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UK Thread- Which network will you get IPhone 5?


  • Total voters
    255
  • Poll closed .
I moved from New York City a few years ago and have tried all the UK networks - vodafone, O2, Orange and Three. In terms of overall performance, three has been the best for me, followed by Vodafone, O2 and Orange. While very occasionally I don't get coverage with Three, most of the time I do and data speeds are fast and reliable. Vodafone seemed to have slightly better coverage in terms of voice signal, but I often only had EDGE and 3G speeds were generally slower than Three. O2 was fine for voice, but data speeds and coverage not great. Orange I don't even want to talk about.

It all depends on where you are and where you spend most of your time. For me, in and between Oxford and London with trips to Reading and Bristol, Three is by far the best. Not to mention their £15/month 300mins/3000texts/unlimited data and tethering is a great deal. Since data is unlimited, I often just use viber or VOIP and Skype instead of my minutes.

And no, I don't work for Three. Compared to New York AT&T Three is a dream! But compared to Three in Sweden, Three in the UK lags far behind in terms of speeds and coverage. It's all relative, but I'm quite satisfied with what I get for £15/month.
 
That's the £15/month on pay as you
Go previos post is referring to.

The exact same tariff I have.

Which I am quite satisfied with too.
 
Im rocking T mobile again, got my iphone sim free and on a sim only deal

£12.50pm 600mins, unlimited text & internet with tethering plus 120mins international mins boaster

always get the best deals when renewing from the cancellation dept
 
O2, can't see myself switching to another network anytime soon to be honest. Always been more than happy with their service (customer service and also voice/text/data).
 
http://www.quidco.com/three/

All the cashback offers on quidco for THREE network

Quidco are giving £115 cashback for the one plan limited time only Few days left! If you order now you can still get it by oct 14th

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Im rocking T mobile again, got my iphone sim free and on a sim only deal

£12.50pm 600mins, unlimited text & internet with tethering plus 120mins international mins boaster

always get the best deals when renewing from the cancellation dept

That's a sweet deal...but have to be on t mobile before to get this
 
I changed over from 3 to GiffGaff some weeks ago and I'm very pleased - so I'll be putting my GG SIM into my iPhone 4S when it arrives on Friday :)

Over the years I've used all the networks, I think 3 was pretty much the best of them all - very quick, tethering, not bad customer service ... but they can't beat GiffGaff for price (despite me spending 45 minutes on the phone when I called for my PAC code!).

For £10 a month GG offers unlimited (really unlimited) mobile data, unlimited texts, 250 minutes - all on the O2 network which I've found to be really pretty good.
 
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http://www.quidco.com/three/

All the cashback offers on quidco for THREE network

Quidco are giving £115 cashback for the one plan limited time only Few days left! If you order now you can still get it by oct 14th

----------



That's a sweet deal...but have to be on t mobile before to get this

Takes ages for quidco to be paid out as well. I'd be tempted to go for it though, but I much prefer O2 over Three.
 
i chose to do an early upgrade on my vodaphone contract

£46 a month which i will use all of the mins and data

£35 early upgrade fee and £50 for the phone,

but with the £69 credit on my next bill for pre ordering the 4s its only costing

£16 :D

i just hope it comes by friday now seeing as i only did all this on sunday
 
Takes ages for quidco to be paid out as well. I'd be tempted to go for it though, but I much prefer O2 over Three.

I just pre-ordered the 32gig Iphone 4S through quidco.

It was supposed to track as £109 cashback but its tracking at £149, so happy days.

I have used quidco for previous mobile contracts and never had a problem.

I went for "the one plan" with three for £35 a month. Was previously with O2 but switched to 3 last year because I couldn't get a 3G signal in my area with O2.
 
I just pre-ordered the 32gig Iphone 4S through quidco.

It was supposed to track as £109 cashback but its tracking at £149, so happy days.

I have used quidco for previous mobile contracts and never had a problem.

I went for "the one plan" with three for £35 a month. Was previously with O2 but switched to 3 last year because I couldn't get a 3G signal in my area with O2.

Didn't say that it wouldn't track or that there would be a problem...just said it takes a while for the money to be paid out, that's all.
 
