Vodafone and Three Merging Networks to Form UK's Largest Mobile Operator

[one more]

Whenever I go back to the UK, I am always shocked at how terrible their networks perform. Seriously....it's garbage. 5G is next to useless, and 4G runs no better than 2-4Mbps. It's truly terrible. I put it down to population density, but that just means that the operators simply are not providing the necessary bandwidth capacity. London, for example, is atrocious!

 

[RickDEGH]

if Vodafone UK is anything like Vodafone Germany then good luck! they are the worst

Funny enough I just found out they now offer 1000mb/s fibre optics internet connection for my house. Unfortunately I have a two-year contract with Bavaria provider M-Net, which at the time was the only provider offering 50mb/s; everyone else offered 16mb/s. I’m tempted to go with them concurrently.

 

[copydeskcat]

I think these combined UK user/subscriber figures across the major networks are a tad wonky. 71m? There’s only about 68m people live in the UK, and they don’t all have cellphones…

 

[ghanwani]

please, someone, explain to me how megamergers like this (Warner Bros. Discovery, Microsoft/Activision Blizzard…I can see an argument for Sprint/T-Mobile because they both had sucky reception before the merger, but AT&T/Verizon still hold quite the mobile telecom duopoly) are good (edit: "great!") for competition

I would try to explain, but I don't think you will understand. haha

 

[ghanwani]

God, I hate mergers like this where they sound all schmoozy and then end up firing **** tonnes of people and shortly hiking prices.

You left out the part where the actual service quality goes down the tubes.

These days most personal calls and texts are on WhatsApp.

 

[topdrawer]

that 3 is a real logo for a company people give their money to?

 

[211]

If it goes ahead, I dread what it will become. Vodafone is the most expensive carrier and has the most complicated plans. Three has the worst coverage. This merger is only about making more money and not about improving those things

 

[CorvusFox]

3 might as well not have a network currently. In any major population centre they are so completely over subscribed that you'll get good signal but can't actually make a call or do anything online. Vodafone were great back in the 2G days, but never really built out their network for 3G, let alone 4G and 5G. Reducing the number of competitors never increased competition either, that's utter nonsense and the complete opposite of what will happen. Same thing happened when T-Mobile and Orange merged, same when BT bought EE, prices only went up, QOS went down and all the other providers increased their prices to match.

 

[GigabitEthernet]

This is like T-Mobile (at the time #3) and Sprint (at the time #4) merging.

The problem with this merger will be getting approval from the CMA since they blocked Three from buying O2 back in 2016.

EU blocks Three's takeover of O2

The European Competition commission blocks Telefonica's sale of O2 to Three owner CK Hutchison.

www.bbc.com

No they didn't. The EU did.

 

[hippyeverafter]

Anybody in the UK old enough to remember Margaret Thatcher?, She privatised anything that moved saying it would increase competition and bring down prices!. That went well didn't it, Not.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

If it doubles the signal it might be worth it…EE are king still.

They are about on par with Vodafone in Wales for coverage but with slightly better deals on Vodafone despite EE having a huge HQ in Merthyr. It will be good now hopefully with the merger as Three is hit and miss on its own.

 

[yourmn]

I think these combined UK user/subscriber figures across the major networks are a tad wonky. 71m? There’s only about 68m people live in the UK, and they don’t all have cellphones…

Businesses need to be included in this figure too don’t forget, some people have multiple lines etc too

 

[N0ughtsAndCr0sses]

I think these combined UK user/subscriber figures across the major networks are a tad wonky. 71m? There’s only about 68m people live in the UK, and they don’t all have cellphones…

So many people have both a work phone and a personal one. Or some who sell drugs have burners and their personal phones. Etc.

LE: go outside, the colours are better than your screen’s.

 

[AdamHarbour]

God, I hate mergers like this where they sound all schmoozy and then end up firing **** tonnes of people and shortly hiking prices.

