3.

[Neoni]

hi guys very simple question i went into a shop today they offered me deals on 3. they said they have a really bad reputation but as a network they are good, they said the reputation is bad due to the handsets they use to work with. now can anyone clear this up?

-Neon.

 

[LeperousDust]

They've got better, but they use to be VERY VERY bad. It depends where you live too, but they use o2 as a backup 2g network. They are much stricter when it comes to using the provided phone and sim together etc... But they do have some good deals too

I think their internet is all blocked off though, you can only access their internet not the "real" internet (this is hard to explain) but i've heard people moaning about virtual walls though.

 

[A2Z]

been fine for me, always get full 3G signal, although im in london

 

[Neoni]

been fine for me, always get full 3G signal, although im in london

oh right! they said i could try it out and if i didnt like i could take back within 14 days.

 

[Aruffell]

Worst customer service of them all, hate talking to them in Bombay

Go with T-Mobile Flext, deals are great if not better than 3.

Andy

 

[Dreadi]

they messed me about me about a fair bit before giving me a phone, including getting me to send details by FAX (who still uses this) but giving me the wrong number

 

[squawkBOX]

Maybe I am biased as a 3 employee. However, as anyone will tell you in ANY other organizations; customers can be a bit over the top in their reviews of certain things.

On 3 you do have 14 days to try the handset out, so if you don't like the handset or service - you can return the handset and the account will be closed.

Re: Network is expanding like other 3G networks. You'll find that the coverage is not that bad and those areas where there is no 3 coverage, then you have o2.

Re: Walled Garden. Although this still exists, there has been changes over the past little while. 3 offer mobile websites. 5MB (and 15MB) service of popular mobile sites for £2.50 (i.e. BBC News WAP, DigitalSpy etc.). There is Wireless Web which allows full internet access one being £15/mo and another being £45/mo.

Handsets are not bad now. I do have to admit in the past there has been some really really awful offers but now these seem to be in line with other networks. Nokia N70/80, 6280, SE K610i, K800i, MOT V3X and some LG handsets are currently being offered for sale.

Re: Priceplans. I would recommend the Direct price plans:
Direct VTT 500 (£25/mo)
300 min, 150 SMS, 25 MMS, 25 Video Mins, £5 inclusive download content/mo,
Direct VTT 1000 (£30/mo)
750 min, 150 SMS, 50 MMS, 50 Video Min, £5 inclusive download content/mo


Direct Text 950 (£25)
150 voice minutes, 750 text msgs, 25 MMS, 25 Video Mins, £5 inclusive download content/mo,

Direct Text 1400 (£30)
300 voice minutes , 1000 text msgs, 50 MMS, 50 Video Min, £5 inclusive download content/mo

These seem to offer a good deal for the money. However, the downside is that they are not available from 3rd parties like Phones4U / CPW etc.

If you have any Qs, just ask!

 

[Aruffell]

Maybe I am biased as a 3 employee. However, as anyone will tell you in ANY other organizations; customers can be a bit over the top in their reviews of certain things.

On 3 you do have 14 days to try the handset out, so if you don't like the handset or service - you can return the handset and the account will be closed.

Re: Network is expanding like other 3G networks. You'll find that the coverage is not that bad and those areas where there is no 3 coverage, then you have o2.

Re: Walled Garden. Although this still exists, there has been changes over the past little while. 3 offer mobile websites. 5MB (and 15MB) service of popular mobile sites for £2.50 (i.e. BBC News WAP, DigitalSpy etc.). There is Wireless Web which allows full internet access one being £15/mo and another being £45/mo.

Handsets are not bad now. I do have to admit in the past there has been some really really awful offers but now these seem to be in line with other networks. Nokia N70/80, 6280, SE K610i, K800i, MOT V3X and some LG handsets are currently being offered for sale.

Re: Priceplans. I would recommend the Direct price plans:
Direct VTT 500 (£25/mo)
300 min, 150 SMS, 25 MMS, 25 Video Mins, £5 inclusive download content/mo,
Direct VTT 1000 (£30/mo)
750 min, 150 SMS, 50 MMS, 50 Video Min, £5 inclusive download content/mo


Direct Text 950 (£25)
150 voice minutes, 750 text msgs, 25 MMS, 25 Video Mins, £5 inclusive download content/mo,

Direct Text 1400 (£30)
300 voice minutes , 1000 text msgs, 50 MMS, 50 Video Min, £5 inclusive download content/mo

These seem to offer a good deal for the money. However, the downside is that they are not available from 3rd parties like Phones4U / CPW etc.

