Buying phones from UK carphone warehouse

ripcord

Hi folks,

I'm looking to buy a couple of PAYG nokia phones (5530 and 2720) on vodafone. Of couse, vodafone ireland don't stock them. Also, i've noticed that the vodafone uk website doesn't have them either.

Strangely enough, it seems possible to get these phones on vodafone from the carphone warehouse UK site. You have to buy £10 Airtime with them (which I assume means call credit) but they still work out very cheap - and save me the bother of unlocking if I bought the phones here. I assume that they will come with a new uk number, and I can put irish vodafone sims into them with no problem?

Isn't it weird, that you can't get these phones from vodafone uk, but carphonewarehouse uk can sell them locked to vodafone?

Also, carphonewarehouse uk only deliver to uk. So if someone has any advice on how to get them to ireland (without going to uk myself) i would appreciate it!

Thanks

robbie_998

i dont think it can be done.. i think if you were to try order online it would re-direct you to the irish site.

try talk to vodafone about it and see what they say

long_b

Vodafone UK phones won't take an Irish SIM out of the box. You'd have to get it unlocked.
Same with all the major UK networks unfortunately.

ironclaw

long_b wrote: »

Vodafone UK phones won't take an Irish SIM out of the box. You'd have to get it unlocked.
Same with all the major UK networks unfortunately.

Seconded on that. SIM locks are specific to a carrier not a brand. So Vodafone UK and Vodafone IRL are different SIM locks.

Vodafone UK normally trial some of the phones we get here. Are market is tiny and there is no demand for the range that the UK have. For instance, 3 had 3G in the UK for a good 4 years before it was highly tooted and over charged for here.

You could go to Northern IRL and buy them there. However, be careful. Some phones require you to sign a contract and pay for credit up front (They don't mention it on the site, obviously! :rolleyes: ) So they can work out expensive. In fact the difference in an E71 here (Second hand off Adverts) and buying one off Three in the UK is about €10. Which I would then spend unlocking the thing. Try eBay?

ripcord

Dammit.. didn't realise that vodafone UK phones would be locked to a vodafone ireland sim.

Ok, looks like the cheapest option is to buy them PAYG on meteor/o2 and unlock them. Could anyone recommend a good place for unlocking? Obviously I'd prefer to get the unlocking code (as opposed to messing around with data cables and software). Free would be nice too!! :pac:

Thanks!

Ah-Watch

was the 5530 not launched on VF at the weekend?

ripcord

Ah-Watch wrote: »

was the 5530 not launched on VF at the weekend?

can't see it on the website. checked a vodafone shop yesterday and they didn't know anything about it.

Davy

https://www.vodafone.ie/df/prepay/index.jsp?handset=5530&gclid=CP6Mz4WUpJ4CFQdl4wodLUlCmg

ironclaw

ripcord wrote: »

Dammit.. didn't realise that vodafone UK phones would be locked to a vodafone ireland sim.

Ok, looks like the cheapest option is to buy them PAYG on meteor/o2 and unlock them. Could anyone recommend a good place for unlocking? Obviously I'd prefer to get the unlocking code (as opposed to messing around with data cables and software). Free would be nice too!! :pac:

Thanks!

There is a place on Abbey St that used be on North Lotts. PM me if you want the name. I ain't an employee or anything, I just use them and find them good.

You can unlock most, but not all, Nokia's by code. However, most other phones need a flash. You would also need to get the phone debranded which requires a flash. Last time I checked, unlocking and debranding was about €40.

Davy

ironclaw wrote: »

You can unlock most, but not all, Nokia's by code. However, most other phones need a flash. You would also need to get the phone debranded which requires a flash. Last time I checked, unlocking and debranding was about €40.

Not the case with new phones. You can get the 2720 unlocked here for €20-€30, but the 5530 unlocked for €40 not a chance.