I'm in the same boat as you.
However, my read is that MPD will be supplying the phones themselves and will simply bundle them with a Vodafone SIM/Contract
Actually, I took up the Voda PAYG offer (in September) - which I would think is even simpler - Open the box chuck in a Voda PAYG SIM package and dispatch.
I think the announcements from Vodafone relate to them actually supplying the phone as well - with branding/locking as appropriate