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iPhone 4 on "3" in UK - Any good?

craig1410 said:
The thing is, O2's network has had 3 years+ of iPhone traffic which has meant lots of upgrades along the way and good experience of dealing with high data consumption. Other operators may be still in the early stages of that surge in data traffic so there may yet be growing pains in the coming months with the iPhone 4 and iPad especially putting pressure on all the networks' 3G networks.

I've always found O2's 3G service to be solid if not spectacular.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Fair enough. I suppose it's location specific, much like other operators. I'm finding Vodafone a better all round performer.
 
I don't trust those coverage maps - it's a bit like those detergents that kill 99.9% of germs, lol.

I guess the only way to test the network out is to put a PAYG sim in - may have to do that as my phone is unlocked. I'm on O2 and it's been fine (Warwickshire and Reading mostly), even when I was watching Sky Mobile football games on 3G. Of course if there's a better option I'd love to have it.
 
It's a long one!

Trying to decide on a network is a very difficult thing as there are so many variables to consider. All of our experiences here are proof that what works well for one isn't so good for another so bare that in mind!

Here is my 2p though! I left 3 after about 4 years to move over to O2 as they were the only ones doing the iPhone at the time and, having served my time, have gone back to 3 for iPhone 4. Price wise they offer good value for money based on a 24 month contract and the handset price is very good too. I only had to put up £20 to get my 32GB after trading in my 16GB 3G.

First things first, network coverage. I my experience, and I mainly stick to urban areas, 3 have excellent coverage. As has been said already, they have their own towers which cover about 93% of the population. By the end of the year their sharing agreement with T-Mobile will be in place so they will offer about 98-99% 3G coverage. When you don't have a 3G signal they drop back onto the Orange 2G network (which seems to have better Edge coverage than O2). There is a slight delay in switching between the two but in general use it really doesn't get in the way for me. I have never dropped a call because of the switch in networks, maybe I just get lucky with the signal but I know some people do complain about it. At least 95% of the time (if I had to put a figure on it) my phone is on 3G. Just like O2, Network speeds do vary a lot I find, just like any network. You can get great speeds and not so great speeds - it is dependent on a lot of things isn't it. I also found, in comparison to O2, the actual signal coverage is a lot better. While doing some long trips away and having a phone on 3 and O2 side by side the 3 phone had a consistently better signal and most of the time it was 3G. There is no 3G off button as mentioned previously for the obvious reasons that 3 are based around a 3G network and it costs a lot more to host you on 2G. It might not be ideal for everyone but you can see their point.

3 don't offer any wi-fi access which you may find an issue though I found I rarely used it on O2, maybe at Starbucks or whatever so that wasn't a deal breaker for me. The data allowance on 3 is twice that on O2 at the lower price levels which is important for a lot of people too. Minutes and texts are better too, especially if you know someone on 3 as you get a couple of thousand mins for those calls.

Tethering is included and enabled in the usual way - data used comes out of your normal allowance. There is an internet filter on your access however. This is a bit wierd. They use the excuse that they are trying to be a responsible phone provider but direct you straight to their own porn portal if the block happens! Their mobile internet dongles don't do this and 3 are aware of this and are considering what they are going to do about it with an opt-in/out being a possibility. Currently there is no way around it though you can pay 99p to access their own porn content. I understand their filter isn't Einstein so will also block access to certain other sites too (as mentioned). You won't notice it in general use it is fair to say as I have never been blocked but I guess it depends what you are looking at. The only workaround that exists is using Opera Mini which bypasses any filter due to the way it works.

Customer services is one area where they could get things better but it isn't all doom and gloom. Generally you won't need to deal with them. I ported my number which was well handled and only took a 10 min call. It ported on the day they said without issue. I have over the years phoned for various things and think it is safe to describe some of my encounters with customer services as an adventure! The issue is that they use a call centre in Mumbai (I think) and while they are always very polite they work to a tight script. This, along with the occasional language barrier issues means getting your point across isn't alway easy. The result is usually quite a long call. My advice would be: be patient, be clear and be nice. I have always got my issues sorted in the end. I only used O2's customer service to cancel and get my PAC. They were great but if you scour the internet you will find lots of examples of shocking customer services from every provider!

