Replacement for Three

[garryknight]

I've been on the Three network for a few years now and am mostly happy with the service, except for one problem. The network coverage for everywhere I go is usually really good, with just a few places where it drops. This doesn't bother me too much as it usually happens when I'm on a train, so I only have to wait a few minutes. And, like all mobile companies, they're proud of their coverage. But this isn't the whole story.

When I'm in central London, I also get excellent coverage. The problem is that there are so many people accessing the cell masts that I can't get data. I've often got a strong, 5-bar connection, but I can't use it. I'm not surprised as it's the busiest city in the country. News about the upcoming merger with Vodafone promises "improved infrastructure", but I've put aside a few pinches of salt for that one.

My question is, do you live or work in the central London area and have no problem getting a connection and are actually able to get data, access websites, download mail, stream media, etc.?

I'd like to change suppliers but don't want to have to keep opening accounts and closing them. I could get a PAYG SIM for one month to try each one out but these days they want you to sign a contract, which means that if you change to an annual plan you're no longer a new customer and can't take advantage of cheaper sign-up deals. If I can set up a two-year contract I'll almost certainly get a better price, at least to start with. Thanks for any help or suggestions.

 

[Box Brownie]

Interesting that you mention data not 'running' on 5G

My main SIM (I have a Dual SIM phone and the 3 SIM is a PAYG backup usage) is an EE one and I never have an issue using data when the connection is a 4G one but IIRC any area where the phone shows a 5G connection I get emails but the websites just do not refresh/open.

 

[gramps]

any area where the phone shows a 5G connection I get emails but the websites just do not refresh/open.

I think that this is a frequent complaint, i.e. 5g is a fail!

 

[Box Brownie]

I think that this is a frequent complaint, i.e. 5g is a fail!

Ah! not good......

I will have to see if my Android has a setting to either ignore 5G or preferentially select 4G ???

Edit~ I cannot readily seen any optional settings re: 4G vs 5G

 

[DaelpixPhotography]

Also Vodaphone is buying Three (I'm with Three)

 

[Craikeybaby]

I run both Three and EE on my iPhone and the coverage is usually the same.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

Also Vodaphone is buying Three (I'm with Three)

CMA approves merger of Vodafone and Three in the UK

The merger creates a new force in UK mobile, unleashing more competition and investment to transform the UK telecoms landscape.

www.vodafone.co.uk

Good thing for coverage, probably not so good for pricing

 

[LongLensPhotography]

Ah! not good......

I will have to see if my Android has a setting to either ignore 5G or preferentially select 4G ???

Edit~ I cannot readily seen any optional settings re: 4G vs 5G

Settings -> SIM cards and mobile. I have to f*** with this quite a few times every day because essentially 4g = nothing works

 

[garryknight]

Interesting that you mention data not 'running' on 5G

Thanks for your response, but I didn't mention 5G. I can often get a good connection on 5G, but no data on either 4G or 5G a lot of the time. Anywhere except in central London I get plenty of data and high speeds using 5G. I don't mind switching between 4G and 5G as long as I can get my mail and websites, and use my internet-connected apps.

 

[garryknight]

Also Vodaphone is buying Three (I'm with Three)

Yes, I mentioned that, but they need to invest in more infrastructure, i.e. more masts or more channels on each mast.

 

[Box Brownie]

Thanks for your response, but I didn't mention 5G. I can often get a good connection on 5G, but no data on either 4G or 5G a lot of the time. Anywhere except in central London I get plenty of data and high speeds using 5G. I don't mind switching between 4G and 5G as long as I can get my mail and websites, and use my internet-connected apps.

Sorry my 'bad' I saw '5' in your post and mistook that when I was typing as 5G

 

[Adamcski]

We are Solihull based and there are 9 of us on three mobile with zero issues.

 

[Box Brownie]

Settings -> SIM cards and mobile. I have to f*** with this quite a few times every day because essentially 4g = nothing works

Double checked and cannot find/see any section where it refers to the 4 or 5G type of network. As the EE SIM is 5G capable, it seems to select 5 over 4 if 5 is available.

NB right now I am on 4G and it just works.

 

[garryknight]

NB right now I am on 4G and it just works.

Are you in central London?

 

[Box Brownie]

Are you in central London?

No, near Guildford in Surrey.

Thankfully I now rarely have a need to visit 'the smoke'.....I spent enough of my working life in London either all of the time (1973 to 1980) or later a few weeks spread over the year, depending on my scheduling.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

Double checked and cannot find/see any section where it refers to the 4 or 5G type of network. As the EE SIM is 5G capable, it seems to select 5 over 4 if 5 is available.

NB right now I am on 4G and it just works.

did you click on your sim card section? It is definitely in there

 

[Box Brownie]

did you click on your sim card section? It is definitely in there

I have Android 13
The only place where SIM settings is shown is:-
Settings> Network & Internet> SIM Cards... and there is no control of setting 4G or 5G

 

[LongLensPhotography]

Android 13 here, keep looking. Every phone has it

 

[garryknight]

At the risk of sparking a new conversation about fly fishing, Norfolk, or elephant tusks, I have found my solution.

