wrongly told by provider phone was unlocked...bought it...now how do I unlock it as vodaphone wont help but the phone is not registered as stolen or anything!!??please help..had it for a month now and they just wont help me!!

to cut a long story short. I was interested in an i-phone... got the details..checked them all.. on the phone and with the provider, VODAPHONE... told unlocked, not stolen etc etc. proceeded to buy the phone...new sim topped up £10 only to find it wouldn't work...

Went into vodaphone store..been running around following thier advice..(they said I need a friend who is a customer on vodaphone to get passed the unlocking with a vodaphone code.. and they would do it for free given the circumstances...so i run errands go back and forth doing as they asked...got nowhere) SO IT IS NOW A MONTH LATER..and after complaining and complaining to thier email site and repeatedly asking for help in store..I am stumped as what to do and just have a glorified ipod. I WILL NOT BE FORCED TO REMAIN ON THE VODAPHONE NETWORK given the situation they have put me in and thier unwillingness to help so i refuse to use the phone with vodaphone... BUT WHAT can i do PLEASEEEEEEE? all they keep on suggesting is that I get the original owners details but he is not answering anything...and the phone is not registered as stolen etc so what is the problem!?

As you can imagine I am really peeved by the whole thing as I actually carried out all the necessary checks, and whilst the phone was not bought directly from vodaphone, I went to them as the provider, to find otu about unlocking etc as it is always advised to do so..and it was them that gave me the wrong information but they still will not resolve the issue. I have even sent them phone records to confirm when I rung and the name of the invalid who told me the phone was unlocked in the first place. I really would much appreciate any help as they are ignoring my emails now.