Giffgaff and Tesco use O2 which is one of the reasons I didn't go with them as the network coverage just isn't good enough for me. They also don't allow call forwarding which means you lose visual voicemail and the ability to use something else. I use Hullomail on 3 and it works perfectly.

They are currently looking at providing an app to check your usage etc. but you can access My3 via their website so you can still check it. The link they put in your Safari favourites only works when you are on the 3 network and not on wi-fi though you can access the website via Safari too and bookmark the login page as an alternative.

Their return policy is a bit harsh but they are currently honouring the 30 day return policy as set out by Apple so it isn't too much of an issue for iPhone.

That is probably enough for now! I think the point is that all networks make mistakes and 3 is no exception. I can't make the choice for you as you know what is most important for you but hopefully this has helped a bit!
 
If you want to try 3, you can get a free PAYG microsim for the iPhone 4 HERE. Click on "Buy Now" for PAYG and it'll bring up an order form... it is free. (Note this is direct from the 3 site, it's not a referral or anything like that).

Then what I did was get 8 ringpulls from those promo Dr Pepper/Fanta drinks cans. Each one is worth 50p credit... free £4 right there :p (max of 8 per number). Buy a 50p internet daily addon and that should give you 24 hours internet access and work over tethering too just to sample the network.
 
craig1410 said:
Hi,

Or

Tesco - 750 any net mins, unlimited texts, 1GB data = 12 mths at £35 plus £229 for 16GB iPhone 4. After the 12 month contract I would go to a rolling 1 month SIM only contract at £15 or £20.

Free iPad tethering could swing me towards 3 again but it would need to work with the iPad and not just with a laptop via ad-hoc networking.

Anyone?

Thanks,
Craig.
Click to expand...

I went with Tesco because of the shorter contract term. In twelve months I can be shot of the iP4 and have the iP5 whereas I might be tied in for another year with the predictable effect on resale value, particularly if iP4 does turn out to be Apple's Vista with iP5 playing the Win 7 role.

As for the iPad, there is a decent 3 offer to be had for that as noted on hotukdeals. You might want a read of this.
 
Scoops said:
Trying to decide on a network is a very difficult thing as there are so many variables to consider. All of our experiences here are proof that what works well for one isn't so good for another so bare that in mind!

Here is my 2p though! I left 3 after about 4 years to move over to O2 as they were the only ones doing the iPhone at the time and, having served my time, have gone back to 3 for iPhone 4. Price wise they offer good value for money based on a 24 month contract and the handset price is very good too. I only had to put up £20 to get my 32GB after trading in my 16GB 3G.

First things first, network coverage. I my experience, and I mainly stick to urban areas, 3 have excellent coverage. As has been said already, they have their own towers which cover about 93% of the population. By the end of the year their sharing agreement with T-Mobile will be in place so they will offer about 98-99% 3G coverage. When you don't have a 3G signal they drop back onto the Orange 2G network (which seems to have better Edge coverage than O2). There is a slight delay in switching between the two but in general use it really doesn't get in the way for me. I have never dropped a call because of the switch in networks, maybe I just get lucky with the signal but I know some people do complain about it. At least 95% of the time (if I had to put a figure on it) my phone is on 3G. Just like O2, Network speeds do vary a lot I find, just like any network. You can get great speeds and not so great speeds - it is dependent on a lot of things isn't it. I also found, in comparison to O2, the actual signal coverage is a lot better. While doing some long trips away and having a phone on 3 and O2 side by side the 3 phone had a consistently better signal and most of the time it was 3G. There is no 3G off button as mentioned previously for the obvious reasons that 3 are based around a 3G network and it costs a lot more to host you on 2G. It might not be ideal for everyone but you can see their point.

3 don't offer any wi-fi access which you may find an issue though I found I rarely used it on O2, maybe at Starbucks or whatever so that wasn't a deal breaker for me. The data allowance on 3 is twice that on O2 at the lower price levels which is important for a lot of people too. Minutes and texts are better too, especially if you know someone on 3 as you get a couple of thousand mins for those calls.

