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Which UK network

L

leehal

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 30, 2009
73
7
I originally had an iphone with O2 and wasn't very impressed with their 3G network, things improved when I went PAYG on Orange, the downside with Orange where I live (Durham) is their network for calls is poor.

Before I take the plunge and order the new iPhone does anyone have any comments on using Vodafone for the iPhone - I know the telephone network for them is good where I live, not sure generally about their 3G service.

I know it is hard to comment if you aren't from my area (be nice if anyone was and were able to specifically comment), but I would like to hear any comments good or bad about Vodafones 3G network.
 
leehal said:
I originally had an iphone with O2 and wasn't very impressed with their 3G network, things improved when I went PAYG on Orange, the downside with Orange where I live (Durham) is their network for calls is poor.

Before I take the plunge and order the new iPhone does anyone have any comments on using Vodafone for the iPhone - I know the telephone network for them is good where I live, not sure generally about their 3G service.

I know it is hard to comment if you aren't from my area (be nice if anyone was and were able to specifically comment), but I would like to hear any comments good or bad about Vodafones 3G network.
Click to expand...

My experience with Vodafone can be summed up with got a sim only tariff last wednesday and tomorrow I will be going to Orange.

Very patchy for signal so much so if I put my phone in my pocket it would state emergency calls only and on my desk barely a 2g signal. I don't think their coverage is anywhere near as good as they say and their whole 3g network went down between milton keynes to birmingham which is a good 100 mile radius.

Your mileage may vary just wanted to share my brief experiences with you and one word of warning their customer service is incredibly bad!.
 
I use T-Mobile, and tried O2 briefly. T-Mobile was way better, but with T-Mobile and Orange merging and allowing roaming between them that has to be the best network.
 
There is no such thing as a really good network, it varies for each person depending where they live, work, play and travel to. Where I live Vodafone is the best by far followed in order by O2, Orange, 3 and TMobile (with TM being totally unusable).

However I am on the ground floor, go up two floors and all signals are fantastic.

Unless you can ask someone who uses their phone in the same places as you will then advice from others is likely to be of little value. A recommendation to use Orange for me would not be the best idea.
 
Hey there.

'Which UK network' is also a question I am pondering at the moment. I am planning on purchasing the iPhone 4 (which will be my first iPhone :D).

I am currently with Orange and am out of contract. Whilst I have been very happy with Orange there is one problem: whilst I spend 95% of my time in Liverpool where the reception is superb, when I return to my parents' place in North Wales the reception is appalling. That said, I can deal with it by placing the phone on a specific window sill upstairs! It's just a pain for that 5% of my time.

As a result I am considering moving to O2 as I expect their nationwide coverage to be better. However, that decision is not clear cut as Orange's 3G signal is outstanding where I spend most of my time and I also have had no problems with them and make good use of Orange Wednesdays for cinema tickets.

I was wondering if anyone had any experience of Orange retentions? Obviously I will find out shortly but do you think they may be able to beat O2 on price for a new iPhone if I tell them I am moving to O2 due to the reception issues? I expect the answer will be no, which does nothing to point me towards one or the other.

Thanks!
 
Im with vodafone and live in Bristol and travel extensively in the south-west,apart fro the usual dead spots,which im sure there are with every network,i find vodafone very good...sometimes its better the devil you know...although i will buy a payg from o2 and unlock it...unless vodafone sell a payg..anyone want a 4month old 3gs 32gb,2 switcheasy cases,torrent and vulcan,and a incase slider..oh and a dock....offers???...lol
 
From my experience, the nationwide coverage for O2 is the best, but certainly not for 3G. Orange and 3 both seem to have very solid 3G networks across the UK, but in isolated patches both can have dodgy signals. Vodafone I used in the early years of mobile phones, and they were shockingly bad; I have no recent experience though.
 
CLICK HERE FOR 3G COVERAGE MAP

I think O2 has best overall coverage, but interms of 3G, which is why you buy a smart phone, orange i think has the best coverage. im on O2 atm, i get no 3G in my house at all, my sister on orange gets good 3G on an iPhone.

But its different in all areas.
 
leehal said:
I originally had an iphone with O2 and wasn't very impressed with their 3G network, things improved when I went PAYG on Orange, the downside with Orange where I live (Durham) is their network for calls is poor.

Before I take the plunge and order the new iPhone does anyone have any comments on using Vodafone for the iPhone - I know the telephone network for them is good where I live, not sure generally about their 3G service.

I know it is hard to comment if you aren't from my area (be nice if anyone was and were able to specifically comment), but I would like to hear any comments good or bad about Vodafones 3G network.
Click to expand...

I previously had a horrible time with Vodafone, o2 have been nothing but good to me, and the email support is actually....good.
 
In balance, I think I'll stick with Orange and put up with the odd bit of dodgy reception in order to enjoy fast 3G most of the time.

To be honest I think I have two plans:

  • Plan A: Phone Orange and say I'm moving to O2 due to the patchy reception and hope to get a better than usual deal in order to keep me with them.
  • and if Plan A fails...
  • Plan B: Stay with Orange :D

In fairness, I expect they will not do anything decent on the new iPhone in order to retain me as a customer (although they'd do it for every other handset on the market) but worth a try!
 
I've never had a problem with O2 since I was with them back when they were BT Cellnet. I dabbled with Virgin and 3 for a few years but O2 has been good in the 3 areas I've lived in. East Mids/London/South East
 
I am on o2 and have never dropped signal once, well apart from this time
I went down in a cave, but you expect that.
I have also had 3g 89% of the time.
I also love their little extras they do, such ad priority tickets etc.
Before I went in o2 I would of defended vodafone as my favorite company. Not any more.
Another thing is there helplines are superb.
 
I am in a similar situation at the moment. I've been with O2 for the past 2 years (with an iPhone 3G), and whilst I have had no issues with general coverage whatsoever, their 3G coverage leaves something to be desired.

I live in Bolsover (http://bit.ly/bzemZi), and there is no 3G at all. I've found that for the most part I only get 3G when in major towns or cities. This frustrates me to some extent.

However, I cannot fault O2 at all: as I mentioned earlier, their general coverage is excellent, and I almost always have a signal. Their customer service is also superb from the few experiences I've had with it.

With the upcoming iPhone 4 I will be taking out a new 2-year contract with one of the three network providers for the iPhone in the UK (O2, Orange & Vodafone). I've heard from numerous sources that Orange have great 3G coverage and their online maps back this up. However, a fair few people around my area have claimed that Orange has terrible reception and they can never get a signal. I don't know who to believe.

Does anyone know if it's possible to 'trial' a network? As in I can take the phone home for a period of time to test that I can get a good signal and so forth? Or is there no going back once that contract is signed?

Just thought I would offer my two cents here.
 
Bendy Walker said:
I've heard from numerous sources that Orange have great 3G coverage and their online maps back this up. However, a fair few people around my area have claimed that Orange has terrible reception and they can never get a signal. I don't know who to believe.
Click to expand...

Just to say, it's probably best to take the coverage maps with a pinch of salt.

At my parent's house in North Wales it indicates that 2G service is 'Moderate' and 3G service is 'Low'. Really, it should say 2G service is 'Barely Existent' and 3G service is 'Completely Non-Existent'. :p

That said, coverage does look very good in Bolsover so, who knows.

One way to try a network is to buy a cheap Pay As You Go SIM - usually £10 with £10 of credit. You can then try it out in your area before committing to a long contract. Of course, you will need an Orange or unlocked phone that is 3G capable to do a proper analysis of how the iPhone will fare.
 
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