MSE guide discussion - 'Piggybacking' and which network provides your mobile service

Tigsteroonie

Not mentioned in the article - do any of the big 4 providers still piggyback off each other in remote areas?

Six years ago, Three piggybacked off O2 in Argyll (there were only O2 & Vodafone masts in the area). I moved to Manchester, and my phone picked up an Orange signal here. When I needed to return to Scotland for a couple of days, I found that my Three account didn't work at all - it had stopped piggybacking off O2 and wouldn't re-start. It turned out that Three had changed 'piggy' and only maintained the O2 arrangement for existing customers whose phone was still in the area.

So I think it would be useful for the more remote MSE readers to know whether any of the big 4 still have this piggyback arrangement in remote areas.

Mobile_Man

Good article. Interesting to see who uses who.

Is the network coverage exactly the same via the Piggy Backers?

System

3 still have a 2G roaming agreement with EE (Orange) in a limited amount of rural areas without 3G/4G coverage.

It isn't advertised and is voice/text only, so no data including MMS.

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

Not mentioned in the article - do any of the big 4 providers still piggyback off each other in remote areas?

So I think it would be useful for the more remote MSE readers to know whether any of the big 4 still have this piggyback arrangement in remote areas.

System

Yes, except the virtual networks don't always have access to the newer 4G LTE network.

EE and Vodafone currently regard 4G as premium.
O2 and 3 mostly offer 4G as standard.

Mobile_Man wrote: »

Is the network coverage exactly the same via the Piggy Backers?

condoghost

Great news on the PiggyBacking. A question --- just to get it clear in my mind e.g. if I'm with Shebang piggybacking Three I can use the ThreeinTouch App where my signal is poor or does the App only work for customers of Three directly?

d123

condoghost wrote: »

Great news on the PiggyBacking. A question --- just to get it clear in my mind e.g. if I'm with Shebang piggybacking Three I can use the ThreeinTouch App where my signal is poor or does the App only work for customers of Three directly?

No, the app is for Three customers only.

wongawonga

d123 wrote: »

No, the app is for Three customers only.

Nor do you get to use http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/Phones/Feel_At_Home or a free data allowance when you top up.

Plus if you call them from a landline you have to call a rip off 0844 number which they should have changed ages ago .

robbies_gal

just to update ee now states u can only get wifi calling on the new still not release samsung s6 phones

and the nokia lumia 640 bought direct from ee

lean&mean wrote: »

Hi Rebecca
Your guide to piggybacking mentions the O2 and Three apps that allow calls over over wifi. It also mentions that EE is launching a 'wifi calling' app. This isn't quite right. EE has announced that it is launching a 'wifi calling' service, but there is no app involved. The software is built into the phone. Some parts of EE's website have wrongly claimed it had launched but the main page still says 'coming soon' and has done so since the summer. This seems rather misleading, especially as some EE shops have apparently been tempting people to switch networks. The continued delay is bad enough but encouraging people to switch because of a non-existent service is scandalous.
If your EE reception at home is terrible, the best course of action seems currently to either switch networks if you can, or demand a signal box from EE.

d123

robbies_gal wrote: »

just to update ee now states u can only get wifi calling on the new still not release samsung s6 phones

and the nokia lumia 640 bought direct from ee

Not quite, it will be available on the iPhone 6 and 6+, and later the 5s and 5c. Android and Windows Phone will only work with EE branded phones, starting with the S6, S6 Edge and Lumia 640.

We’re delighted to announce that we’ll be the first network to launch Wifi calling in the UK when the Samsung Galaxy S6, the S6 Edge and the Lumia 640 become available on EE.

All these handsets are due for release in April.

Wifi calling for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is also in the works and we’ll confirm a release date as soon as details are finalised with Apple – the announcement should be next week. Once we’ve launched on those devices, we’ll activate 100,000 customers a day then move on to the 5S and 5C to ensure we’ve connected Apple users on compatible devices by summer.

With WiFi Calling you can seamlessly make and receive calls and texts over Wifi, even when there’s no mobile signal.

Wifi calling has been the subject of much discussion in the forum over the last six months and, following a delay to the planned launch of the service, we’re delighted to be bringing you this incredibly helpful new technology on these fantastic handsets.

You can read the full announcement here.

Any questions on WiFi calling, the Galaxy S6, the S6 Edge and the Lumia 640? Please ask below.

Ian011

wongawonga wrote: »

Plus if you call them {shebang} from a landline you have to call a rip off 0844 number which they should have changed ages ago.

You can report that apparent clear breach of Regulation 41 of the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 to Trading Standards via the Citizen's Advice national Consumer Helpline on 0345 404 0506.

If the 0844 number is still in use on 1 July 2015 and they fail to declare the Service Charge for it, you can report them to Advertising Standards too.