If you have any Qs, just ask!

Love the way you didn't mention the customer service

Andy

 

[Neoni]

Direct Text 1400 (£30)
300 voice minutes , 1000 text msgs, 50 MMS, 50 Video Min, £5 inclusive download content/mo

If you have any Qs, just ask!

can i get a k800i with that offer?

 

[LeperousDust]

can i get a k800i with that offer?

Not trying to put you off 3, i mean personally i'm not a fan, but thats the image 3 has made for itself. You did mention in another thread here that you'd be using the internet possibly? Well the walled garden sucks for internet. Where as Tmobiles Web'n'Walk is probably your best around at present. I'd have a look at the great FlexT deals and W'n'W. Shame you've missed the 25% off for life though, that was deal of the year for me personally . FlexT20 + W'n'W for £20.60 a month, does me wonderfully.

 

[Neoni]

Not trying to put you off 3, i mean personally i'm not a fan, but thats the image 3 has made for itself. You did mention in another thread here that you'd be using the internet possibly? Well the walled garden sucks for internet. Where as Tmobiles Web'n'Walk is probably your best around at present. I'd have a look at the great FlexT deals and W'n'W. Shame you've missed the 25% off for life though, that was deal of the year for me personally . FlexT20 + W'n'W for £20.60 a month, does me wonderfully.

was told today all 3 internet is free no blockages wap, and html browsing completey free no restrictions.

 

[LeperousDust]

Internet access

3 in the UK made the decision to block direct Internet access from subscribers on their network. The result of this decision is that arbitrary web and email servers could not be accessed from a handset on their network. Instead, they provided their own web-based content under a, "Free to browse," policy where much of content is pay per view or subscription based. This became know as the "walled garden" by many of 3's customers. The policy has since changed: customers are now permitted Internet access, at speeds of up to 384 kbit/s, although the service incurs a monthly fee and only a limited selection (around 200) websites can be viewed. its possible to submit sites for consideration although there is no guarantee that it will be added to the list of available websites

Three have just recently released a 3G Data Card for laptops which saves the hassle of connecting your phone to the computer. The card should be featured on [1] once the site is updated.

Sorry neon you/sales person are right, i'm not that up to speed on my 3 stuff. Well if its a good deal go for them. Personally even if it was what seemed to be a good deal, i've been put off them because of their past. I wouldn't bother and i am certainly more than happy with T moby atm.

 

[Neoni]

Sorry neon you/sales person are right, i'm not that up to speed on my 3 stuff. Well if its a good deal go for them. Personally even if it was what seemed to be a good deal, i've been put off them because of their past. I wouldn't bother and i am certainly more than happy with T moby atm.

aye i wasnt sure but it seems ok so!

 

[tzang]

3 has continuously improved as a network in the past few years. Some of the handsets they sold in the past were indeed horrid but some of the ones they sell today are just as bad

Unless you are looking for a good deal and require nothing else thereafter, I wouldn't even go near 3. Anything that hints the need to call customer services would be a suicide mission. Trying to terminate your contract, request for a PAC code or even changing your tariff could take an hour (as I've found through experience).

I've been dealing with a fair amount of call centres in India (mainly IT companies though I've dealt with 3 in the past when I use to work for P4U) and unfortunately, most staff there just follow scripts onscreen, try hard to put on an American accent to convince us they aren't Indian and have limited knowledge of what their job actually is.

If you want a balance of a good deal and good customer services, go for the other networks. I just don't see why people go for 3, all the hassle you come across later (even for a PUK code) isn't worth it.

 

[Neoni]

3 has continuously improved as a network in the past few years. Some of the handsets they sold in the past were indeed horrid but some of the ones they sell today are just as bad

Unless you are looking for a good deal and require nothing else thereafter, I wouldn't even go near 3. Anything that hints the need to call customer services would be a suicide mission. Trying to terminate your contract, request for a PAC code or even changing your tariff could take an hour (as I've found through experience).

I've been dealing with a fair amount of call centres in India (mainly IT companies though I've dealt with 3 in the past when I use to work for P4U) and unfortunately, most staff there just follow scripts onscreen, try hard to put on an American accent to convince us they aren't Indian and have limited knowledge of what their job actually is.

If you want a balance of a good deal and good customer services, go for the other networks. I just don't see why people go for 3, all the hassle you come across later (even for a PUK code) isn't worth it.

i will see how things go, and see what the score is there may not be a need to ring them, but i will be tied into a contract and 3 are on the up as you say, they do have a bad rep, but are becoming better.

the deal and the phone where a superb match i couldnt find better.

