How Long Does It Take For A Vodafone Contract To Be Activated?

[Galaxy1965]

I bought a Nokia Lumia mobile online with Vodafone on Sunday with a monthly contract, it arrived on Tuesday, put new sim in but still no service, called them which took ages to get an answer and I told Vodafone the problem and I was told it can take up to 48 hours for the sim to be activated.
It is now Friday and still no service on mobile, called them again this morning and was told they would activate the sim for me and it would take up to 2 hours to activate. Still showing no service.
Wonder if the contract is not set-up yet, how long does it take for a monthly contract to be activated, surely they would not have send the mobile until the contract had been set-up.
Getting really fed-up having to ring Vodafone as it takes ages for someone to answer and it is costing me money.
Can't register with Vodafone online as I don't have an account number or pin. When I called they gave me my mobile number but that is not much use when I can't use the mobile.
Can anyone offer some advice?
Thanks in advance.

[CheekyChops]

Isn't your account number on any of the paperwork that came with your new phone?

[Zacs-Master]

Have you turned it off and back on again. Seriously!

[Galaxy1965]

The mobile came in a box with the sim card and no paperwork, I have switched it on and off a number of times.