Didn't say that it wouldn't track or that there would be a problem...just said it takes a while for the money to be paid out, that's all.

Yes I think it took a month or two in the past.

I always check quidco now though, its definitely worthwhile doing.

I had the option of just upgrading my current contract, but for the sake of £150 I just gave notice on that one and started a new one through quidco to get the cashback.

Its kinda annoying that the mobile providers can't offer you the same deal, as they are obviously paying that cash over to quidco anyway.

Its just a mess around now to retain the same mobile number. It can be done but you have to jump through a few hoops to do it. Still I'd rather have that £150 even if I had to take a new number.
 
Still not sure whether to go with gifgaff (my sim arrived today) or 3 and their One Plan. Would like to tether as wifi signal at home doesn't cover the main bedroom, so the One Plan might be winning at the moment but what sort of download speeds can I expect whilst tethering?
 
Still not sure whether to go with gifgaff (my sim arrived today) or 3 and their One Plan. Would like to tether as wifi signal at home doesn't cover the main bedroom, so the One Plan might be winning at the moment but what sort of download speeds can I expect whilst tethering?

ever thought of a wifi repeater/extender?
 
Yes but another reason I was considering a plan which allows tethering is that I've got a download limit and due to my house's location speeds are poor. Whether I do this depends on the speeds achievable when tethering.
 
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Yes but another reason I was considering a plan which allows tethering is that I've got a download limit and due to my house's location speeds are poor. Whether I do this depends on the speeds achievable when tethering.

Well with the iphone 4 on the 3 network I am getting download speeds of 5.5Mbps (thats 710kB/s) and upload of 1.4 Mbps (187.5kB/s).

It may be more or less based on you location though and also the 4S supports a theoretical doubling of the download speed. Depends if the network will support it though.
 

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Giffgaff (O2). Good speeds but has dead 3G spots in rural towns around here.

No contract. I pay £10 per month for unlimited calls to GiffGaff, unlimited data (AUP applies) and 350 minutes and unlimited texts. Plus free calls to 0800 numbers, it's the most competitive tariff around.

But, if you want a 4S you'll have to pay up front for it. (although this still works out cheaper over 12 months compared to the other networks, even O2 directly).
 
Well with the iphone 4 on the 3 network I am getting download speeds of 5.5Mbps (thats 710kB/s) and upload of 1.4 Mbps (187.5kB/s).

It may be more or less based on you location though and also the 4S supports a theoretical doubling of the download speed. Depends if the network will support it though.

Nice!

Yes, Three UK support HSPA+ and I believe that O2 is getting it rolled out too at the moment?

All the best,

Mike
 
Just had a txt from "3 mobile" to say they are updating the network in my area on the 14th...

That can only mean HSPDA plus in my opinion which is awesome, especially as I now have an unlimited data plan :D
 

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Just had a txt from "3 mobile" to say they are updating the network in my area on the 14th...

That can only mean HSPDA plus in my opinion which is awesome, especially as I now have an unlimited data plan :D

It will be :D my area got done few weeks ago. :)
 
going to get it on o2, 12 month contract - 1200 mins.
works out to be 52 pound a month and £140 for the 32gb.

52*12= 624
624+140 = 764
764-600 (cost of phone) = 164
164\12 = 13.3 a month

13.67 a month for 1200mins, unltd texts and 500mb data. not bad
 
Tesco have smacked it with their low prices even beating three and even cheaper then giffgaff with their £10/month with sim free iPhone beat that giffgaff...and three lol

So tesco or their fans say!

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/iphone-4s-cheapest-price-yet-from-tesco-mobile-50005624/



""

""We're impressed with Tesco's prices, especially the 12-month deals. They're not only cheaper than any of the other networks by total cost, they're even cheaper than buying an unlocked 4S and putting a Giffgaff SIM in it, previously the cheapest option by a country mile.

Giffgaff offers unlimited data over 3G, but Tesco offers unlimited Wi-Fi when you're out and about. It's six of one, half a dozen of the other -- adding up to a great deal for you. Both networks use O2's signal, so if O2 reception is decent round your way these are seriously bargainous options.""

""
 
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