Three and Vodafone are merging!
- Thread starter Cromulent
- Start date
Soldato
I'm waiting to see if this gets blocked; I have a suspicion it will as the O2/Three merger got blocked as many people here have already highlighted.
Three around me now seems to be really good, I left them after a very long time as I had great experiences, but they went to pot for a few years during the initial rollout of 5G, and I switched to O2 at the time as it was getting incredibly frustrating, with O2 at least offering some consistency.
I'm only really still with O2 now though as the priority scheme has been so good, as the sim I run for the wife regularly smashes me for 4G v 5G connectivity and also raw data speeds/call quality, and I feel like O2 has gone downhill a bit since I joined, in terms of data connectivity and just overall.
They're not terrible, definitely better than Three was for several years, but now they've fixed their issues, and O2 seems to be encountering some, they are being left in the dirt.
I have been decoupled mobile and sim for a few years at least now, next time my contract runs out, I may seriously consider switching back to Three if nothing changes negatively for them again. I do have to watch this Three/Voda as it does have potential to impact!
Three around me now seems to be really good, I left them after a very long time as I had great experiences, but they went to pot for a few years during the initial rollout of 5G, and I switched to O2 at the time as it was getting incredibly frustrating, with O2 at least offering some consistency.
I'm only really still with O2 now though as the priority scheme has been so good, as the sim I run for the wife regularly smashes me for 4G v 5G connectivity and also raw data speeds/call quality, and I feel like O2 has gone downhill a bit since I joined, in terms of data connectivity and just overall.
They're not terrible, definitely better than Three was for several years, but now they've fixed their issues, and O2 seems to be encountering some, they are being left in the dirt.
I have been decoupled mobile and sim for a few years at least now, next time my contract runs out, I may seriously consider switching back to Three if nothing changes negatively for them again. I do have to watch this Three/Voda as it does have potential to impact!
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Why? VM02 went ahead didn't it? I didn't realise how far down the list Voda were. And 3 has always been a small player...
Soldato
Three UK are embarrassing all the other MNO's with their 5G roll out, with EE running a close second. If anyone will benefit from this it will be Vodafone, as Three have 100MHz of contiguous spectrum in the n78 band and have more 5G mast applications in progress than nearly all the others put together.
I really hope that if this goes ahead that Voda3 retain some value tariffs, rather than making it worse for the consumer.
I really hope that if this goes ahead that Voda3 retain some value tariffs, rather than making it worse for the consumer.
VM didn't have a mobile network, O2 didn't have a cable network, the merger didn't materially erode competition in either space. There is a clear difference with this as both Vodafone and Three are first and foremost mobile networks.
Going from 4 to 3 will erode competition and consumer choice in the mobile telecommunications space, its a really obvious thing they will block.
Before the VM/O2 merger and the BT/EE merger, imagine what the answer would have been if BT tried to merge with VM.
Doesn't 3 rent their network from MBNL? I don't think 3 are in the slightest big enough for the CMA to have a legitimate concern tbh.
No, they have their own network and some of the best 5G spectrum there is available. Three rent their network out to others- ID Mobile and Smarty.
A combined Vodafone and Three will be the biggest UK network - that is just another reason to block it.
Three 5G is awful for me, there are a few places where they have those small cell towers where the speeds are insane right next to them, but the range is trash. Walk 100 metres away and you've on 4G again.
Vodafone’s 5G SA network has launched - currently limited to S21 and S22 owners.
www.vodafone.co.uk
Would love to see what the battery improvements are really like.
Vodafone launches 5G Ultra
Customers in London, Manchester, Glasgow and Cardiff, amongst others, to experience the most technologically advanced 5G network in the UK.
www.vodafone.co.uk
Would love to see what the battery improvements are really like.
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Don't think they will block it, they have let others merge.
Soldato
I’ve been a 3 customer for years, mainly due to the fact that I used to travel globally for work, and their Feel At Home perk was about the best roaming package going at the time. However, 3’s signal when I’ve been at home has always kind of sucked, and now that I have a job that means I no longer need to leave the UK, I was considering switching to Vodafone just before this merger was announced. Since then however, I’ve noticed that I’ve gone from being lucky to have 1 bar of signal, to 2 or 3, and no more dropped calls or me having to walk out the front door and into the street to make or receive a call.
Not sure where the merger is upto at the minute, but I guess I’m possibly benefiting from using a Vodafone mast that’s nearer to my house than a 3 one.
Not sure where the merger is upto at the minute, but I guess I’m possibly benefiting from using a Vodafone mast that’s nearer to my house than a 3 one.
It will be coincidence.
Soldato
You are just one of the beneficiaries of Three's aggressive role out of their POW's.
Soldato
What are POW’s?
Soldato
Soldato
I only know POW as prisoner of war. Not sure what it means in this context though.
Three is my favourite network, so will be a bit disappointed if they merge. It means we'll have:
EE = BT/Orange/T-Mobile
Three + Vodafone
O2 + Virgin
Meaning we will have gone down from 7 networks to 3. As in the number 3, not Three
Three is my favourite network, so will be a bit disappointed if they merge. It means we'll have:
EE = BT/Orange/T-Mobile
Three + Vodafone
O2 + Virgin
Meaning we will have gone down from 7 networks to 3. As in the number 3, not Three
We never had 7 networks, Virgin was always a MVNO and BT was sold to O2 who then later merged with Virgin who are a cable provider. Many years after BT sold O2, they wanted back in the mobile game and bought EE (many years after the Orange and T-Mobile merger).
We had 5 at one point, we now have 4. I really doubt they will let it go down to 3.
I say that because of their recent behaviour post brexit and the removal of roaming one by one except O2. What’s worse is that historically three included it before it became a EU requirement and it included other countries like the USA. Speaking of the USA, look at the state of competition over there with just 3 networks, high prices, low data caps, huge profits and ultimately the consumer pays a lot more for a worse service.
The BT/EE and Virgin/O2 mergers had no impact on the number of networks we have.
We had 5 at one point, we now have 4. I really doubt they will let it go down to 3.
I say that because of their recent behaviour post brexit and the removal of roaming one by one except O2. What’s worse is that historically three included it before it became a EU requirement and it included other countries like the USA. Speaking of the USA, look at the state of competition over there with just 3 networks, high prices, low data caps, huge profits and ultimately the consumer pays a lot more for a worse service.
The BT/EE and Virgin/O2 mergers had no impact on the number of networks we have.
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