📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Which Mobile. Current one stinks

kah22
kah22 Posts: 1,881 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
My contract with Vodafone has just ended and I will be changing provider; for living in Armagh there are lots of blank areas where I can't get a signal and the length of the ring tone is just awful. So I will be leaving Vodafone and am looking around for the best service and deal

Living close to the border, and I'm often across the border, roaming charges are a major issue, I'm looking to avoid these if possible. I do know that Vodafone are doing a shop based deal which do away with roaming charges in Ireland. But as I said their coverage is not up to par .

I want unlimited calls and a decent amount of text. Data is not a major issue as I try to use wi-fi and have never really used up my allowance

I have a decent phone and when it comes time to change I'll buy my own so won't be tied into an expensive contract.

I prefer to pay monthly by S/O or Direct Debit but my mind is not closed to PAYG.

I would also consider throwing my internet (TalkTalk) and my landline (BT) into the mix.

Any suggestions

Kevin
«13

Comments

  • RikM
    RikM Posts: 811 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts
    I wouldn't normally recommend them... but Three do this thing called "feel at home" where roaming calls to uk numbers (and data) come out of your normal allowance. If border roaming is an issue, then that may be an advantage.

    I've used a Three sim in the US on that basis, as it's a better deal on payg than buying a local sim.
  • Coolhandluke
    Coolhandluke Posts: 645 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    Another vote for 3 Mobile, should do exactly what you're after.
  • Heisenbug
    Heisenbug Posts: 35 Forumite
    I'd vote for Three as well, I switched a number of years ago for the unlimited data (inc tethering as I'm on an old contract). Feel at homes great when near the border or across it as you don't have to worry about data usage, you can call/text home using your allowance but as data's included you can use it for other calls.

    Their signal coverage in the past has been patchy but they now cover a lot more of NI than they used to, and they also have an app which lets you use wifi to send/receive calls and texts. If you're not sure of coverage take the contract out over the internet so you can cancel it before 14 days if you're not happy.
  • kah22
    kah22 Posts: 1,881 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    3 certainly seems to be getting the votes but as Heisenbug suggested
    Heisenbug wrote: »
    ....Their signal coverage in the past has been patchy but they now cover a lot more of NI than they used to....
    thats my worry 'a fair bit' looked at from another view point means there is a 'fair bit' they don't cover and it's the 'fair bit' that Vodafone don't cover is the reason I'm dumping them

    I had been thinking of BT to supply all three services: landline, Internet and mobile but their website is a complete disaster

    Whic? Online give their one, two, three to
    Giffgaff, Tesco and O2 in that order. Have to confess I've never heard tell of Giffgaff
  • RikM
    RikM Posts: 811 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts
    I use Giffgaff as my "home" mobile. It's cheap and runs on O2s network.

    But it's not for everyone. Some people find the lack of traditional marketing and support an issue (it's run off community based online forums).
  • ballyblack
    ballyblack Posts: 5,139 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 14 July 2015 at 8:52AM
    Both Tesco & Giffgaff use o2 masts(So try an 02 Sim before committing)

    According to 'Which Mag' Tesco has the best customer service

    Giffgaff is cheap but customer service can be 'G iffy'

    Tesco roaming is only 4p a minute to receive calls, Data 19p/MB

    Roaming charges will be abolished in 2017


    .
  • Bigcammy
    Bigcammy Posts: 1,101 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    A point to note for the future is that Vodafone and O2 share infrastructure for 4G, so in the future when (if) 4G comes to an area both O2 and VF will have similar coverage. I'm a big fan of GiffGaff as long as things go smoothly.

    As for a phone, I have both Samsung and iPhone and prefer the Samsung marginally but that's because of the bigger screen. If I move to an iPhone 6 for work then I'd say I'd be very happy with it with the bigger screen. Budget wise look at the Motorola Moto range, good phones for the price, also the Google Nexus 5 or 6
    Norn Iron Club Member No. 252 :beer:
  • kah22
    kah22 Posts: 1,881 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    at the moment I'm drifting towards Tesco. But I will call into my local O2 shop and see what they have on offer. Maybe as its a change over I can squeeze something extra from them
  • saverbuyer
    saverbuyer Posts: 2,556 Forumite
    I'd go with three.

    They recently bought O2 so I'd expect them to take over O2's cell network in the future so coverage will get better.
  • ballyblack
    ballyblack Posts: 5,139 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 14 July 2015 at 10:13AM
    Tesco has a £10 a month Sim only plan (4G)


    http://shop.tescomobile.com/pay-monthly/sim-only/Tesco+Mobile/StandardMicro+SIM/tariff

    You will need your phone unlocked if its locked to Voda?


    .
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 351.3K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.2K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.8K Spending & Discounts
  • 244.3K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 599.5K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177.1K Life & Family
  • 257.8K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.