Do networks matter?

magick · 29 Jun 2011 at 12:41

Does it make any difference, apart from price, what network provider you'r on? At one time orange use to have the best coverage. Have the other networks caught up with them?

Robbo · 29 Jun 2011 at 12:42

It can make a huge difference depending on where you are, yes.

magick · 29 Jun 2011 at 12:45

is there a map or guide available showing what networks are best where?

i'm choosing between organge and virgin. with virigin there's an offer where you get the first 3 months for half price.

Robbo · 29 Jun 2011 at 12:46

Virgin use the T-Mobile network and both T-Mobile and Orange use each others network, so overall Orange are going to be quite a lot better.

There are coverage maps on the various networks websites but they aren't all that accurate.

magick · 29 Jun 2011 at 12:49

Sorry the netowrk is Vodafone, not Virgin. So the choice is between Vodafone and Orange.

Robbo · 29 Jun 2011 at 12:50

Vodafone have a fairly good network, so it depends entirely on where you are. I'd still say the Orange/Tmob combination edges them on overall coverage though.

magick · 29 Jun 2011 at 12:53

Ok. I'm going for a Iphone 4 and live in the Nottingham.

Should I spend the extra £5 a month and go for 750mb free internet over 500mb?

Robbo · 29 Jun 2011 at 12:54

If you're going to be streaming video/internet radio when out and about, then yes.

Otherwise, if you're just browsing/emailing, no.

magick · 29 Jun 2011 at 13:00

OK thanks

ins0mn1ac · 29 Jun 2011 at 16:22

Avoid Orange like the plague of all plagues, never again!

loltim · 29 Jun 2011 at 16:24

deleted said:
Avoid Orange like the plague of all plagues, never again!

been said already, but it depends on your area. Orange offer the best 2g and 3g+ in my area.

Deleted User 234324 · 29 Jun 2011 at 16:32

Also factor in that GSM900 (vodafone, o2) networks function better indoors than GSM1800 (t-mobile, orange) networks and both are better indoors than GSM2100 which are your 3G/HSDPA networks used by all providers.

Nymins · 29 Jun 2011 at 16:38

As stated it depends entirely on were you live. Every provider has a 'coverage checker' on their website that you can punch your postcode into.

For me, Orange are pretty much the only ones that provide coverage (out in the countryside). My brother bought a Blackberry on Virgin, forgetting to check coverage, and we couldn't get a signal at all.

Once T-Mobile/Orange roll out their 3G share, then either of those networks will be the best imo. I recently switched to T-Mobile (although it roams to T-Mobile/Orange at my house due to the reasons above).

robgmun · 29 Jun 2011 at 16:55

For me personally Vodafone has been awful, My house and workplace both seem to be in Vodafone black spots!!

O2 on the other hand is super strong and much better for me. T-mobile was below average but no-where as bad as Vodafone was.

Dewotter · 29 Jun 2011 at 22:00

My mum has a phone on Orange and in the Centre of Belfast she can never make or recieve a call. I was shocked at that, and I was on O2, who aren't brilliant themselves.

Lakeland · 29 Jun 2011 at 22:02

Where I live, Vodafone are useless, o2 are fantastic.

I'm sure in other areas it is the complete opposite. I would suggest if you don't know what is best, ask friends for advice, or get a few free pay and go sim-cards and try them out

TheVoice · 30 Jun 2011 at 00:08

I recently switched from T-Mobile to O2, and if it wasn't for the fact that I got a really cheap deal on O2 for the SGS2, I'd be regretting it. My signal at home is worse now whereas on T-Mobile it was always full, and my signal at work on 3G is slightly worse; T-Mobile's wasn't great either but it was at least stable for internet use, O2's is rather temperamental.

But as said, it entirely depends on where you are.

As for other issues like billing, customer services etc, they're all as bad as each other. I was with Vodafone for a few years and they got things wrong several times, but I've had mistakes from the others too.