Trying to choose provider for iPhone

mark66 · 8 Jan 2010 at 12:04

Hi,

I am wanting to get a 16GB iPhone on contract (max 18 months), around 500 mins free calls and 200 texts, but not to sure who to go with.

I am currently with Vodafone and they will do:

18 months for £40 month
Handset = £89
Mins = 600
Texts Unlimited
Data = 1GB (I thought this was unlimted but they tell me no-one does unlimited?)

On checking the details with them, they told me the Data is limited to 1GB and so if the wifi?! Surely the wifi when connected to my own router is unlimited?

I also wanted to look at the Tesco prices, but I can't for the life of me find a Tesco page detailing their tariffs, only other sites quoting their prices from back in December. Does anyone have a link?

The guy at Vodafone also told me that going with Tesco would not be good as I would be getting a 2nd rate service as they piggy back onto O2's network and their customers will always get priority on calls and data availability....is this true?

Cheers

Tummy · 8 Jan 2010 at 12:23

I've gone with that deal myself

Vodafone have been fairly hard to get hold of to be honest, they clearly don't put much effort in to customer services.

Other then that I've not had a problem with Vodafone in the past 8 years I've been with them, same goes for me mam.

Yas786 · 8 Jan 2010 at 12:49

Dont know why Vodafone would be telling u that WIFI is limited to 1gb or whatever they have as their limit...but honestly unless your downloading big files theres no way you will get close to 1gb a month...im with voda and i have 500mb of data and i dont even use a quarter of that.

And networks ideas of unlimited is not unlimited data allowance but rather using the internet whenever you want ie at 3 am or 3pm....they shouldnt be allowed to use such a term but they do and get away with it.

Id have a look at Orange as well..they do the iphone now as well...but id steer clear of O2 as ive heard their 3G network is the worst one out of all the networks....personally id stick with voda or orange.

ajgoodfellow · 8 Jan 2010 at 13:46

I've gone for that deal too

Looked like a good deal to me for an 18 month contract on the iPhone

The 1GB data allowance doesn't include Wi-Fi usage - that's down to the limits of the ISP you're connecting too

mark66 · 8 Jan 2010 at 19:13

ajgoodfellow said:
The 1GB data allowance doesn't include Wi-Fi usage - that's down to the limits of the ISP you're connecting too

I tried to tell the girl at Vodafone that but she didn't get it and continued to state the both 3G data and Wi-Fi were limited to 1GB :rolleyes:

bigredshark · 8 Jan 2010 at 20:10

Spawn said:
Id have a look at Orange as well..they do the iphone now as well...but id steer clear of O2 as ive heard their 3G network is the worst one out of all the networks....personally id stick with voda or orange.

I'd go for orange myself, but depending on where you are o2 may have some game left, they're now rapidly installing more 3g base stations (particularly in london) so their network will improve and they have experience managing heavy data traffic now. That said, they've lost my business after the last year of disasters.

Amp34 · 8 Jan 2010 at 22:55

mark66 said:
I tried to tell the girl at Vodafone that but she didn't get it and continued to state the both 3G data and Wi-Fi were limited to 1GB

There was something recently about a certain bit of software installed on the phones of a provider (i'm sure Voda) that actually uses your wifi if available to help data and call strength, they still charge even using the wifi.

So there could be some truth in that. However even with an iPhone could you not just flash it with the generic unaltered Apple ROM?

Espi_Vodafone · 12 Jan 2010 at 15:19

Amp34 said:
There was something recently about a certain bit of software installed on the phones of a provider (i'm sure Voda) that actually uses your wifi if available to help data and call strength, they still charge even using the wifi.

So there could be some truth in that. However even with an iPhone could you not just flash it with the generic unaltered Apple ROM?

Hi there,

Just to let you know, that we do not use any such software to allow WiFi to improve data and call strength.

Also, the amount of WiFi you use is unlimited. Not capped at 1Gb as mark66 has been told.

Thanks,

Espi
Web Relations Team
Vodafone UK

Yas786 · 12 Jan 2010 at 16:07

mark66 said:
I tried to tell the girl at Vodafone that but she didn't get it and continued to state the both 3G data and Wi-Fi were limited to 1GB

Then she either needs to be re-trained or sacked for not knowing her job.