Tethering is included and enabled in the usual way - data used comes out of your normal allowance. There is an internet filter on your access however. This is a bit wierd. They use the excuse that they are trying to be a responsible phone provider but direct you straight to their own porn portal if the block happens! Their mobile internet dongles don't do this and 3 are aware of this and are considering what they are going to do about it with an opt-in/out being a possibility. Currently there is no way around it though you can pay 99p to access their own porn content. I understand their filter isn't Einstein so will also block access to certain other sites too (as mentioned). You won't notice it in general use it is fair to say as I have never been blocked but I guess it depends what you are looking at. The only workaround that exists is using Opera Mini which bypasses any filter due to the way it works.

Customer services is one area where they could get things better but it isn't all doom and gloom. Generally you won't need to deal with them. I ported my number which was well handled and only took a 10 min call. It ported on the day they said without issue. I have over the years phoned for various things and think it is safe to describe some of my encounters with customer services as an adventure! The issue is that they use a call centre in Mumbai (I think) and while they are always very polite they work to a tight script. This, along with the occasional language barrier issues means getting your point across isn't alway easy. The result is usually quite a long call. My advice would be: be patient, be clear and be nice. I have always got my issues sorted in the end. I only used O2's customer service to cancel and get my PAC. They were great but if you scour the internet you will find lots of examples of shocking customer services from every provider!

Giffgaff and Tesco use O2 which is one of the reasons I didn't go with them as the network coverage just isn't good enough for me. They also don't allow call forwarding which means you lose visual voicemail and the ability to use something else. I use Hullomail on 3 and it works perfectly.

They are currently looking at providing an app to check your usage etc. but you can access My3 via their website so you can still check it. The link they put in your Safari favourites only works when you are on the 3 network and not on wi-fi though you can access the website via Safari too and bookmark the login page as an alternative.

Their return policy is a bit harsh but they are currently honouring the 30 day return policy as set out by Apple so it isn't too much of an issue for iPhone.

That is probably enough for now! I think the point is that all networks make mistakes and 3 is no exception. I can't make the choice for you as you know what is most important for you but hopefully this has helped a bit!
Click to expand...

Very fair and accurate review, I would say. I've got an iPhone 4 with 3 and I've had no issues with it so far (touch wood!) except for them delivering the phone without a microsim, meaning I had to go to the store to pick one up (annoying, but they did credit my account £20 for the inconvenience).

I'm up in Newcastle and 3G coverage is excellent--I've never seen my phone leave 3G, but then, I don't wander too far away from the centre.

I haven't come across the filtering yet, so it's not an issue for me. With regards to not being able to turn 3G off, you always have the option of turning cellular data off altogether in the settings (if you're going abroad).
 
I've moved to 3 from O2 last month. I decided on the Rolling 30 day £15 a month sim, it's a good deal.
My main reasons for switching to 3:

  • 1GB data (Most carriers are only offering 500mb on a rolling contract)
  • Faster 3G speeds
  • Free Tethering

The signal coverage in my home area is not great with 3. I get one bar 3G which disappears when I touch the iPhone 4's weak spot, I've had two dropped calls from this (but that's another story). It will reconnect to Oranges GPRS/E network but it's not instant.

I wasn't too happy with 3 Carrier profile switching off the option to turn 3G off, but you can choose GPRS/Edge only in settings>carrier and choosing 3 NOT 3(3G), unsure if this will help with battery because as far I can tell the 3G radio is still on.

I was also very unhappy with the content filter. It seems so ridiculous. However after some searching around I found this: http://www.3g.co.uk/3GForum/showpost.php?p=451521&postcount=129

This is basically saying you can get around the filter by switching your Internet add on from internet Max to X-series Silver. They both cost the same with the same 1GB data allowance but the X-series does not have the filter (or has a less obtrusive filter). I left a message on 3 blogs page (http://blog.three.co.uk/ - The mods are very active here and will contact you with any problems you have) asking if this is widely practised by 3. I received an email response the next day asking what number and at what time is best to contact me. 3 phoned me up later that day asking how they can help. The CS operator was very helpful, she cancelled my previous add on (internet max) and added the X-series silver.

Since then I have not seen the Content filter page. Say what you will about 3's CS but i've had absolutely not problems with them, they've solved all of my problems.

