Which network do you think offers the best 3G speed and coverage

johnvixen

The question is in the subject .

I went to Carphonewarehouse at the weekend and a girl who worked there is on O2 and reckons shes constantly getting good speeds and coverage with O2. Whilst I heard T-Mobile is dog slow.

What are you experiences with 3G?

I'm going to get a new contact for the wife, but she wants it primarily for Facebook through her mobile.

zaccy

3 has far better 3G coverage than O2. Works out cheaper too, O2 internet use is capped to a max charge of £1/day and 3 is an add on at £5 per month unlimited, there is a fair usage policy but I have never fallen foul even when using the phone as a broadband modem on my laptop. Both those rates are on pay monthly contracts.

3 are offering a six month contract at £15/ month if you want to try them out (300 anytrime minutes/texts plus 300 minutes 3 to 3 and free voicemail). If you ask a question on their website they will give you a code for a £20 accessory voucher and there is also £32.50 casback from quidco, which I can comfirm does validate and pay on this 6 month deal.

withabix

Depends a lot on where you are and where you intend to use 3G broadband the most.

Check the networks' coverage maps on their websites.

johnvixen

zaccy wrote: »

3 has far better 3G coverage than O2. Works out cheaper too, O2 internet use is capped to a max charge of £1/day and 3 is an add on at £5 per month unlimited, there is a fair usage policy but I have never fallen foul even when using the phone as a broadband modem on my laptop. Both those rates are on pay monthly contracts.

3 are offering a six month contract at £15/ month if you want to try them out (300 anytrime minutes/texts plus 300 minutes 3 to 3 and free voicemail). If you ask a question on their website they will give you a code for a £20 accessory voucher and there is also £32.50 casback from quidco, which I can comfirm does validate and pay on this 6 month deal.

Many thanks for your reply!

However, I've always been told to avoid 3 like the plague, apprently general network coverage is !!!! poor. That's from friends who've used them in the past and people in the phone shops.

johnvixen

withabix wrote: »

Depends a lot on where you are and where you intend to use 3G broadband the most.

Check the networks' coverage maps on their websites.

Already done this, but all you see is blobs and you can't make much head nor tail of it.

withabix

johnvixen wrote: »

Already done this, but all you see is blobs and you can't make much head nor tail of it.

Most of them zoom in to (almost) street level.

johnvixen

withabix wrote: »

Most of them zoom in to (almost) street level.

Nearly all great in my area. However, it's pretty useless checking these things as she travels up and down the country.

zaccy

johnvixen wrote: »

Many thanks for your reply!

However, I've always been told to avoid 3 like the plague, apprently general network coverage is !!!! poor. That's from friends who've used them in the past and people in the phone shops.

I usually have two 3g phones with me when I am travelling. One on O2 and one on 3, the 3 reception is usually superior . The few times that I have had to use customer service have been perfectly OK and a lot better than dealing with O2 via Carphone Warehouse. Forgot to say in my first post that the 6 month contract includes, skype and MSN.

http://threestore.three.co.uk/specials/

PeteHi

I work in the industry and 3 are the best for coverage imo.

3 years ago they were maybe the worst, but they carried on building new masts when the other operators stopped (3 were playing catch up in this respoect). They share sites with T-Mobile as well now

3 are crap for customer service though

System

Lots of people have had problems with 3 and Quidco.
It will often track, but 3 will decline it (even after a ticket).
Their accessory items are somewhat overpriced, so a £20 voucher is really worth about £10.

O2's 3G coverage is the worst of all the main networks.
OFCOM gave them into trouble for their lack of coverage a few months ago.

3 do have good coverage, and it will become identical to T-Mobiles in a few months, when they have a single 3G network.
Next would be Vodafone, and then Orange, in my opinion.

Remember, O2 and Orange both have EDGE coverage on their 2G network, which is similar in speed to basic 3G

zaccy wrote: »

3 has far better 3G coverage than O2. Works out cheaper too, O2 internet use is capped to a max charge of £1/day and 3 is an add on at £5 per month unlimited, there is a fair usage policy but I have never fallen foul even when using the phone as a broadband modem on my laptop. Both those rates are on pay monthly contracts.

3 are offering a six month contract at £15/ month if you want to try them out (300 anytrime minutes/texts plus 300 minutes 3 to 3 and free voicemail). If you ask a question on their website they will give you a code for a £20 accessory voucher and there is also £32.50 casback from quidco, which I can comfirm does validate and pay on this 6 month deal.

fiish

Compared even to their 3G network O2's EDGE coverage is even spottier; most of the places I go I can get only GPRS (the slow, slow data network which is barely faster than dial-up) coverage on my old iPhone. I live in Cambridge and can get EDGE only in the city centre. When I'm in London I get EDGE coverage in some places, even central London is not that well covered.

I'd plump for a 3G phone (not necessarily the iPhone) if the price was right; sadly any handset that looks like it would actually last through an 18-month plan costs too much right now.