Sumanji · 12 Jan 2010 at 16:20

lol, did that Espi dude just get permabanned?! Seems a shame to nuke official Vodafone presence :confused:

Su

gord · 12 Jan 2010 at 16:51

I went for the Tesco 12 months contract at £20 per month for £60 of calls, £340 phone price.

Strikeforce · 12 Jan 2010 at 19:33

Vodafone have an agreement with BT to provide wifi so its going to be that part of the WIFI that's limited.

Why are you banning Vodafone staff from posting answers? Doesn't seem very fair?

Columbo · 13 Jan 2010 at 12:52

Strikeforce said:
Vodafone have an agreement with BT to provide wifi so its going to be that part of the WIFI that's limited.

Why are you banning Vodafone staff from posting answers? Doesn't seem very fair?

Indeed seems a damn shame as the team seem to have sorted a few problems out for people....

Bennah · 13 Jan 2010 at 23:27

Anyone had experience with Vodaphone and the iPhone? Any problems to report? Is there any branding on the iPhone handset itself?

Im looking at this deal...

16GB 3GS - £40 p/m - 18 month - 600 Mins - Unlimited Texts - 1GB Mobile Internet - £89 (Handset)

Compared to O2, who have these similar deals...

16GB 3GS - £35 p/m - 18 month - 600 Mins - 500 Texts - Unlimited Data & Wifi - £189 (Handset)

16GB 3GS - £45 p/m - 18 month - 1200 Mins - 500 Texts - Unlimited Data & Wifi - £89 (Handset)

Orange have the same tariff's and prices at O2.

ajgoodfellow · 13 Jan 2010 at 23:33

I'm happy with Vodafone at the moment but my iPhone doesn't arrive until tomorrow!

I'll post up my thoughts tomorrow evening when I get back from work and have a chance to try it!

Tummy · 14 Jan 2010 at 01:39

I'll post my thoughts about the iphone tomorrow evening / afternoon once I've had a play with it

mark66 · 14 Jan 2010 at 13:26

Bennah said:
16GB 3GS - £40 p/m - 18 month - 600 Mins - Unlimited Texts - 1GB Mobile Internet - £89 (Handset)

I was just about to go with this deal, but then got hit with the usual dilemma when buying an Apple product....when will the next one be out?!

After searching around it appears it is overdue for an update, well according to Mac Rumours (who base everything around averages!)

Some people think May / June, whereas The Register are speculating April for the new 4G and it sounds like there are some nice improvements coming:

Dual-core processor
Improved graphics
Video chat
OLED display
Perhaps removable battery

Obviously its all speculation, but they do quote what they think are reliable sources in Korea. So I think I will wait to see if anything is announced iPhone wise at Apples announcement day on the 27th and then make my decision.

Bennah · 14 Jan 2010 at 13:44

27th of this month?

mark66 · 14 Jan 2010 at 13:50

Pretty sure it is, they are expected to announce their iTablet / iPad, but some think they may also drop news of the new phone.

The problem with Apple is that all their products are big news to the IT world / consumers and so every dick and harry write about it and speculate when the next will be out and what it will have. The truth is no-one really knows 100% apart from Apple and their suppliers who are under very strict confidentiality agreements......However for the sake of a two weeks I am happy to wait, after all I would prefer to get the new version and not have the new version come out when I am only 3 months into an 18 month contract!

Airax · 14 Jan 2010 at 14:16

Espi_Vodafone said:
Hi there,

Just to let you know, that we do not use any such software to allow WiFi to improve data and call strength. Also, the amount of WiFi you use is unlimited. Not capped at 1Gb as mark66 has been told.

Thanks,

Espi
Web Relations Team
Vodafone UK

I think the sales person maybe getting mixed up with the Vodafone access gateway? Uses your home BB connection go give you better 3G reception.

As for data access, the iPhone is a pretty heavy data device, more so then other devices. If your doing general web browsing, then your fine. But once you start streaming audio/video watch your data bundle dwindle. Over 1 week I downloaded a couple of BBC iPlayer shows (on my WM device) and hit the 1GB limit pretty easily (O2 sent me a shirty text + letter). 1GB isn't a lot, and 500GB certainly isn't!