Next is Speed. I've had mixed results with 3's speeds. The fastest i've got from them so far is 1.98 mb Down and 1.48 MB Up. To me this is amazing and sometimes Surpasses my home internet Speeds (I live in a rural area and quite far from my exchange). I have noticed considerable slow down in the evening whilst at work (where I get constant 4 bar signal - Dropping to 2 with the weak spot) Sometimes I'll get Time out errors, I'm assuming this is due to network overload as a lot of people use 3 as their broadband provider near my Work. 3 are supposedly upgrading all their equipment to handle these peak times, but time will tell if this is true.

Overall I'm very happy with my transition to 3. But they do need to sort out the network switching from 3G to Edge/GPRS to avoid dropped calls and to upgrade their equipment to avoid slow down and overloading at peak times.

Hope this help you in your decision!
 
Hi guys,

Thanks to all of you for some excellent feedback. I really appreciate you taking time to respond, in some cases very lengthy responses... :D

However, enough talking, I've taken the plunge and bought a 32GB iPhone 4 from Tesco mobile on a £35pm contract with £299 up front payment. To me this is a pretty good deal in pure financial terms taking the network issues to one side for a moment.

Comparing the deals:

Three - £189 + £30pm x 24mths = £909
Tesco - £299 + £35pm x 12mths + (£15pm x 12mths) = £899

Both deals include more minutes than I need and more texts than I need and 1GB of data which should be plenty. Tesco include WiFi which I do use sometimes in airports etc.

I also get clubcard points on both the purchase and the monthly contract payments with Tesco and we do tend to use our clubcard points for weekends away etc. The 24 month contract with 3 really puts me off, especially because, given the comments earlier in this thread, it is possible that I might not enjoy the 3 experience. In the end I'm sticking with O2 (effectively) I don't care about Visual Voicemail as I've almost never used it. Tethering would be nice but not essential.

As someone mentioned, I will be free to upgrade to an iPhone 5 in 12 months time and that could turn out to be useful depending on how things go with the iPhone 4.

The iPhone 4 is great, I really love the screen and the speed. Tesco were very fast to deal with although I was very lucky to find a phone at the first attempt! I was going to get a 16GB model but the 32GB was in stock and was only £70 extra. Another bonus point for Tesco because 3 charge £90 extra for the 32GB phone.

Anyway, I hope that those of you who spoke up for 3 don't take offence at my decision. It was a close run thing but in the end it was a case of better the devil you know than the devil you don't. I'm also still a bit sore at 3 for a previous refusal to repair a phone under warranty for dubious water damage but that's another story. O2 on the other hand are in my good books for refunding £40 for extra data roaming charges as I mentioned elsewhere.

Thanks to all once again.
Craig.
:)
 
I’ve been with a number of networks and they’re all pretty much simlar in service delivery and after care support, not all cs agents are the same and customer care is an area where consistency is unheard of.

What network may be right for one wouldn’t be for someone else coverage is highly dependant on your location without pointing the obvious!

O2 coverage was laughable at best, I’m from Rochdale, but even when you’re roaming in the North West, Liverpool, Bradford, Manchester maybe it’s the locations I visit I would barely get a 3G signal the same scenario at home. Orange however was brilliant, their 3G wasn’t brilliant but reception was extremely good. They are slow to answer the phones and I have been kept waiting numerous times for as little as 30 minutes.

Moving on to 3, I have had great results from these guys, coverage, service and overall experience has been brilliant. At work and home, download speeds are usually around the 2.4mb mark uploads of 1.7mb, a vast improvement over O2 and Orange!

There have been instances where the phone switches to 2G and I can’t get to data however it does change it back to 3G very quickly.

Customer service has been great so far, I have emailed the Executive Office regarding the App Store issue over 3G and I’m told it’s currently under investigation and they will keep me updated. They’ve called back when I’ve put the phone down on them whilst at the office!

A few questions…

1) Are there any APN settings which can be used when the phone enters 2G mode?
2) I need to enquire about the Internet Blocking, are you charged extra for the replacement product?

Sometimes you don't have a choice of network operator like O2 for example I just can't get a 3G signal when at home.

Thanks!
 
i have been with Orange, Tmobile and 3 on contracts. Orange was the worst experience by far in terms of customer care and billing (they kept sending bills to the wrong addresses), Tmobile were a solid good and i would recommend them however they have become overpriced and their deals are not as good. With 3 the customer care in shops have been awesome, the deals are amazing in comparison to every other network and i have had no signal drops at all (with or without a case). My entire family has switched and there has been no issue what so ever! Highly recommended. just my pov. good luck :D
 
vito said:
1) Are there any APN settings which can be used when the phone enters 2G mode?
2) I need to enquire about the Internet Blocking, are you charged extra for the replacement product?
Click to expand...