Research shows that EE is the service with the most coverage and least problems caused by contention both where I live and in the areas of central London that I frequent.

Further research shows that I get more free perks for about the same money, including Apple One Individual. And I get unlimited everything plus scam protection, business ID display, WiFi calling, Mobile Hotspot (for something like about 190 devices), a dedicated talk/SMS connection and a separate data connection, both of which can get 5G data at the same time. What's more, I get unlimited mobile plus up to 67Mbps broadband, plus a home VOIP "landline" phone connection, all for less than my Virgin Media home WiFi, and that's without taking into account what I've been paying Three for data dropouts in central London.

Needless to say, I'm in the process of switching.

 

[MK1 Photography]

Glad to hear you found a solution
When I was last in London my Tesco SIM gave great 5g speed and telephone quality all the time
To think of it I haven't found anywhere yet it hasn't worked £16 for 100gb

 

[steve_lyt]

Tesco are ok, good customer service, steer clear of o2, they have no customer service

 

[garryknight]

Tesco are ok, good customer service, steer clear of o2, they have no customer service

Tesco are ok in central London?

Interesting that they use O2's infrastructure but their own customer service.

 

[steve_lyt]

That’s why i like them , o2 customer service are as much us as a chocolate fireguard

 

[JohnX]

If network data access is mission critical, open an account (or buy prepay) with one of the Crown Dependency islands - Man, Jersey or Guernsey. Their sims will connect to any/all mainland networks. It'll cost you of course, as roaming.charges apply. The sim will choose unless you force it to connect to a particular network via your phone.

 

[JohnX]

Box Brownie.

Connections>Mobile networks>Network mode will allow choice of network type - 2G, 3G, 3G/2G, 4G/3G/2G or 5G/4G/3G/2G. The last option is the default.

 

[Mostly Vintage Cameras]

I've was on Three for a time and it was good untill a local mast went down. I moved to Talk Mobile which used Vodafone and its been fairly poor, thus us in a mobile personal hot spot. I have EcoTalk in my phone which is EE, seems to work fine, the places I can't get reception are the same with other networks. EcoTalk price is fair and provide sustainable electricity fir the network which is nice (I'm also on Ecotricity for home utilities).

I do find connection in London poor regardless of network, tall buildings and lots of people I guess is the issue.

 

[garryknight]

I do find connection in London poor regardless of network, tall buildings and lots of people I guess is the issue.

I tried my new EE connection with streaming YouTube video in various places that I frequent, including Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street, Regent Street, Soho, Covent Garden, Charing Cross Road, and other places in that area, and I got good connectivity and good data rates. As long as that continues, I'll be happy.

(Why does EE sound like a mobile provider for dolphins? )

 

[gramps]

I tried my new EE connection with streaming YouTube video in various places that I frequent, including Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street, Regent Street, Soho, Covent Garden, Charing Cross Road, and other places in that area, and I got good connectivity and good data rates. As long as that continues, I'll be happy.

(Why does EE sound like a mobile provider for dolphins? )

What package did you get?

 

[Mostly Vintage Cameras]

I pay about £10 or £12 a month for 10GB data and unlimited everything else. The basic package.

 

[garryknight]

What package did you get?

I was also looking to get away from VM for cable internet and a digital phone line, for which I think they were still charging me for landline rental. Just those two were over £66 per month. I went with the EE One Unlimited Full Works for iPhone package plus Fibre 67 Essentials broadband, plus their digital telephone service. The whole lot is currently costing me about the same as my VM account. After the two year initial contract, the Fibre 67 will go up to about £43. But my total EE payments will still be quite a bit less than my £66 VM plus £29 Three bills.

I'll essentially have what EE should probably have advertised as "Everything Everywhere All At Once", and the iPhone package also includes Apple One Individual thrown in for free. That includes 50GB of iCloud+ (I'm using 200GB and paying a whole £2.99 pm for that), Music, TV+, and Arcade (which I won't use). I'm currently paying for TV+, so I'll save £90 a year for that. I've only roughly worked out the savings, but I reckon I'm going from £1,278 down to about £900 a year. Good savings for a pretty good deal, IMO.

 

[ChrisR]

Every Plusnet contract I've had promises a huge price rise at the end, and if I do nothing, that's what get. But when I wake up and get back to them, I usually get a much better deal... ad they get another 18 month contract! So my guess is you'll be able to get back down to a better deal at contract end.

 

[vintageman]

In my experience with 5g EE out in the sticks trying to download any data is a total waste of time. No doubt 6g will be better LoL.

 

[garryknight]

Every Plusnet contract I've had promises a huge price rise at the end, and if I do nothing, that's what get. But when I wake up and get back to them, I usually get a much better deal... ad they get another 18 month contract! So my guess is you'll be able to get back down to a better deal at contract end.

That's what I'm planning on doing this time. With Three I just let it lapse out of contract. But it was already a pretty bad service back then.

In my experience with 5g EE out in the sticks trying to download any data is a total waste of time. No doubt 6g will be better LoL.

Maybe my next iPhone will be 6G. By then it'll probably be the iPhone 19.