Best network in general?

[Verbium]

Any of you who currently are on T-mobile who have switched from o2 will find this piece of information handy. Because T-mobile and o2 are the only networks not to meet their 3g targets they are going to run off each others networks for 3g.

o2 - Strict customer service, but very good about investigating signal. Very good all round signal.
Vodafone - Dealer support is fantastic, always good to talk to in the middle of the day when your doing contract. Customer service is good when you know what your asking for. Signal is ok, 3g signal is awful.
Three - Never ring 333 from the handset, use the general customer services number while in a store and you're straight through to a scottish/welsh/english department. Signal all depends on the handset!
T-mobile - Used to be a long waiting time but are now very good at responding to calls due to a recuitment drive. But again, are strict on procedure. T-mobile have also been improving signal throughout the world cup, very impressed in my area from what it was like to what it is now (plus you can't beat £17.50 for flext 35 )
Orange - Who ever calls them these days? As a dealer orange deals don't offer much in way of a good package so can't comment for them. Same for signal
Virgin - New company, not dealt with them much. But every time i've rung always helpful. Runs off the back of t-mobile, so same as above.

 

[rmuir]

Up until last couple of days i would have said orange without any question, but since yesterday i have been trying to ring upgrades, at various intervals, to chase up my upgrade and not once have i got through. This has never been the case before, im currently looking @ a twenty minute wait and that has been the case since about six o clock tonight.

On network coverage/call quality i can't fault orange, been with them for five years now and can't remember one dropped call or call wrecked due to poor quality.

Im just hoping that the difficulty in actually getting a human on t'other end of phone is a one off.

 

[G|mp]

I would have said Orange a few days ago but their annoying new foreign operators suck ass

Bring back the Geordies !!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rmuir]

whats this no more craic on the phone to orange????

they were all mad and i had some good banter with them. At least you got through though.............

 

[PureAppleJuice]

Tried 5 different numbers for them ranging from customer services to dealer support.

Even the guy i got through too admitted they have gone downhill and need more staff.

Andy

Unlikely - Must admit i've heard people play that common 'but they said they were bad, so my opinon is right!' card. To be honest, i'd say i've had the best customer experience with Orange, in terms of support. Tariffs seem to be pretty poor from them, signal seems to be alright in my area. Currently on Vodafone, pretty decent coverage, haven't had to use support really.
Gonna switch over to T-Mobile's FlexT stuff soon.

 

[Aruffell]

I work with phones every day, have to phone orange all the time, they have gone down hill, so why is it unlikely?

Even signing people up on an orange contract on the phone i have to speak to bombay or deli.

Andy

 

[Haly]

I work with phones every day too
When I phone regarding PAYG I get Indian call centres, some are fine, some aren't so fine but that's pretty much true of every network.
When I phone about anything other than PAYG registration I always seem to get through to a British call centre, typically Newcastle area (I think, but definitely Northern).

Maybe Orange just don't like The Link

 

[Aruffell]

I work with phones every day too
When I phone regarding PAYG I get Indian call centres, some are fine, some aren't so fine but that's pretty much true of every network.
When I phone about anything other than PAYG registration I always seem to get through to a British call centre, typically Newcastle area (I think, but definitely Northern).

Maybe Orange just don't like The Link

Yeah Haly, they are all British, but tomorrow phone up connections, they will be indian

Andy

 

[Haly]

Yeah Haly, they are all British, but tomorrow phone up connections, they will be indian

Andy

I phoned them up today, I'll be impressed if overnight they've changed every single call centre in the company
I phoned them up twice, PAYG registration went to India as it has done for the last 6 months afaik, contract query went through to someone British.

 

[Aruffell]

I phoned them up today, I'll be impressed if overnight they've changed every single call centre in the company
I phoned them up twice, PAYG registration went to India as it has done for the last 6 months afaik, contract query went through to someone British.

As i said, queries and cust serv is british.

All connections though (starting a new contract) is bombay.

Andy

 

[Haly]

As i said, queries and cust serv is british.

All connections though (starting a new contract) is bombay.

Andy

Ah right. I've never had to phone to start a new contract at work. We do them all via computer so doesn't affect me and it's much quicker for all involved

Guessing you'll be forever phoning o2 shortly anyway

 

[Aruffell]

Ah right. I've never had to phone to start a new contract at work. We do them all via computer so doesn't affect me and it's much quicker for all involved

Guessing you'll be forever phoning o2 shortly anyway

Well our orange system goes slow from time to time, so manual contract is a bit quicker lol.

Nop, we may be owned by o2 but we're staying the same.

Actually our main focus is Orange at the moment.

Every phone is a gold connection on any orange tarriff including a £19 one so we make £120 margin on each one and more comission for ourselves

As well as £10 bonus on each orange connection for ourselves.

Andy

 

[Haly]

Well our orange system goes slow from time to time, so manual contract is a bit quicker lol.

That system must be bloody slow at times then :s Never even heard of anyone ever doing a manual contract at CPW.
Get O2 to pay for a new centralised system for you, sounds like you need it desperately

 

[Galaxy]

Vodaphone are the best network, in my opinion. Their customer support is really good - it's free, the operators are usually friendly and do their best to help, and there's no call queues from what I've experienced. I had a really bad experience with the guy in the store though, he completely fudged up the contract giving me a PAYG number and made errors with my personal details leaving me with an inactive sim card, however this was quickly resolved through customer support. I'm really impressed with the way they treat customers.

I do think that they're really expensive however. I tend to use up all my inclusive minutes within a flash and that's where they milk stupid people like me. Oh well . Only 15 more months to go! The service is top notch though, I always have signal, never any late texts and very few dropped calls. I like Stop the Clock, it's really useful for evening/weekend chats, the only catch being having to disconnect after an hour...

Orange coverage is pretty poor around rural areas from my experience. O2 are pretty average - some nice PAYG treats at the moment. T-Mobile are poor; PAYG is really expensive and having been a heavy PAYG user for many years they made no effort to offer any sort of rewards for loyalty . Also, I had a lot of dropped calls with T-Mobile and late texts etc, generally a poor service.

 

[Dolph]

Ah right. I've never had to phone to start a new contract at work. We do them all via computer so doesn't affect me and it's much quicker for all involved

And don't forget cheaper for all involved too. That's a factor, hence why if you can't get full automation, you look at alternative options for simple repetative tasks. It also frees up money for more people for the more involved queries.