Hi

Looking to buy an iphone4 and not really focused on the deals as I am likely to take a sim only option and just buy the iphone4.

What do people think about the network coverage and connection on calls and the 3.5G that you aparently get for the net.

I was also told they no longer use o2 as the back up signal and use orange instead. Does anyone know if this also includes the tmobile signal since they merged the signals?

Overall a good network?

No real issues whatsoever with Three personally. Mobile internet has good speeds and I get 3G most of the time. Its only in some parts of Stafford where I study that I get 2G signal but that is largely down to the buildings.

Cant remember the last time I didnt have any signal on Three.

I found the network on the whole to be very good. Customer services / technical services not so good.

They are testing the removal of orange now, in some places, and if that doesn't have any significant effect, I guess that will continue.

There selling iPad soon on a monthly tariff so hello 3!

Doesn't currently include T-mobile at the moment for 3 customers, it might next year with the merging of the Whole T-Orange network but no one knows for sure how that will see 3 customers working out..

I had 3 about 4 months now and its load better than orange that i was with Internet is much faster

I have a 3 mobile broadband dongle and its very fast and wherever i am, always seem to get excellent HSPA signal.

Be warned though that the roaming agreement with Orange seems to be coming to an end, at the moment they suggest that its only areas they believe has good enough 3G coverage, but its causing some problems leaving some with no signal, see 3g.co.uk forum about this.

They seem to be turning off the Orange back up all over the place. Here in Northumberland there is no 3 3G signal for about 11 miles and we have relied on the Orange back up for years. Last week, without any notice or warning, the Orange roaming was ceased leaving a lot of people with phones displaying Emergency Calls Only.

Personally I think the way that 3 has handled this is shocking. While I understand this area must have been costing them a fortune, they shouldn't have entered into the agreement in the first place if they weren't going to honour it. Worse still is the lack of communication before leaving people high and dry.

I put a 3 sim in my iPhone 3g when the contract expired and it was much better than O2. I even had cause to deal with customer services and they weren't as bad as people say

I have had phones on Three for the last few years, I was sceptical at first because there where so many bad reviews regarding signal (this was about 3 years ago) but I have had about 6 phones with them and have never experienced any problems.

Would recommend them 100%

It's not been good for me and has been a call dropper for years. I only use it now as a PAYG backup.

Reviewcentre have a large number of review conributions (900+) about 3, other networks are reviewed too:

http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews12640.html

i experience a lot of no signal problems, but have been with them for over 5 years, get a new phone every 18 months and it only costs me £5 a month

Good but they only offer 24 months contracts

WRONG.

Their standard contrat is 24 months.

You can still have an 18 months contract, but it will cost you £5 per month more, for less minutes/texts/data.

3 on the whole, are great.

I would say that 3 are one of the best networks especially for data 3.5G. My data rates have actually increased over the last year from about 1.5 mb/s to 2.5 mb/s. Ive never had a problem with there phone service either when traveling around the country. They are constanstly improving their own network but the end of the T-mobile/ orange deal may set them back! best check with them directly! I find the customer service to be fine most of the time not outstanding but better then O2! forsure!

Thanks for the comments, looks like 3 has a lot of happy customers.
Is there any indicator on your mobile to tell you when you are using the 3 network and when you are relying on the orange signal?

Yes the fact that you have 3G or 2G, all phone have different symbols for this, they very.

On most phones, if you're using 3 it'll say 3G or 3.5G somewhere near the signal indicator, while on Orange it'll have various things - perhaps a G or E, or just a little symbol of a tower like mine.

Some phones will also show a roaming indicator - as the service provided by Orange is roaming coverage rather than home network.

I've just got the three dongle excellent coverage HSPA all the way it includes 3 months of free spotify and times and sunday times access on my iphone and ipad.its a rolling contract so i can cancel next month all for 5 pounds for the dongle.
add in 24 pounds cashback via quidco and its a bargain.

A lot of phones show H for HSDPA, Android, Nokia etc do that.

Hey, which part of Northumberland are you in.... tempted by a Three phone deal, but backup coverage might be an issue for me... so depending on whether you are out in the sticks, which I am unlikely to be often... or in one of the main towns

Sh1te customer service, i will never use again EVER !

I suppose the only issue I have with Three is that the Customer service is not UK based and it can be difficult to understand them given my poor hearing and some of the strong Mumbai accents.

On the Whole though they are very competant and have helped every time I have called them.

The worst problem is trying to leave them! They will keep you for as long as possible. I left Three to get my Iphone when only O2 had them. Took me nearly 40 minutes to persuade them to part with a PAC code. I will be going back to three though.

My Wife is still with them and has had no problems. Recently one of the cell towers near our home went and we reported it and they said it was a major fault that would take 7-10 days to resolve. When at Home they put a free divert in place while the mast was down. They refunded a weeks worth of line rental also. I thought that was good customer service. The cell site was repaired in 3 days.

3 also seem to give 2 year warranties on 2 year contracts aswell so bear that in mind too.

I have been with 3 for 3 years on contract. People complain with no network mine is fine.
Cheap tarriffs. I have just been upgraded 24 months. Nokia C7.. Unlimited 3 - 3 calls. 1GB Internet. 900 Mix and Match £23.00 a month with loyalty discounts cant beat that.

Customer services are a hit and miss. I have a contact number for a small team in Glasgow. I only really ever speak with them.

I was allowed to leave my 3 Mobile Broadband contract early as poor connections however that was 3 yrs ago so probably alot better now.