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markrideout

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 8, 2010
8
0
These kind of speeds are amazing...

329516475.png


Why would you need LTE from EE. With 3 you have truly unlimited data!
 

Moccasin

macrumors 65816
Mar 21, 2011
1,005
220
Newcastle, UK
Am looking forward to seeing what O2's DC-HSDPA looks like. Heard mixed reports on Three but may order a sim and try out in my usual places.

I agree though, EE seems to be a lot of hype and suspect their actual speeds won't be so great from what I've read.
 

markrideout

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 8, 2010
8
0
You do realise 3 will be using EE's LTE soon enough? It was part of the conditions ofcom laid out.

Wouldn't we have the option to turn LTE off if 3G is faster. Looking at EE estimate of 8mbp I hope this is the case.
 

Pennine

macrumors 6502
Jan 17, 2008
250
0
Glossop UK
Three won't be using EE's network, they have purchased some from EE for there own use. It belongs to Three now. The problem with Three is they don't have a 2G network! So when you have a poor or non existent 3G/4G reception you won't be able to use your phone. EE's 2G network covers about 98% of the UK.
 

Sheza

macrumors 68020
Aug 14, 2010
2,083
1,802
Three won't be using EE's network, they have purchased some from EE for there own use. It belongs to Three now. The problem with Three is they don't have a 2G network! So when you have a poor or non existent 3G/4G reception you won't be able to use your phone. EE's 2G network covers about 98% of the UK.
OH.

That is something I didn't know.

Oh well....... @_@
 

OzyOly

macrumors 6502a
Jun 3, 2009
777
141
Three won't be using EE's network, they have purchased some from EE for there own use. It belongs to Three now. The problem with Three is they don't have a 2G network! So when you have a poor or non existent 3G/4G reception you won't be able to use your phone. EE's 2G network covers about 98% of the UK.

I thought it was just least to 3, like 3G virtual networks, but EE control the spectrum still?
 

monty77

macrumors 6502a
Mar 4, 2005
594
173
UK, South Coast
Three won't be using EE's network, they have purchased some from EE for there own use. It belongs to Three now. The problem with Three is they don't have a 2G network! So when you have a poor or non existent 3G/4G reception you won't be able to use your phone. EE's 2G network covers about 98% of the UK.

Tripe. Three has a national roaming agreement when there's no 3G coverage:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hutchison_3G#United_Kingdom

..you cannot use data in roaming mode however, calls only.

M
 

ct2k7

macrumors G3
Aug 29, 2008
8,361
3,434
London
I thought it was just least to 3, like 3G virtual networks, but EE control the spectrum still?

Three have purchased, not leased, the spectrum from EE, which was a condition of the merger.

Three isn't an MVNO per se.
 

monty77

macrumors 6502a
Mar 4, 2005
594
173
UK, South Coast
Three have purchased, not leased, the spectrum from EE, which was a condition of the merger.

Three isn't an MVNO per se.

They're not an MVNO in any sense surely? They have their own infrastructure / billing etc..

The fact that have a national roaming agreement in place for network blindspots is extremely wise, I wish that ALL providers would do this personally - I'd even pay for it! Just to be able to make a call pretty much anywhere would be amazing and save the frequent asking around the table at dinner 'who's got signal?' when it's time to get a cab :)
 

ct2k7

macrumors G3
Aug 29, 2008
8,361
3,434
London
They're not an MVNO in any sense surely? They have their own infrastructure / billing etc..

The fact that have a national roaming agreement in place for network blindspots is extremely wise, I wish that ALL providers would do this personally - I'd even pay for it! Just to be able to make a call pretty much anywhere would be amazing and save the frequent asking around the table at dinner 'who's got signal?' when it's time to get a cab :)

Nope, Three are not an MVNO, as you said, they have their own infrastructure. The only have an agreement with Orange for 2G sharing, but to be honest, I haven't found a place where I don't get 3G coverage.

I agree with you though, it should be done :) One thing I do lament is that Three's masts seem to have a lower output transmitter power - not sure why.
 

monty77

macrumors 6502a
Mar 4, 2005
594
173
UK, South Coast
Tripe

I get no signal in several places near where I live due to no 3G

They turned off the orange 2g fallback a while ago

Data is good but I still need basic contact wherever I am

They turned it off where they considered the 3G coverage to be acceptable (I know cell engineers at H3G and used to work in the industry myself), I still get 2G fallback pretty frequently when I'm visiting places. And how do you know those places aren't Orange blackspots too? Sadly there are plenty of places where there's still no signal on any network.

----------

Nope, Three are not an MVNO, as you said, they have their own infrastructure. The only have an agreement with Orange for 2G sharing, but to be honest, I haven't found a place where I don't get 3G coverage.

I agree with you though, it should be done :) One thing I do lament is that Three's masts seem to have a lower output transmitter power - not sure why.