Probably not many jobs to lose ! All done by overseas script jockeys , no such thing as customer service in the uk any more 🤷‍♂️

 

[mikeenglish]

Whenever I go back to the UK, I am always shocked at how terrible their networks perform. Seriously....it's garbage. 5G is next to useless, and 4G runs no better than 2-4Mbps. It's truly terrible. I put it down to population density, but that just means that the operators simply are not providing the necessary bandwidth capacity. London, for example, is atrocious!

We’ll there goes your argument out the window! (London, VOXI)

 

[Gut Emblem]

What hasn’t been mentioned is how terrible the Vodafone customer service is, surpassed only by Three. I once spent a month trying to get a PAC code (when you had to contact the operator directly) from Three. I tried Smarty (3 MVNO) from my new home, 54mbps down 1.75 mbps up at 7am, by 10am down 38mbps down 0.94 mbps up. EE is a regular 120/30.

If anyone wants EE’s 4G/5G at a reduced cost, try 1P Mobile (EE MVNO), absolutely no difference in speed & PAYG.

 

[Teppic24]

Three promised not to re-introduce roaming charges after Brexit, and then re-introduced roaming charges. Vodafone said that they wouldn’t (although hiding behind the statement of “no plans to introduce roaming charges”) and then did also. So when they both say that it’s “great for consumers” you’ll forgive me if I take that statement with the contents of a rather large salt mine.

Prices will increase, that’s for sure.

 

[GigabitEthernet]

I got 450Mbps on O2 just yesterday, what a load of nonsense

 

[Gengar]

Try Germany 😅 I am supposed to be with the network with the best coverage (Telekom) and the amount of times I still see the Edge symbol is ridiculous 🙈 2 weeks in Spain: nothing but LTE everywhere, even in the mountains outside of Barcelona. Back home in Berlin, EDGE between the airport and the city

T-Mobile still has EDGE in the US too. Though you rarely ever see it. Great 5G coverage though.

I prefer AT&T as their network is just entirely 4G LTE and 5G NR.

 

[VampyricGentleman]

I think these combined UK user/subscriber figures across the major networks are a tad wonky. 71m? There’s only about 68m people live in the UK, and they don’t all have cellphones…

The way numbers are allocated in the UK would mean Phones, Watches, iPads and other tablets, some computers and mobile Wi-Fi devices, all have phone numbers so they may be included. Also if the firm I contract to are anything to go by many firms will have issued out mobile phones to staff during the pandemic who are still working from home and in need of a phone number for work only.

 

[naltst*]

If this brings visual voicemail to 3 I’ll be happy!

 

[Ctrlos]

Whenever I go back to the UK, I am always shocked at how terrible their networks perform. Seriously....it's garbage. 5G is next to useless, and 4G runs no better than 2-4Mbps. It's truly terrible. I put it down to population density, but that just means that the operators simply are not providing the necessary bandwidth capacity. London, for example, is atrocious!

Really? I regularly get 500mb+ on O2 in the centre of London and at least 200mb elsewhere. The only time I get bad reception is inside faraday cage buildings like metal framed supermarkets.

 

[BlackBun]

GiffGaff all the way. 💖

 

[ct2k7]

Whenever I go back to the UK, I am always shocked at how terrible their networks perform. Seriously....it's garbage. 5G is next to useless, and 4G runs no better than 2-4Mbps. It's truly terrible. I put it down to population density, but that just means that the operators simply are not providing the necessary bandwidth capacity. London, for example, is atrocious!

Sounds like you roamed onto 3 in London. Anything is better than 3 in London.

 

[beanbaguk]

Try Germany 😅 I am supposed to be with the network with the best coverage (Telekom) and the amount of times I still see the Edge symbol is ridiculous 🙈 2 weeks in Spain: nothing but LTE everywhere, even in the mountains outside of Barcelona. Back home in Berlin, EDGE between the airport and the city

Well, I can attest to Spain having great coverage. I’ll never forget trying 5G for the first time 🤣