3 is the cheapest, but is it best

Mick_Cranes_Sidestep

OK, my first post and it is not a happy tale of 3

Signed an 18 month contract in May - to start in June when my exisiting t-moby contract was up. 3 fouled that up by starting the contract immediately. I was promised a credit - but that did not appear (surprise surprise!!).

At signing up - I was shown that my home area had full 3g coverage, supported by orange 2g. The reality (which 3 CS have confirmed) is that my area has limited service and will continue to do so until a new mast is brought up in the future (no definition of future is available). 3 CS have tried to get me to manually select a network, but don't understand when I say I cannot select 3 or orange. The reality is I cannot get a signal in my home village despite the coverage checker telling me I have good signal (3 CS repeat this regularly.

Their response is to tell me to wait for the new mast and keep paying the bills:mad: .

Help please!

Sneezy

My contract started in April 07 and last week i spent 10 minutes on the phone to one of three's agents attempting to cancel my contract she would not take no for an answer and after the kufleful (sp) in Jan regarding my original contract not being cancelled i wasn't going to risk it.

Last night i rec'd a call offering me a new SE K530i 750 texts 150 mins £5 pm of download 25 mms/video calls/video messages for £5 pm for 12 months for the life of the contract - i let her stay on the phone for about 20 minutes before i agreed.....with the exception of CS they are a very good network and do eventually get what you want sorted....(and i was determined not to sign up for a new one!)

GrahamB

Mick_Cranes_Sidestep wrote: »

OK, my first post and it is not a happy tale of 3

At signing up - I was shown that my home area had full 3g coverage, supported by orange 2g. The reality (which 3 CS have confirmed) is that my area has limited service and will continue to do so until a new mast is brought up in the future (no definition of future is available). 3 CS have tried to get me to manually select a network, but don't understand when I say I cannot select 3 or orange. The reality is I cannot get a signal in my home village despite the coverage checker telling me I have good signal (3 CS repeat this regularly.

Their response is to tell me to wait for the new mast and keep paying the bills:mad: .

Help please!

I can only sympathise with you on your predicament. My problem - although not as bad as yours - does irritate me (see my previous post in this thread). I've used http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk to find out exactly what masts are in my area, and '3' together with 'O2' do not have the same presence as the other players. 'Orange' appear to be the dominant force - most masts - so it's some comfort that they are '3s' roaming partner and explains why the phone signal on their network is so good.....just a real pity that I can't force the handset to remain on 'Orange' for when I'm at home :mad: .

Interestingly I did have a call from '3' CS this morning in response to my problem, and the advisor did mention that the manufacturer of my handset were aware of a problem in this area of the handset's operation and were working on a s/ware update. In the meantime the advisor suggested I try my SIM in another phone and if possible another network's SIM in my phone to ascertain if it might be a faulty phone or SIM. Unfortunately I don't have another '3G' handset to try, or indeed another '3G' SIM, but it was suggested I call into a local '3' store and ask to try my SIM in another phone. Problem is, I need to try the test at home .

Whilst I appreciate the idea of trying the above tests, I'm not convinced it's a hardware (handset) or software (SIM) problem, but simply one of poor coverage in my area.

I think the introduction of further mast(s) to say equal those of 'Orange' is more likely to be the solution.

Mick_Cranes_Sidestep

GrahamB wrote: »

I can only sympathise with you on your predicament. My problem - although not as bad as yours - does irritate me (see my previous post in this thread). I've used http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk to find out exactly what masts are in my area, and '3' together with 'O2' do not have the same presence as the other players. 'Orange' appear to be the dominant force - most masts - so it's some comfort that they are '3s' roaming partner and explains why the phone signal on their network is so good.....just a real pity that I can't force the handset to remain on 'Orange' for when I'm at home :mad: .

Interestingly I did have a call from '3' CS this morning in response to my problem, and the advisor did mention that the manufacturer of my handset were aware of a problem in this area of the handset's operation and were working on a s/ware update. In the meantime the advisor suggested I try my SIM in another phone and if possible another network's SIM in my phone to ascertain if it might be a faulty phone or SIM. Unfortunately I don't have another '3G' handset to try, or indeed another '3G' SIM, but it was suggested I call into a local '3' store and ask to try my SIM in another phone. Problem is, I need to try the test at home .

