Do Three run over Orange network?

prowla

I've just activated a Three PAYG SIM on a spare Blackberry phone, and the network operator shows as Orange.

Do Three run over Orange's network?

Rusty!

Three is Three, but they only have a 3G service, so if there is no 3G signal available it will roam onto Orange for 2G in some places (Three have stopped this in areas they deem to have sufficient 3G coverage).

My guess is the Blackberry you've put the SIM in is a 2G only handset, so it has latched onto Orange.

System

No Three now run their own network. Are your sure that the network hasn't been manually set on the Blackberry?

grumbler

AFAIK, they used to use Orange 2g in some areas with poor '3' coverage, but are in the process of switching 2g off with very few areas left where 2g roaming is still possible.

prowla

The phone is a Blackberry 8100, which I though was 3g, but it looks like it isn't.
I tried it in an 8120 and it said "Incompatible Handset".
So it's a bit curious that it worked in the 8100 at all.

J_B

We have a spare 3 payg sim which we use for 'free' incoming calls from my daughter's phone.
It's normally in a 3g phone, but had to swap it to a 2g phone a while back and it displayed 'Orange'
Put it back in the 3g phone this week and it says '3'

prowla

Aha!
I tried it in a BB 9300, and it shows "3G".

Buzby

3UK have always had their own network, and were never 'virtual'. As they rolled out their network they offered national 2G roaming on Orange, but this backfired on them. They had to pay Orange for all the call completions, and folk were putting SIMs in 2G phones meaning it was the default, not the back-up (as envisaged).

This prompted the removal of many of the Orange base stations where they had good coverage - and those who only used 2G phones found their handsets knocked out.

This arrangement will probably be enhanced as EE (Orange/T-Mobile) are horse trading GSM1800 frequencies and may ultimately offer 4G. In the meantime, EE has said they ail be sharing masts with 3UK in a reciprocal deal, so watch this space!

Kernel_Sanders

Buzby wrote: »

In the meantime, EE has said they ail be sharing masts with 3UK in a reciprocal deal, so watch this space!

I hope not, I get a good signal from my local 3 mast but I doubt I will if all the local Orange & TM folk start piling on it!

Rusty! wrote: »

Three is Three, but they only have a 3G service

What Rusty means here is that 3G is their minimum standard; they also 'do' HSDPA+, although reading up on it it's unclear to me as to whether this is still 3G or not.

buscape

Kernel_Sanders wrote: »

I hope not, I get a good signal from my local 3 mast but I doubt I will if all the local Orange & TM folk start piling on it!

They will have separate backhaul so EE's customers shouldn't make a difference to the signal from your Three mast.

What Rusty means here is that 3G is their minimum standard; they also 'do' HSDPA+, although reading up on it it's unclear to me as to whether this is still 3G or not.

HSPA+ is a 3G standard.

ryanr

3UK definitely runs their own network and is not using others networks resources.