UK members - network choice question

[luke707]

Hi

I'm looking to get a new iPhone 4 as soon as I come back from holiday in a few weeks time but I'm struggling to decide between Orange and Three...

I am currently with Orange (non-iPhone) and pay £35 per month. Three offer almost the same tariff for £30 a month (24 month contract though) and comparing their £30 a month plan with the Orange £35 a month plan, the Three choice still seems better (cheaper handset cost, + cheaper monthly cost + more data)

However...

I have purchaed a PAYG Three 3G phone to see what their network is like, and although in the areas I am the most their 3G is better than Orange, their actual phone signal is not. It's slightly worse than Orange's.

Does anyone know if Three are teaming up with any networks in the near future like Organge and T-Mobile to make their signal stronger?

Does anyone use Three in the Bristol and London area? Opinions?

I know Three customer service is rubbish but I have a friend who works there so they can help me out if needed.

 

[TBR]

3 Mobile

Apparently if the 3G signal from three is bad it falls back to the orange 2G network, so I would go with 3 myself (I have and I'm counting the hours till I get home to open it)

 

[TheIt]

For me... 3's 3G coverage is brilliant.


However when I turn the 3G off... I don't get Edge or anything else.


Weird...

 

[ruk110]

i was with orange and i got sick of their network coverage and services, i left them and now i am with vodafone- no problems,great signal. but out of the two i would personally go for three, because they have substantially improved their signal stuff. only reason i went with vodafone is because a friend was sorting out a cheappp asss deal for me!sweet!

 

[RA19]

I've been exploring the differences myself & for the time being I've decided to stay with my 3GS with an O2 Simplicity tariff - it's a 30 day only contract & I get 600mins, 1200 txts & unlimited data for £20.

I guess without putting a sim in from each of the major networks it's difficult to tell, but be careful of the subsidiary add-ons e.g. when I send an MMS on my Simplicity deal it uses 4 standard text messages. 3 charge 20p per MMS & Vodafone a whopping 36p !!!

O2 is only network with Visual Voicemail - the others won't be investing in the technology to get it. That's fine if you're happy dialing a number to get your messages (OR there is a free app called Hullomail which works like VV).

Likewise the 59p app called What'sApp allows you to send txts, mms, video, audio etc. (provided the person your calling has the app too - think it's available on Blackberry and Nokia now).

Tough choices!

 

[davidhawkins123]

i'm with giffgaff they use 02 network and are super cheap

they dont do contracts the do "goodybags" which last for 1 month

£10 - 100 mins unlimited texts & data

£15 - 300 mins unlimited texts & data

£35 unlimited everything

you also have credit incase you use all you mins

you can even earn money from them by helping the community in the forums