpful to a point your view that I should do more research and accept the rules overlooks the issue of poor service and agents providing misleading imformation. You sound like an unsympathetic VF agent.

[AnnS]

Hello FrancisMulleady

This is a Community forum.  Like all the other CC's we don't work for Vodafone.

The information I have given you is correct, and everyone who posts on the forum should start by doing a forum search to find if the question has previously been asked.  If you had done this, you would have had no need to post and would have known that you would need to take this up direct with the seller.

The reason its only the original owner who will be able to request the unlocking code is to prevent fraud on the second hand phone market and to protect the original owner.  Something which is in all of our interests.

This is going to be between you and the seller, its not your decision as to whether or not the phone gets unlocked. Vodafone wont  be able to discuss any unlocking direct with you.

Send the seller the link, hopefully the seller will be able to complete the information and get the phone unlocked against his/her account.

[FrancisMulleady]

No AnnS it is more than acommunity forum, it is also a corporate e-forum and an opportunity to express customer feedback of a personalised nature too. It is not solely a community forum.

There is no point chiding me like a child or newbie for not doing my research. Perhaps VF agents should be better trained in the first place to avoid misleading customers. Nothing that you say explains the runaround that I've been given and you quite conveniently overlook that.

If you wish to be helpful just provide the information or link to previous threads rather than preaching to other users? Otherwise, I might have thanked you. I'd already thought of contacting the seller but hoped for an adequate response from VF first. If I'd been told correctly about the unlocking policy in the first place, I wouldn't be posting here would I? It's not about getting my own way as you implied but being provided with the right information and service. Agent misinformation and a whole sequence of errors is not acceptable.

Finally, I'm not going to reply to further responses from you because I have no time for people who lack empathy. fail to read the entire problem that occurred and act as if they know everything. Vodafone is a brand and not a cheap one at that, I expect better from them and quite rightly so.

[DaveCD]

Hi FrancisMulleady,

Whilst it may not be the information you wanted to hear, AnnS has provided the correct information.

We're only able to unlock handsets for the original owners for security purposes and you'll need to contact the seller and ask them to complete the form.

AnnS and our other Community Champions do not work for Vodafone, and they use their own time to help others on the eForum. 

DaveCD

[FrancisMulleady]

She wasn't just helping she was just talking down to me. As for you, you have failed to explain the contradictory information that your colleagues give out and the fiasco I experienced with getting the correct nano sim.

Retentions will talk very differently in April 2015 and I will be very happy to leave VF.

[AnnS]

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@FrancisMulleady wrote:

She wasn't just helping she was just talking down to me. As for you, you have failed to explain the contradictory information that your colleagues give out and the fiasco I experienced with getting the correct nano sim.

Retentions will talk very differently in April 2015 and I will be very happy to leave VF.

---

Whatever you may think, I can assure you that you are incorrect.

As a CC on this forum, I always think it best to give a customer a straight answer.  I am sorry it was not the information or answer you were hoping for, but the information was correct.

I also have a name which is Ann, it is not she.  I have addressed you by your name.

I hope you have managed to contact the original iphone owner and will be able to get the phone unlocked.

[FrancisMulleady]

Thanks for the 'straight talk'. I don't need lectures on forum etiquette. It is perfectly acceptable to post an individual issue that is personal to myself on such a forum. It is up to VF whether they monitor feedback and customer issues and take it seriously or not.

I posted the forum on my FB wall. The reaction was that the advice was delivered in a 'snotty' , 'condescending' and 'patronising' manner. These are people with independent views.

Not one of your replies can explain why VF agents give out conflicting information, have huge issues with systems migration and can't even issue me with the right sim to work with my phone until I have made 3 trips to a store and several calls to customer service just to get a sim to work!

I find it almpst comical that having a rigid unlock policy and an untransferable phone helps 'security'. That's what IMEI protocols are for. Please spare me such utter rubbish thanks!

[AnnS]

Being polite as I am I will still address you by your name Francis.

Its a shame you have taken my reply the wrong way, nobody is lecturing you on forum etiquette.   You came to this forum asking how you could get your phone unlocked for use abroad, and I pointed you in the right direction with a link for the original owner to complete and return to Vodafone.

The reason for the unlock policy has been explained to you.  The unlock is done through Apple systems and if the details do not match, the unlock request will get kicked out by Apple.