 

[LeperousDust]

the deal and the phone where a superb match i couldnt find better.

What was it?

 

[Neoni]

What was it?

they was going to charge me 50 quid for the handset they then said no, we'll give you it free!

so i said ok, they gave me 6 months insurance bundled in, 600 Anytime Minutes, 400 txts, UNLIMITED Internet HTML and WAP, Email etc, 5 Pounds worth of downloads (mp3s etc), 50 Minutes Of Video Calling, 14 Day Return if i dont like the deal.

30 pound a month

 

[clv101]

They said they have a really bad reputation but as a network they are good, they said the reputation is bad due to the handsets they use to work with. now can anyone clear this up?

Three is an interesting and in some ways sad case. What they tried to do was very ambitious, enter an already mature market with a new technology. They were financed by Hutchinson (the same people who financed Orange then made around £20bn selling the company 6 years later) who hoped to repeat the Orange success.

The problem was timing. If you build a national 3G network in the UK you have enough capacity to serve around 10 million people. The technology means it's impossible to build a cheaper network with less capacity. Once those 10 million people are using the network then the costs per user are a lot cheaper than GSM so it's worth doing.

So Three's challenge was to fill the network with 10 million users. If they did that their costs would be less than the other operators allowing them to undercut whilst still making more profit. Hutchinson would sell up after ~6 years pocketing billions. That was the plan but it didn't work.

In order to get the 10 million customers they believed they had to launch sooner than the others. They thought the others would launch sooner than they actually did forcing Three to launch too soon. The first handsets were frankly rubbish and are now causing problems 'cos they aren't totally standards compliant and the network wasn't is a good shape. These first impressions stuck and contribute to Three's enduring reputation of being a bit rubbish.

The reality of the situation is the Three's handsets and network are good now but the damage is done. They didn't get to the 10 million mark (more like 3 million I think) and have now run out of steam as Orange and Voda both have mature 3G offerings.

It was a gamble but it didn't pay off - Hutchinson will off load the company sometime over the next few years but won't have made a profit.

 

[Neoni]

Three is an interesting and in some ways sad case. What they tried to do was very ambitious, enter an already mature market with a new technology. They were financed by Hutchinson (the same people who financed Orange then made around £20bn selling the company 6 years later) who hoped to repeat the Orange success.

The problem was timing. If you build a national 3G network in the UK you have enough capacity to serve around 10 million people. The technology means it's impossible to build a cheaper network with less capacity. Once those 10 million people are using the network then the costs per user are a lot cheaper than GSM so it's worth doing.

So Three's challenge was to fill the network with 10 million users. If they did that their costs would be less than the other operators allowing them to undercut whilst still making more profit. Hutchinson would sell up after ~6 years pocketing billions. That was the plan but it didn't work.

In order to get the 10 million customers they believed they had to launch sooner than the others. They thought the others would launch sooner than they actually did forcing Three to launch too soon. The first handsets were frankly rubbish and are now causing problems 'cos they aren't totally standards compliant and the network wasn't is a good shape. These first impressions stuck and contribute to Three's enduring reputation of being a bit rubbish.

The reality of the situation is the Three's handsets and network are good now but the damage is done. They didn't get to the 10 million mark (more like 3 million I think) and have now run out of steam as Orange and Voda both have mature 3G offerings.

It was a gamble but it didn't pay off - Hutchinson will off load the company sometime over the next few years but won't have made a profit.

as you have mentioned there all the companys said they would be honest with me, and yes they did have a bad reputation due to the past but thats the only reason, and they are now on the up. but the damage is done.

 

[Abraham]

i didnt think i'd be in a position to comment on this having cancelled my 3 phone 2 years ago, owing to shocking coverage, calls being dropped on the switch from 2-3, the worst customer service ever and so on and so on
however
it turns out
they still like to bill me
not monthly, just every now and again
normally for £0.00
i did have two for £0.01, which i then got a letter of apology for, however i'd stopped using the bank account, so it had nothing in and i got charged £28 for each of thsoe pennies, three refunded that though, so they're not all bad

that was a while ago, but i got another bill for £0.00 the other day and once again tried to cancel my phone
i got passed between about 6 departments
and continually asked if i was sure i didnt want to keep my number, or get an upgrade, or anything, all on a phone i've not had for two years
i properly went off at her as the stupidity of what she was asking got worse
i'll see in a monthish whether it's actually now cancelled
i think this is about the 4th time i've cancelled it

whatever may have improved about them
their customer service is not one of those things

although whatever department is based in scotland, has always been useful, i guess there's less script reading going on there