TLDR: Miscommunication with Vodafone rep resulted in me entering 24months contract by mistake. I'm now tied to a contract expiring in Jan'25 (I won't even be in the UK anymore). I have to pay £300 to get out of the contract now.

I'm kinda stuck in a situation and Vodafone isn't willing to help whatsoever. I've been told I have to pay about £300 for Early Termination of Contract fee.

For context, back in January 2023, I really wanted to get the Apple Watch. I figured a good way for me to get an Apple Watch whilst building my credit score was to get a Device Plan with Vodafone. So I ported over from Voxi to Vodafone, and signed a 9 months minimum contract for an Apple Watch Ultra.

I ported my number over from Voxi to Vodafone, signed up for the 20GB 40GB extra (60GB total) for £22 per month. I'd be paying an extra £8 per month for an active data plan on the Apple Watch, and an extra £5 for Device Insurance.

I was made to understand that that I would have 9 months (Jan'23 - Sept'23) to pay off the Apple Watch, and I will be bounded to the main Vodafone plan until I've paid off the Apple Watch.

So Vodafone emailed me the contract, I skimmed through them and then signed and returned them. So because we had issues with activating Mobile Data on my Apple Watch, I was sent at least 8 emails in total consisting of my Mobile Plan, Device Plan, Device Insurance Plan, eSIM activation, and Number Activation for my Apple Watch.

I'm now 4 months into the contract. As I'm going through the contracts more carefully now, I realise that I'm not just bound to my Apple Watch contract, but also a 24 months minimum contract for my main line (Mobile Plan)! I gave Vodafone customer service a call, explained to them that this was not what I intended, and if there is any way I can dispute this. Vodafone told me no, and that should I wish to cancel my contract with Vodafone now, I'll have to fully pay off my Apple Watch (understandably), and pay £300 for Early Termination!

So my issue is that this was not what I had intended to agree on, the only solution Vodafone Customer Support could give me was to find a third party to take over my contract and then transfer my contract over to them. So in other words, I'm now tied to Vodafone until January 2025.

I'm an international student, and I might not even still be in the UK by January 2025, no way I would have agreed to this contract had I known this. A combination of me signing up online with the Vodafone representative via chat, multiple emails regarding the Apple Watch activation error sent which confused me... this all resulted in a mess that I'm not able to get out without paying at least £300.

The issue is, I've experienced a significant drop in coverage and mobile data speed ever since switching over from Voxi to Vodafone. I don't mind fully paying off the remainder for my Apple Watch, but I'm stuck with a Vodafone Mobile Plan until January 2025 unless I'm willing to pay £300!