Vodafone blacklisted my IMEI... but I'm an o2 customer

[Anonymous]

To cut a long story short... Vodafone have blacklisted my IMEI, even though I am not a customer of theirs. I have been with o2 since 2002 and have never had anything to do with Vodafone.

My phone is a Galaxy S5 which I have since December 2014 when I took the current contract out through Carphone Warehouse.

Both o2 and Samsung have confirmed that Vodafone blocked the IMEI, and Samsung showed me confirmation on their system. Vodafone say they couldn't have blocked my phone as I don't have an account with them. o2 say they can't unlock it as it wasn't them that blacklisted it. Vodafone say they can't unlock it as I don't have an account with them. I am stuck in the middle and neither company will help me.

I still have 6 months left on my contract and am trapped paying for a phone I can't use. It appears to me that Vodafone have tried to block one of their customer's phones which was stolen, however they have got the IMEI wrong and blocked mine instead.

Does anyone have any ideas? Both companies are supposed to be looking into, but neither seem very confident of resolving the matter, since apparently this happens incredibly rarely.

[Cleoriff]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Vodafone stolen phones department are now saying it was a different department that put the block on (not sure which), so they have had to forward everything to that department for review.

I have told them that their internal procedures are not my concern!

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Sooooooo...Vodafone have admitted they are at fault ....but they have forwarded everything to the correct dept "for review"?? Beggars belief....

[Beenherebefore]

I thought India and Kenya were the world leaders in bureaucracy !

[Curr946]

Hahaha


Did you try cpw like I suggested

[jonsie]

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@Curr946 wrote:
Hahaha


Did you try cpw like I suggested

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I guess they have tried everything including the Pope....

[Anonymous]

Well I did go to cpw to get the proof of purchase, explained the situation but they did not offer help.

I think Vodafone are sorting it, just taking their sweet time. In the meantime o2 have kindly given me a courtesy phone (looks like something from the 90s).

[Anonymous]

Vodafone say the blacklist was lifted this morning and it's no longer showing on the database. However my phone is still showing as emergency calls only. Any ideas on how I can get it working again, or does it take a while to recognise? I have restarted the phone but didn't make any difference. Thanks

[MI5]

I'd wait 24 hours for the database to update.

[Curr946]

let us know, and I'm glad it seems to be getting sorted. I would be looking for some form of compo from voda likes.

[jonsie]

Ah, the age of compo...

[Anonymous]

I will definitely be putting in a complaint and asking for compensation, at least for the 2 weeks' phone bill I've still had to pay. Plus the numerous hours I have spent trying to sort it out!