Which network would you not touch with a bargepole?

Oscar_The_Grouch

Exhortation wrote: »

O2. I once read out word-for-word their Gold Insurance policy to one of their CS staff and they still refused to admit that the problem I had with my phone was covered by the policy. I moved to 3 twelve months ago and haven't had a problem. Last month, I signed my wife up to 3, too.

Your problem there was with the underwriter - ACE European Ltd. O2 are just a reseller of the policy so have no control over it.

Kai

peterbaker wrote: »

I moved all my contracts to 3 mobile after being with O2 for donkey's years ... 3 can be difficult, but they will eventually admit when they are wrong and re-negotiate rather than lose your contract. I find the network coverage in UK is overall as good if not better than O2, because 3 mobile handsets roam on Orange when no 3 signal is available.

I like 3's internet account management interface which is ten times better than O2's.

I like the fact that I can switch off internet roaming myself on the website, and I like the abilty to set a credit limit (zero if I want) to prevent the kids spending anything outside their £15pm bundle e.g. reverse charge texts, and to put a credit limit back on again if I change my mind next week.

It's a good post about 3 actually.

I voted for Vodafone... and I'm currently stuck with them for another 4 months!

They've lurched from one (self-inflicted) disaster to the next and all the while without resolving it unless there's massive pressure placed on them to do so. A few examples:

• The miserable launch of the HTC HD2 which got canned after 2 weeks (to consumers) in favour of the iPhone. Support is sporadic at best.
• The 'we didn't change your contract terms' issue. However, in Vodafone's world, unlimited data allowance = 500Mb. Still an ongoing issue.
• The HTC Desire update. Some bright spark at Vodafone must've thought that the Desire just didn't have enough Vodafone branding on it so launched an update that coincided with the eagerly anticipated froyo update so people would install it! This has been resolved, but only after it was widely reported and pressure placed on them to do so.
• Their online billing area is the absolute worst of all providers. They still have no easy way to calculate the data you've used from your allowance. Despite them actually showing each itemised time you've used data - they don't show a total figure! You've got to work that out yourself with a spreadsheet or calculator. This has been an issue for at least 6 years.
• The RTSP streaming being blocked until Vodafone say they it can be unblocked and is 'safe' for us to view. Someone please tell me what's so unsafe about watching terrestrial TV on mobile TVCatchup? Apparently, this is a high priority issue that's being looked at and resolved. Now, if it takes 9 months and counting just to approve unblocking a web streaming service I'd hate to see how long it takes to resolve an issue that isn't classed as a high priority.
• All the complaints about Vodafone retentions not giving you what they offer at the time. You'll only find out 15 months later when you're up the creek without a paddle unless you've been very careful.

Vodafone has a charm offensive employing people to scour the web in order to resolve issues - is it because Vodafone are actually letting far too many customers down badly and something needs to be done about it? That's what it looks like to me. (Although in a lot of cases it seems nothing is done anyway).

They've gotten far too arrogant for my liking and the only thing that'll put them in their place is if we the consumer vote with our feet and go elsewhere.

I'll be reminding them of all the issues above when it comes to the time to leave. I'm confident that the online billing and tvcatchup streaming will still not be resolved by that time.

liubeliu

Vodafone is reception is poor at best

Three is the best coverage I have had so far and when I lose 3G (not very often), I always get an Orange 2G signal

I would rate T-Mobile and O2 equal second, no real complaints except I do lose O2 signal more often in cities then with T-Mobile which O2 being targetted at the Business user is a bit poor

Exhortation

Oscar_The_Grouch wrote: »

Your problem there was with the underwriter - ACE European Ltd. O2 are just a reseller of the policy so have no control over it.

If O2 weren't happy/willing to abide by the terms of the policy then they shouldn't have sold it.

sugargrass

My life has been plagued by horrible mobile phone companies. I will not discuss my experiences overseas, but I will dicuss Orange.

I. hate. Orange. They are crap. They constantly overcharged on a service that NEVER worked. I live in London and work in central London and I was in a constant blackout zone. I never had service then was over charged consistantly on my bill.

I have changed to Vodafone and so far I am happy.

However, what needs to happy is that more competition needs to be introduced into the mobile phone sphere of big players. The smaller guys (Lebara, etc.) offer cheap prices but don't offer the heavy hitting packages. With more competition, companies would be forced to become more competitive with their prices.

I could go on for hours. I really hate Orange.

Dreamnine

I've had problems with all of them except T-Mobile and 3.

Vodafone are easily the worst.

Oscar_The_Grouch

Exhortation wrote: »

If O2 weren't happy/willing to abide by the terms of the policy then they shouldn't have sold it.

That works both ways - you didn't have to buy the policy but having done so, I fail to see why it's O2's fault that the underwriter declined your claim.

in_the_Cotswolds

Vodafone. I had some problems about 3 years ago and Vodafone put a default on my credit rating. I didn't find out about it until last year!!!

Intasun32

Vodafone, for me the worse customer service I have ever experienced. My wife had a contract with 3UK for 18 months and experienced low signal and dropping calls. O2 seem to have a good business reputation but the signal in my home area is virtually zero as I was to find out a few years ago. I joined Mercury One 2 One shortly after it started and it was great, the first network to offer unlimited minutes. Althought saying that it was from 7pm to 7am, so at one minute past 7pm there was a made rush for the phone. T-Mobile, for me, seem to tick all the boxes, call plans and handsets. Saying that things seem to change year on year.

RDMD

why is Virgin not on the list?