Unlock iPhone 11 from Vodafone

JMR

Hope someone can help with this...

Bought an iPhone 11 for my son before Christmas from Carphone Warehouse.
He is a PAYG Vodafone customer.
He now wants to switch to GoMo and SIM card arrived a couple of days ago but on installing, we get an error message to say phone is locked to a network other than the one the SIM card is on (not the exact message).

Contacted Carphone Warehouse who tell me I "bought the phone on the Vodafone network" so I need to contact Vodafone.
He also told me they will probably not unlock the phone until it is at least 6 months old.

Haven't spoken to anyone in Vodafone but tried to get an unlock code from their website and got an error message because my son hasn't purchased €200 credit in the past 6 months (I think)

Is my only option to go to a 3rd party shop that advertises 'Phone Unlocking Service'? Is that safe?
The guy in Carphone Warehouse said this would cost approx €50 / €60 and they take the phone for about an hour.

Any other options?

Thanks

Slippin Jimmy

The phone will be locked to Vodafone until X amount of credit has been purchased/spent. I have heard some horror stories where certain "shops" will take the phone in and unlock it, but while do so will exchange parts in the phone. If you where to go this route I would make sure that the phone is not out of your site and the unlocking is done where you can see it. It shouldn't take too long.

ED E

Third party unlocking for all phones - bar iPhones - is a simple and straightforward process.

With Apple they control the locks on iCloud and only the MNO that ordered the phone can submit a real unlock request. Everything else is wellll dodgy.

10 Months with vodafone, then he'll have the 200€ and can move.

Lovetoshopmom

I am looking to get my iPhone unlocked from Vodafone since the 9 January 2020. I was a bill pay customer (sine 2008) and was out of contract and phone fully paid for and I am just being messed around on the chat customer service on their website . Can anyone help?

Timfy

TLDR: Cheapest option = dodgy unlock... Safest option = pay of the €200 euro and request from carrier.


As per the advice already given...

Third party unlocking of Apple devices can work, but they are "chatty" devices and there are plenty of accounts of iPhones that have been unlocked "phoning home" and the result varies from the phone relocking to completely bricking.

A third party unlock will negate any warranty.

PAYG phones are usually subsidised, the carrier is within their rights to expect a certain amount of usage to recoup costs.

JMR

Timfy wrote: »

TLDR: Cheapest option = dodgy unlock... Safest option = pay of the €200 euro and request from carrier.


As per the advice already given...

Third party unlocking of Apple devices can work, but they are "chatty" devices and there are plenty of accounts of iPhones that have been unlocked "phoning home" and the result varies from the phone relocking to completely bricking.

A third party unlock will negate any warranty.

PAYG phones are usually subsidised, the carrier is within their rights to expect a certain amount of usage to recoup costs.

Didn't understand most of that but think I got the gist Thanks
I have cancelled the GoMo SIM and we'll stick with Vodafone for now.

Timfy

I don't have access at the moment so may be wrong, but if eligible you can simply log in to your My Vodafone account and request a NUC from there.

If your contract has run its course, there is no reason why the NUC shouldn't be given to you. I'm not sure as its been a while since I worked at Vodafone (UK) but telephone and online requests usually get sent to CS to undertake manually and as such there was a bit of a delay. Best bet is to contact again and request a status update, mention the delay and firmly ask them to expedite the request.

Lovetoshopmom wrote: »

I am looking to get my iPhone unlocked from Vodafone since the 9 January 2020. I was a bill pay customer (sine 2008) and was out of contract and phone fully paid for and I am just being messed around on the chat customer service on their website . Can anyone help?