What is the 3 network coverage like generally?

Inner_Zone

indesisiv wrote: »

Only if you get the handset from them.

Not quite true, IPhone's can be updated when purchased elsewhere as can a few Android phones.

d123

indesisiv wrote: »

Only if you get the handset from them.

As Inner Zone says, not true, some Android and Windows phones need to be EE firmware, but there are a number of others that work on all models of the handset, like the iPhone, and a number of Android and Windows phones.

It's even been reported recently that the onePlus 3 is supposedly now WifiCalling capable on EE.

This is the EE webpage: http://ee.co.uk/help/phones-and-device/wifi-calling

WiFi Calling is available on all versions of the iPhone 5c and later models of the iPhone, as well as the Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 edge, Note 7, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P, Lumia 550, 650, 950, 950XL, HTC 10 and Blackberry Priv.

It's only available on the EE version of all other Android and Windows devices, which can only be bought directly from us in one of our stores, online, or through our telesales team. At present other Android and Windows devices bought from other retailers will not be able to support WiFi Calling.

indesisiv

d123 wrote: »

It's even been reported recently that the onePlus 3 is supposedly now WifiCalling capable on EE.

Sadly at the moment I only have the one plus one.

anotheruser

Called Tesco mobile today to discuss leaving.
They came back with a good deal, so I am staying with them.

For Tesco:
+ Great app
+ Never complained
+ Never been left without a service
+ Can always roll back to 2G
+ No price rises. Ever.

Against 3:
- Bad app
- No 2G option
- I'm sure Carphone Warehouse or Phones4U didn't sell 3's contracts because of customer complaints, although that was years ago
- Can't add "Feel at Home" for a few days/weeks/months
- Yearly price rises

Signal won't be any better so I'd rather not faff about with PAC codes and such. I rarely call as it is, I think the average has been less than 100 mins a month.

The deal?
OLD DEAL: £10 / 500 mins / 5000 texts / 1GB data (+250MB on family perk)
NEW DEAL: £11 (£10 for first 12 months) / 250 mins / 5000 texts / 4GB data (+150 mins on family perk)

Four times as much data, a loss of 100 mins, £1 extra in a years time. Deal.

Daz2009

d123 wrote: »

They have no 2G coverage (but do have an agreement to roam onto the old Orange network in some parts of the UK, only for voice and text though, no data).
Their 3G is pretty good, their 4G is pretty bad when compared to EE.

If you are always in and around a big city it's quite usable, but don't expect EE type coverage generally.

You say that but I find EE coverage pretty poor,it's the only network that I've used....and I've used most of them....where I struggle to get a reliable data signal at work.
I'm actually considering moving to 3 because of this

d123

Daz2009 wrote: »

You say that but I find EE coverage pretty poor,it's the only network that I've used....and I've used most of them....where I struggle to get a reliable data signal at work.
I'm actually considering moving to 3 because of this

It's not just me who says it, Rootmetrics consistently have EE well ahead of the others and OFCOM ranked EE as best in their 2016 report. Not to mention that the government has just given EE the contract to supply communication services for the emergency services from next year (as a replacement to the current Airwave system).

It's also a bit odd you say you can get a Three signal yet struggle for an EE signal considering that EE share all the same masts as Three, and then also have additional masts outside the MBNL share agreement from the old Orange network and other old sites only running 2G, as well as a far larger number of sites with 4G...

KxMx

I moved from Tesco to 3 on PAYG a couple of months ago.

Have to say the 3 coverage is worse, but seems to be improving.

On Tesco I had one dead spot (affects all networks) and 3-4 bars (of 4) indoors.

With 3 I've encountered another two dead spots locally (no wi-fi either) and 1 or 2 bars indoors, when I get 3 it's exciting!

But 3 is loads cheaper and I'm happy.

A friend has EE and drives all over to smaller areas and has always been happy with the signal, so much so she won't move networks as it's so reliable for her job.

newfoundglory

I was with Three for like 5 years, until I moved to EE about 8 months ago.

I never had any problems with Three at all. I was completely happy with Three, and during the time I was with them so many people would ask me 'how do you find Three, I heard they have bad signal?'

To be honest, I don't see no 2G as being a bad thing.

Three have an advanced 3G network - read about the technology here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolved_High_Speed_Packet_Access#Dual-Carrier_HSDPA_.28DC-HSDPA.29

The big selling point is data. You may find that data on Three's 3G network is faster than other providers 3G and 4G offerings. Unless you have double-speed 4G from EE you may not be able to tell the difference.

I only moved to EE because I moved to a location where I can't get high speed broadband, and while Three is perfectly fine here I can get bigger data allowance from EE.

d123

newfoundglory wrote: »

I was with Three for like 5 years, until I moved to EE about 8 months ago.

Three have an advanced 3G network - read about the technology here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolved_High_Speed_Packet_Access#Dual-Carrier_HSDPA_.28DC-HSDPA.29

You mean the same 'advanced 3G' known as DC-HSDPA used by EE, Vodafone and o2?

newfoundglory wrote: »

The big selling point is data. You may find that data on Three's 3G network is faster than other providers 3G and 4G offerings. Unless you have double-speed 4G from EE you may not be able to tell the difference.

No quite wrong, you will see speeds far exceeding even perfect theoretical HSPA+ 3G speeds on EE, Vodafone and o2 4G.