Whilst I appreciate the idea of trying the above tests, I'm not convinced it's a hardware (handset) or software (SIM) problem, but simply one of poor coverage in my area.

I think the introduction of further mast(s) to say equal those of 'Orange' is more likely to be the solution.

I have tried sim swap (with my wife - sort of a double problem for us!!) and that doesn't work. Orange coverage is 0 and a manual select does not allow for selection of 3 or orange. I am 500m away froma reliable signal, but seem to be right in the gap between 3g and orange so my phone doesn't switch - it seems to battle for signal.

I thought it might be a software problem with the handset (N95) but it doesn't improve after a full firmware upgrade.

I'll keep banging away - but ringing 3 from home is impossible - I drop calls so easily ! Thanks for the link, I will check it out, but 3 say I have full coverage on the system, but are admitting (in online help) there are limitations.

Having checked the link, I have 3 base stations within 250m of my home - none carry 3 or orange!!!

Back to t-mobile for me - only hope to get the letter telling me about per minute billing to help us leave.

musicboy

Mick, I am stuck in EXACTLY the same predicament.

I am on the fringe of decent coverage, but the 2G signal keeps going from zero to 4 dots the whole time, and drops calls or gives me rubbish call quality when I do receive a signal.

I was told that Orange are the partner network, but I have no Orange in the list. I too was told that this may be a faulty handset, but to be honest this is them clutching at straws.

I rang them again the other day and was told that a new transmitter was being switched on that very day. Yeah right, I thought, so I asked the foreign gentleman which area it covers and he was pretty specific about the locations - so I said OK, I will see what happens.

Of course there is no difference at all ..

I should have stuck with t-mobile as theirs is the only network which gives me a 3G option on the network list on my N95.

I don't use my phone often at home anyway but recently some very important calls have been coming through and it looks like I am cutting them off on purpose - which under the circumstances is an extremely bad thing ...

I will be calling them back tomorrow, will let you know.. trouble is now I am 8 months into my contract - but I have contacted them before about this.

Mick_Cranes_Sidestep

musicboy wrote: »

Mick, I am stuck in EXACTLY the same predicament.

I am on the fringe of decent coverage, but the 2G signal keeps going from zero to 4 dots the whole time, and drops calls or gives me rubbish call quality when I do receive a signal.

I was told that Orange are the partner network, but I have no Orange in the list. I too was told that this may be a faulty handset, but to be honest this is them clutching at straws.

I rang them again the other day and was told that a new transmitter was being switched on that very day. Yeah right, I thought, so I asked the foreign gentleman which area it covers and he was pretty specific about the locations - so I said OK, I will see what happens.

Of course there is no difference at all ..

I should have stuck with t-mobile as theirs is the only network which gives me a 3G option on the network list on my N95.

I don't use my phone often at home anyway but recently some very important calls have been coming through and it looks like I am cutting them off on purpose - which under the circumstances is an extremely bad thing ...

I will be calling them back tomorrow, will let you know.. trouble is now I am 8 months into my contract - but I have contacted them before about this.

Ahh yes - the new transmitter that was mentioned to me as well !!

I said I had checked with planning and there was no new masts coming - they admitted this in an online webchat with an operator called Sharon - I have kept this as I feel mislead by them - given they still advertise full HSDPA in my postcode, when the reality is that of flatline signal unless I hold the phone in the air upstairs!!!

wolvesinwales

I am surrounded by mountains and never have reception problems , i have also used a Three USB Modem with my laptop on a bus trip through the welsh mountains and not had any reception problems.
I have not had problems with their customer service either.

musicboy

You're lucky mate, I live in a popular suburb of a big town and I am looking at 1 dot on a 2G signal .... which usually disappears completely when I get a call ..

Sui_Generis

Its all so variable. On my 3-4 year old Nokia 6630 I get 5-6 bars all the time and always have. On the new Skypephone in the same location I cannot complete a single conversation and 2 bars is a reason to throw a party.

musicboy

Not in my house it isn't ... been on phone for 2 hours this morning and eventually they said my handset needs repairing. It doesn't because the exchange handset (different one) is just as rubbish. Oh well let them do what they need to do .. basically I think the branding software they use messes things up .. I want to remove the automatic 3G connection and also permanently select their 'partner' network, Orange, but I am unable to - yet their Tech Support ask me to try this every single time I ring up! Aargh !!!