Vodafone will be launching their 3G service in October 2004. Meanwhile for thoese people who only want the up to 384k data rates offerd by 3G can sign up right now.

The delay in standard telephone serivice has been blamed on lack of decent handsets.

The Register - Vodafone goes 3G for data only.

If only Three had been that sensible and waited for decent handsets, instead of selling people expensive heaps of crap....

Three will have to do something really special if they want to keep any customers when Vodafone 3G launch.

Vodafone intend to get 3G right from the start of launch. Vodafone plan to get the best phones capable of deliviering the wow factor that will make people want 3G in the run up to Christmas 2004.

Vodafone also hope to rectify the damage done to 3G's reputation by 3 in the past year. 3 Have no doubt helped to put lots of people of signing up for 3G by offering poor handsets, dodgey network and the worst customer service ever!

3G Newsroom - A look into the future, how will Vodafone deploy 3G?

well my vodafone contract is up in november so i think i will go on to their 3g service as i wouldnt touch 3 with a ten foot bargepole,they have had too many complaints against them for me to trust them

Nobody should trust 3 as I can confirm the network is dodgy, customer service and billing apalling and the content is stagnant and boring. Even the new Nokia 7600 is a dogs breakfast that has'nt been set-up to be able to receive 3's text content! Will 3 ever get it right? Who cares?

Vodafone wont be the only ones with consumer 3G by October as T-Mobile, Orange and 02 are not far off from launch either. Doubt if there will be much in the way of hype when the rest bring out thier 3G products as they already have the customers and will doubless just direct mail those who they think might upgrade to benefit from the richer content and improved data rates etc.

Regardless what 3 offer (and that wont be much - NEC stuff!) it will be worth waiting until competitive products are available before taking the plunge......and for me that'll be for the 2nd time!

I swear I am not trying to be antagonistic here, but I've never had any problems with 3. I've got a moto a835 which I have found to be the best handset I've had - even my friends Nokia 6600 cannot cope with as many media formats as it (although I know that doesn't matter to many people).

Coverage has never been a problem for me, but I suppose that could come from living in a big city.

I know lots of people have had bad experiences with 3, but I just wanted to say I haven't and I've recommended it to 3 friends who have all signed up.

I like three. Sorry!

The only problems I've had with 3 have been handset related, which is due to NEC's incompetence rather than anything 3 have done.