iPad 3G usage on o2 & 3

Kainz

Kainz

Kainz

Soldato
Joined
15 Dec 2002
Posts
23,927
Location
In a cowfield, London, UK
Rather surprised by this one. I have pretty much stuck to o2 for years and presently use o2's Simplicity package on my iPhone 4. 3G availbility is flaky at most during my trip from home to work. This mostly frustrates me during my journey home as I like to read twitter.

For iPad 3G usage however I've also been using o2 service for £10 per month giving me a gig of data, more than enough for the tablet and general usage. As I carry this with me to work, I also go through the same 3G blackspots as I do with my phone.

So imagine my surprise when I bought a £20 for 3 months sim from 3 and received max bars this morning all the way to work. I am honestly very much surprised so far.
 
Even though I am with them right now I believe O2 are one of the worst networks in my area. Every other carrier has a 3G signal where I live except O2. Also their edge network seems to always go down here which is annoying. The only reason I got them was for their simplicity tariff, but it looks like T mobile beat them on that now.

Time to move I think.
 
I've been with O2 for many years now as well and stick with them because of the simplicity 20 package I'm on with unlimited web but I agree, 3G coverage is just terrible compared to the networks friends are on such as orange and tmob.

3G signal on my iphone 4 is usually down in the 1-2 bar range in a lot of areas including inner city. I'm thinking about switching to orange or 3.
 
I forgot to state (im at work) earlier that I live in the Harrow, Middlesex area just outside London.

My journey to work takes me from Wealdstone-Harrow-South Harrow-Northolt. The latter two areas are pretty much 3G dead spots via o2 3G. It's just such a surprise when you look at how large a company o2 really are.
 
I've used data with O2, Vodafone, Orange, and Three.

My experiences...
  • O2 have the best GSM coverage. Even with the ****y antenna on my iPhone 4 I've never not been able to make a telephone call. Been in quite a few places (both here and elsewhere in the country) where O2 has been the only network with coverage. Unfortunately making telephone calls is not the main thing I use my mobile telephone for in 2011...
  • O2's 3G coverage is ****.
  • O2's 3G speed, when you have got coverage, is slow.
  • Three's 3G coverage is the best.
  • Vodafone's 3G coverage is below Three's, but miles above O2.
  • Vodafone and Three are about equal 3G speedwise - but both miles ahead of O2.

That said... O2's customer service is the best I've ever used :), and I've only heard bad things about Three's. What I'm waiting for is when Orange & T-Mobile are mast sharing their 3G as-well as GSM.... from PhotoShopping the OFCOM coverage maps together that's gonna be even better than Three's coverage.


I have to admit something with my iPad though... I bought it in the 'states before they were out here, and obviously no networks did microsims. So I got an O2 PAYG and topped up £10 to get "unlimited data" for 1-month and chopped it up to fit the iPad. In that month the amount of times I used it on 3G was so small I've not bothered topping it up or getting another SIM since!
 
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Westyfield, you seem to mirror the comments I've heard from some friends regarding o2 and 3. They have all said that 3's CS is poor, and I have experienced o2's, which I rate as very good. I've only used CS once though.

Today is pretty much the last straw with o2 for me. I've had either none, or very slow 3G for the past three days in our office.
 
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