Are you using 3internet as the APN ?

three.co.uk APN allows 3G and 2G data but content may be filtered. Three mentioned on their blog recently that you can request disabling of the content filter. This is the APN used by the three official carrier update.

3internet APN doesn't allow 2G data but shouldn't be content filtered.
 
With 3's new iPhone profile you can not edit the Apn settings. I've had no problems with internet since changing from the internet Max to X-series silver.

There should be no additional charge for this as long as you ask to remove your previous Internet add on and replace it with the X-series silver. For me this is because they both cost £5 a month which is included in my rolling contract.
 
On o2 I couldn't get anything other than GPRS at home, at work or in town. I got edge if I went a few miles towards Aberdeen, and could get 3G in Aberdeen itself, that's about it. On three I get 4bar 3G upstairs, full edge downstairs, full 3G outside my house, at my work, in town, most of the way to Aberdeen and in Aberdeen itself. And I get 1.7mbps on 3 upstairs at home, my landline broadband is 512kbps, and I've used iPhone tethering to download a combo update for my macs on that, just so it dosnt take all night
 
So how do you enable tethering on Three? My wife has a 3G with Three. When she asked about it at the Three Shop she was told they don't support it and (wink wink) to jailbreak the phone. I'm seriously thinking about switching to Three, and if tethering is included, it might just seal the deal.
 
Thanks Oli. Do you have to pay extra for that? I need tethering so infrequently it's not worth paying for, but when I need it, it could be quite useful. I really don't see why I should have to pay extra for it, since it should be part of my download allowance.
 
craig1410 said:
Hi,
I'm sure this has been asked before but searching for "3" isn't easy on the forum so apologies.

I'm with O2 currently and my iPhone 3G 18mth contract is finished. I transferred to the £20pm simplicity 1 month rolling contract a few months ago. I'm now looking to but an iPhone 4 16GB and it seems clear that the deal with 3 mobile is the best value. (£99 + £30pm for 500 min, 5000 txt, 5000 3to3mins and 1GB data)

However, poor customer service issues aside (I'm aware of 3's reputation for this), can anyone tell me from first hand experience how 3 compares to O2 in terms of real-world coverage and perhaps just as importantly performance whilst within coverage? O2 is pretty good generally (although not at my home...) and performance is good when in a 3G covered location but I'd be very interested to hear from anyone who was on O2 and is now on 3.

Thanks,
Craig.
Click to expand...

Craig, I actually work for '3' and have sold loads of them, only one complaint was a faulty camera. My non biased view is that for data speeds it is the best network by far! But....... The customer service (on the phone) is sub human at times lol. I myself am on o2 as 1. I get friends & family
discount and 2. After calling customer service on behalf of other people allday the last thing I want to do is ring my Mumbai colleagues when at home :p

Conclusion:
+ best deals on high street value-wise
+ fastest data speeds

- poor telephone customer service
- possible drop outs of reception in rural areas.

Hope that helps.
 
Why don't you move to America where you don't get a choice.

I was with Three and as other people have said - it takes soo long to switch 3G to 2G, so calls are dropped if you are moving around (as you do with a MOBILE phone), then it takes 5 mins to reconnect and call them back. O2 is way better.
 
Choosing a network is a very subjective matter so no one can hands down claim Three to be the best or the worst. You can only go by the facts and make your own decision. They have the fastest, and largest 3G network but it's best you check their coverage in your area by visiting their site. If it's good, I atleast recommend you consider Three.

Personally I don't understand why everyone is quick to criticise their customer service, yes they're based in India but they are by no means incomprehensible. CS aside, they provide a very feature rich package. I believe their 24month plan offers the most perks including free tethering.

Again, it's up to you. If you are not too fussed about minutes and texts and would like an iPhone 5 for next year, then go for Tesco. If you want a plan that offers most value then Three is the one..
 
So I've taken the plunge and got a Three sim to try out. Is tethering possible? If so, how?
 
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