3 Mobile Phone Network

[patbhoy]

Hi, Does anyone use the 3 mobile phone network.
I am thinking of getting one of those new fangled iphone 4's and 3 are doing the best deal on them.
What is their signal coverage like, i've always been with vodafone as their coverage is good and can gat a signal almost anywhere but dont know much about 3 and i'm wary of changing and then have signal problems.
Please bear in mind that i am in Scotland and dont want to have no signal on the hills and glens.

probibly be able to check coverage by postcode mate!

[clivvy]

I used to be with Three, for many years. their signal isnt the best BUT its getting better.
My issue with Three and iPhone is that you will probably suffer greatly from coverage problems. Obviously check for your local area, then check the most common places you travel to. I used to have poor coverage at home, on holiday and at work. Every where in between wasnt too bad. the iPhone is a data connected device, so good coverage is essential, otherwise you lose out on allthose fancy features. my iPhone is with Orange/Tmobile, and coverage is superb. I get coverage at Happisburgh beach in Norfolk. excellent.

Three Customer Services is terrible, and you will probably get them calling you up trying to sell you extra services, and youll find it hard to leave them because they always offer you a superb deal to stay.

but its all about coverage....

[rayf3262]

Originally Posted by clivvy

I get coverage at Happisburgh beach in Norfolk. excellent.

Got a friend with a steel fab business there, might be useful if you are there and need something seen to.
Blacksmiths lane, the Forge:
www.abfabltd.com

[lacroupade]

Originally Posted by patbhoy

Hi, Does anyone use the 3 mobile phone network.
I am thinking of getting one of those new fangled iphone 4's and 3 are doing the best deal on them.
What is their signal coverage like, i've always been with vodafone as their coverage is good and can gat a signal almost anywhere but dont know much about 3 and i'm wary of changing and then have signal problems.
Please bear in mind that i am in Scotland and dont want to have no signal on the hills and glens.

I think the problem with 3 is that they paid way over the odds for their licences when they were issued and ever since they have been dealing cheap to get punters on board, so stuff like customer service will suffer, as well as provision of extra coverage in areas that don't deliver much revenue...we have the same problem in wales.

We can't get any mobile signal where we are but my wife has a Blackberry Storm on Vodaphone....as well as one of their gizmos that you plug in at home and uses a bit of internet bandwidth to give a permanent mobile signal in and around the house...works very well too.

my main phone orange (1997 till now) new house crapy signal so bought voda payg put it on freinds family £5 month 4 numbers free call between group ideal for work as they cant run up huge bills chattin to mrs lol

[4wheel]

I have been with 3 since 2003.Reception was poor to start but has improved greatly since last year.Customer service is not too bad but you will speak to someone in Delhi.All in all not too bad at all.

[clivvy]

I think also, check if Three will be joining forces with another provider, like Orange have with Tmobile. So far its only calling signal thats improved, but im sure this will evolve to data, so will be worth asking them (Three)

[Deleted account DD]

I always understood Voda had the best overall uk coverage closely chased by the new tmobile/orange amalgamation

We have o2 as work phones and my colleagues have an assortment of virgin, 3, and tmobile on their personal phones.

we end up all over the place and the network that ive found most reliable and far reaching is voda.

having said that it also seems to vary from handset to handset. my daughter has a samsung something or other and she loses signal on voda before my bberry does

cant work it out myself and of course thats round here

If your near renewal tackle voda direct and dont renew anywhere with anyone until they send you (if it hasnt already)" the on line we love you look at the offers "

Those are usually brill and where my bberry came into the big pic

[clivvy]

Originally Posted by daved

I always understood Voda had the best overall uk coverage closely chased by the new tmobile/orange amalgamation

We have o2 as work phones and my colleagues have an assortment of virgin, 3, and tmobile on their personal phones.

we end up all over the place and the network that ive found most reliable and far reaching is voda.

having said that it also seems to vary from handset to handset. my daughter has a samsung something or other and she loses signal on voda before my bberry does

cant work it out myself and of course thats round here

If your near renewal tackle voda direct and dont renew anywhere with anyone until they send you (if it hasnt already)" the on line we love you look at the offers "

Those are usually brill and where my bberry came into the big pic

it can very much be down to the aerial in the handset. iPhones for example, isnt very good, yet those found in my old nokias, were excellent.

[makeitfit]

I wish I could use 3 but the signal round these parts is pants at best
Unfortunatly the only network that cuts it here is bloody orange
Hateful swine
My phone is unlocked and I've a voda payg sim for the very few places where it's better than orange.
3 deals are ace too , damn you orange

[Deleted account DD]

Originally Posted by makeitfit

3 deals are ace too , damn you orange

one reason ive avoided orange like the plague is their poor coverage round here.

As the crow flies its about 15 miles max to one of their biggest centres at Darlington. The place is strewn with satellite type dishes and masts yet we couldnt get a decent orange signal here until they joined with t mobile

[mowerman]

Was with 3 for years and as said the signal is ok but depends where you are as sometimes nothing.... certainly when visiting relatives near stratford upon avon it was useless!! Changes to t-mobile last year as we (wife and I were both contract with 3) had a bad time with the customer services who basically called us up to renew contracts and then bloody put us on a sim only (same price we were paying for a sim and phone up till then) so no new phone !!! we dumped them abd as said...cutomer service is in India and not easy to deal with... promise the earth but didnt deliver was a shame as up till then they were the best with phone/contracts..

Now with t-mobile sim only, bought my own 3g phone (own branded android software pretend i-phone) about £100 and is fine for what I need. As said check online or in a 3 shop for coverage but it IS getting better as they are expanding their network capability

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

i read that 3 might not be around much longer with the t-mobile orange merge.

funnily enough they use similiar gear, as the address behind 3 hutchinson
telecom, of darlington used to be behind orange til france telcom took them
over.

word was with 3 big firms, 3 would be squeezed out.

my coverage on orange has improved now i can pickup tmob in weak orange
areas, only 2g and text for now, 3g later though...

[Deleted account DD]

Originally Posted by Thomas-the-Terrano2

funnily enough they use similiar gear, as the address behind 3 hutchinson
telecom, of darlington used to be behind orange til france telcom took them
over.

yup hutchinson came to town in the erly 90s taken over by orange later. Massive employers in the town.