UK People: I'm moving to the UK for 4yrs - App/Service recommendations??

[Cyclone Chris]

Hi there,

I'm going to be moving to the Suffolk area this September for about 4 years. More than likely I'll live around Bury St. Edmunds, New Market and Lakenheath Village.

I'm just looking for App Store and service carrier recommendations for my iPhone 4 to make my initial few days easy to get around.

As far as service goes, should I just buy a SIM card as soon as I arrive in Heathrow? Vodafone, 3, O2, or Orange? I definetaly need some decent 3G service.

So far I have downloaded a couple of UK apps: UK Property and FindaProperty to aid in my search for a rental home.

Would you guys recommend any other apps to navigate through the tubes, ferries, roads, driving test, MOT's, and anything else that a tourist would find helpful.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[juncouk]

I assume you're coming from the US?

I moved here to the UK a few years ago. London, not where you're going.

I do most of my iTunes shopping using my US credit card/bank accounts because it is slightly cheaper than the UK store. I had to create a UK iTunes account for original activation and occasionally log in so that I can buy apps not available to the US, like Ocado and Tesco.

As for UK specific apps, Rightmove is a good property app (and website, for that matter). If you'll spend time on public transport in London, Tube Deluxe and London Bus are essential.

Hard to say what coverage is like in Suffolk. I'm on O2 here and it's fine. I did have issues on a trip to Edinburgh - 3G seemed difficult to find up there - but unless you find someone in Suffolk to give their opinion, you may need to risk it. Overall it seems like the UK doesn't have nearly the amount of coverage/dropping issues you poor AT&T customers suffer through.

 

[0dev]

You can use your current iTunes Store account no problem, assuming your credit cards are still valid.

As for network (that's what we call carriers here ), I advise you to stay away from O2, their 3G network is unreliable. The network you want will be the one with best coverage in your area, obviously. Orange is known for having good signal in rural areas. I suggest you check coverage maps to be sure, though.

 

[Cyclone Chris]

I assume you're coming from the US?

I moved here to the UK a few years ago. London, not where you're going.

I do most of my iTunes shopping using my US credit card/bank accounts because it is slightly cheaper than the UK store. I had to create a UK iTunes account for original activation and occasionally log in so that I can buy apps not available to the US, like Ocado and Tesco.

As for UK specific apps, Rightmove is a good property app (and website, for that matter). If you'll spend time on public transport in London, Tube Deluxe and London Bus are essential.

Hard to say what coverage is like in Suffolk. I'm on O2 here and it's fine. I did have issues on a trip to Edinburgh - 3G seemed difficult to find up there - but unless you find someone in Suffolk to give their opinion, you may need to risk it. Overall it seems like the UK doesn't have nearly the amount of coverage/dropping issues you poor AT&T customers suffer through.

Yes, I'll be coming from the US. So you can actually run multiple iTunes accounts on the same phone? That's good news.

My AT&T service in Georgia is quite reliable, especially since I just sold my house and moved in the new apartment. I have a tower outside my window and usually see 3500 kpbs / 1250 kbps up.

I'll make sure I'll download the apps you recommended. I tried to find Rightmove in the U.S. App Store, but no luck. I guess I need a UK account. Would it be possible for someone to send the .ipa?

 

[jimc]

I can second that recommendation for Orange. I visited my family in Mildenhall a month ago and my 3G iPad had good reception and decent speeds.

I would definitely stay away from O2. Their weird proxying and re-compression of graphic files adds an annoying 1998 feel to the web.

As for somewhere to live, I'd recommend Bury (or Cambridge if you can handle the commute). Lakenheath, Mildenhall, Newmarket, etc are nice enough but very small and grow old very quickly.

Hope that helps,
Jim (raised in Suffolk, currently exiled to Edinburgh, Scotland )

 

[dissa9]

I have recently bought an iPhone 4 from apple and have been trying out the various networks for 3G performance via pay as you go.

For where I live in the north west there is no doubt that 3 gives by far the best 3G performance and from the tests I have performed they have much quicker network speeds in terms off download and upload.

It wasn't even close, 3 has really surprised me.

 

[0dev]

I have recently bought an iPhone 4 from apple and have been trying out the various networks for 3G performance via pay as you go.

For where I live in the north west there is no doubt that 3 gives by far the best 3G performance and from the tests I have performed they have much quicker network speeds in terms off download and upload.

It wasn't even close, 3 has really surprised me.

3 do have good speeds these days, but beware their customer service.

 

[androiphone]

sim cards are dirt cheap and if you have to buy one then thats because you have to buy the top up along with it.

I would say get a few sim cards from the different networks and try them all out when you get here, some networks have good deals on data 3 mobile has 1GB for £5 valid for 30 days and is able to be used on anything including skype (might be good for calling home) and iplayer or youtube, they also have the best 3g coverage over any network.

all the networks can send you a payandgo sim for free when you get a house here, personally I would say when you get here buy a 3 mobile sim, put a tenner on it and buy the £5 internet max addon its valid for 30 days and would give you a temporary solution for you to get settled esp as you may need more data the first week than calls or texts, you could then get some free payandgo sims sent to you and if 3mobile doesnt cut it with you just try another network.

as for the uk apps, go to the uk store and try to buy a free app when it asks you to sign in click create new account and input your info selecting 'none' for payment you will need a to fond a uk postcode and address though.

 

[androiphone]

3 do have good speeds these days, but beware their customer service.

if you go payandgo you wouldnt need to call them as everything can be done online through your my3 account that you can set up, but you dont even have to do that as the sims work without activation.

if you ever want to cancel a payandgo sim you just stop using the sim you dont tell the network.