Other big networks have always campaigned to keep H3G down so I'm sure that's a part of it.. I'm a big fan myself apart from the daily sales calls and call centre staff sometimes :)

Their coverage is pretty good IMO but not the best .. but the overall package more than makes up for it.
 

ct2k7

macrumors G3
Aug 29, 2008
8,361
3,434
London
They turned it off where they considered the 3G coverage to be acceptable (I know cell engineers at H3G and used to work in the industry myself), I still get 2G fallback pretty frequently when I'm visiting places. And how do you know those places aren't Orange blackspots too? Sadly there are plenty of places where there's still no signal on any network.

----------



Other big networks have always campaigned to keep H3G down so I'm sure that's a part of it.. I'm a big fan myself apart from the daily sales calls and call centre staff sometimes :)

Their coverage is pretty good IMO but not the best .. but the overall package more than makes up for it.

I wonder why they've campaigned to keep it down :rolleyes: :(

Orange doesn't have the best coverage either - what I do note is that I know exactly where the nearest masts are, about 400m away from me: and it's got Three, Vodafone, Orange, O2 all stuck together.
 

Pennine

macrumors 6502
Jan 17, 2008
250
0
Glossop UK
Tripe

I get no signal in several places near where I live due to no 3G

They turned off the orange 2g fallback a while ago

Data is good but I still need basic contact wherever I am

Thanks for confirming my previous post.
If you have an iPhone on the Three network try turning of your 3G ( in settings ) or mobile Internet/Data toggle.
See what happens?

----------

Tripe. Three has a national roaming agreement when there's no 3G coverage:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hutchison_3G#United_Kingdom

..you cannot use data in roaming mode however, calls only.

M

If you have an iPhone on the Three network try turning of your 3G ( in settings ) or mobile Internet/Data toggle.
See what happens?
 

jordanogrady

macrumors 6502
Jan 31, 2010
366
0
I'm debating the big change over to three...

I'm up in Doncaster, but have the worry about all this "no 3G, no signal at all" issue. Is this actually true? What is the signal like anyway, because if its good, then there shouldn't be a problem anyway?

I think in going to need unlimited data!

So debating 3's £12.90 plan, or T mobile £21 plan for unlimited?? Any advice?
 

monty77

macrumors 6502a
Mar 4, 2005
594
173
UK, South Coast
This is what I see when I switch off 3G .. look, it fell back to a 2G network that they do not have ;-)
 

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ct2k7

macrumors G3
Aug 29, 2008
8,361
3,434
London
Thanks for confirming my previous post.
If you have an iPhone on the Three network try turning of your 3G ( in settings ) or mobile Internet/Data toggle.
See what happens?

----------



If you have an iPhone on the Three network try turning of your 3G ( in settings ) or mobile Internet/Data toggle.
See what happens?

In my area, it doesn't fall back to GRPS/2G - Orange doesn't provide that here.

O2: UTMS-2100Mhz + GSM-800Mhz
Vodafone: GSM-900Mhz + UTMS-1800Mhz + GSM-2100Mhz
3: UTMS-1800Mhz
Orange: GSM-1800Mhz
 

monty77

macrumors 6502a
Mar 4, 2005
594
173
UK, South Coast
I'm debating the big change over to three...

I'm up in Doncaster, but have the worry about all this "no 3G, no signal at all" issue. Is this actually true? What is the signal like anyway, because if its good, then there shouldn't be a problem anyway?

I think in going to need unlimited data!

So debating 3's £12.90 plan, or T mobile £21 plan for unlimited?? Any advice?

Get a PAYG SIM and try it .. only way I'm afraid, you cannot believe any coverage maps. According to them my village has very patchy coverage but I get great signal and speeds.

M
 

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Pennine

macrumors 6502
Jan 17, 2008
250
0
Glossop UK
I'm debating the big change over to three...

I'm up in Doncaster, but have the worry about all this "no 3G, no signal at all" issue. Is this actually true? What is the signal like anyway, because if its good, then there shouldn't be a problem anyway?

I think in going to need unlimited data!

So debating 3's £12.90 plan, or T mobile £21 plan for unlimited?? Any advice?

Depends on your circumstances really. If Three have a good 3G signal in Doncaster and you live in the town and work in the town and don't really go anywhere else, say on business etc. You would be okay on Three. They certainly have the best prices!
 

bollyboy

macrumors regular
Apr 21, 2010
221
5
Manchester - UK
These kind of speeds are amazing...

Image

Why would you need LTE from EE. With 3 you have truly unlimited data!

I'm with Orange who are much slower at around 6Mbps down and 2Mbps up, I am now wondering if i will need 4G though as I find the above more than enough for browsing, Facebook and the usual Twitter stuff.

If more or less the same price I would go with 4G once EE switch on, but if much more expensive I would just leave it I think as EE from what I gather require you to start the contract again.
 
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