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Which network has given you the best/worst coverage?


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Old 23-09-2011, 14:43
southlad
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Which networks have you been with and which ones have given you the best and worst coverage?

BEST: For me it was TMobile. Their 2g coverage was excellent and 3g was fast and reliable indoors and out. (I'll be moving back to them when my vodafone contract ends)

WORST: Then changed to Vodafone, although 2g is excellent I have found 3g shocking at home and work (even though coverage checker says it should be excellent in both places).
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Old 23-09-2011, 14:52
wilt
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Depends what you mean by 'best'. Best as in will let me send a text in the most remote areas possible, or best as in will give me high speed data in most areas?
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Old 23-09-2011, 15:26
Daveoc64
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I think it's better if I rank them

O2 (best)
Three
Vodafone
T-Mobile
Orange (worst)

This is purely on signal strength.
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Old 23-09-2011, 16:17
ram jam
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Best overall, Vodafone
best 3G 3
Worst 3G O2
Worst overall 3

I value 2g/overall coverage the most important. Hence I'm on Vodafone at the end of the day a mobile phone is that; a PHONE no point having fantastic Internet if you miss an important call because the network is crap indoors (3!)
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Old 23-09-2011, 16:51
*MikeB*
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Best overall, Vodafone
best 3G 3
Worst 3G O2
Worst overall 3

I value 2g/overall coverage the most important. Hence I'm on Vodafone at the end of the day a mobile phone is that; a PHONE no point having fantastic Internet if you miss an important call because the network is crap indoors (3!)
Couldn't agree more! But some people on here don't see it like that. I text a fair bit, and I just want some kind of signal. But all too often with Three I lose it when I go indoors. They do have the best 3G coverage though, I agree.

Best overall for me is O2.
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Old 23-09-2011, 17:13
dragonrapide
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02 has never let me down. (fingers crossed!)
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Old 23-09-2011, 17:16
mjdj1689
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No giff gaff people yet, im amazed.
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Old 23-09-2011, 18:24
ram jam
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No giff gaff people yet, im amazed.
Best giffgaff
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Old 23-09-2011, 18:31
Daveoc64
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No giff gaff people yet, im amazed.
I think that for the purposes of this thread, people should stick to the MNOs rather than MVNOs.

i.e. giffgaff is O2

Virgin Mobile is T-Mobile
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Old 23-09-2011, 19:25
unklesam
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Best O2, Worst Orange, Thats 2G, 3G is like hens teeth if you aren't in a city
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Old 23-09-2011, 20:40
Lummo
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Best for me is T-Mobile(2G/3G)
Worst is O2 based on their awful 3G
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Old 24-09-2011, 21:01
freeview_user
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Worst is Vodafone

Best is O2

T-Mobile is pretty shocking too.
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Old 25-09-2011, 01:26
the chimp
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Which networks have you been with and which ones have given you the best and worst coverage?

BEST: For me it was TMobile. Their 2g coverage was excellent and 3g was fast and reliable indoors and out. (I'll be moving back to them when my vodafone contract ends)

WORST: Then changed to Vodafone, although 2g is excellent I have found 3g shocking at home and work (even though coverage checker says it should be excellent in both places).
I'm the opposite to you, for me vodafone has been easily the best and tmobile easily the worst, even worse than 3.

Think I will be back with 3 next time though with the unlimited Internet and tethering being allowed.
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Old 25-09-2011, 02:06
Carlos_dfc
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I'm on O2 now because it's the only network to have reliable coverage at a place I go camping a lot (Kielder, near the castle at the top end of the reservoir)
And even then you have to walk half a mile up a hill from the campsite.

Vodafone is often possible from the same spot, but it's hit'n'miss, and not very strong.

Orange claim decent coverage around that top end of Kielder water, but that's boll*x
There were rumours among the regulars on the campsite that Orange would sometimes get a signal if you stand on the apex of a road bridge 100yds from the site entrance - though I've yet to meet anyone who could confirm it.
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Old 25-09-2011, 04:11
neo_wales
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Best for me is O2 and the worst is Orange and Tmobile but this is for me, it may well be the opposite for others depending upon location.
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Old 25-09-2011, 04:15
staceyxxx23
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Orange/T-Mobile are great, Vodafone is shit though
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Old 25-09-2011, 05:19
jjesso123
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Best 02
worst AOL
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Old 25-09-2011, 07:41
Thine Wonk
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Best 02
worst AOL
AOL
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Old 25-09-2011, 07:51
Steve™
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Which networks have you been with and which ones have given you the best and worst coverage?

BEST: For me it was TMobile. Their 2g coverage was excellent and 3g was fast and reliable indoors and out. (I'll be moving back to them when my vodafone contract ends)

WORST: Then changed to Vodafone, although 2g is excellent I have found 3g shocking at home and work (even though coverage checker says it should be excellent in both places).

BEST: T-Mobile. And their 3G is awesome speeds. In fact I use a T-Mobile Sim in a 3G Router and I get download speeds around 2 - 3mb and upload speeds around 700-900k. £20 for unlimited use for SIX MONTHS is a bargain (yes I know their is probably some fair use thing in their somewhere, but all the same, its good)

WORST: Vodafone. Vodafone, seems to have gone downhill in recent years and/or the other networks have just go alot better. I found 3G Vodafone barely better than EDGE and Voice quality seemed quite poor.

ABSOLUTE WORST for Voice: O2. Dire voice quality and patchy coverage. Dont know about data, sim card didnt last long enough to test (binned)
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Old 25-09-2011, 08:04
Thine Wonk
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BEST: Three, I get 4-5Mbps down and 1Mbps up. Despite some people here going on and on about 2100Mhz I get 5 bars throughout my house and in the buildings I regularly go to. However on O2 no 3G indoors, and on Vodafone 5 bars near the window down to 1 bar downstairs indoors. That's why I don't put much weight on this 900Mhz vs 2100Mhz thing, because it just means the company with 2100Mhz needs to space cells closer together, which Three and T-mobile do! which gives everyone better capacity too!

WORST: O2, 3G coverage in my house is non existent, when I plug in to the car and go on a long drive listening to steaming audio I notice I lose 3G constantly, 3G is only available for 50% of the time when driving anywhere. On three it's 99% of the time. If I'm with friends on O2 they never have 3G!
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Old 25-09-2011, 08:07
Steve™
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BEST: Three, I get 4-5Mbps down and 1Mbps up. Despite some people here going on and on about 2100Mhz I get 5 bars throughout my house and in the buildings I regularly go to. However on O2 no 3G indoors, and on Vodafone 5 bars near the window down to 1 bar downstairs indoors. That's why I don't put much weight on this 900Mhz vs 2100Mhz thing, because it just means the company with 2100Mhz needs to space cells closer together, which Three and T-mobile do! which gives everyone better capacity too!

WORST: O2, 3G coverage in my house is non existent, when I plug in to the car and go on a long drive listening to steaming audio I notice I lose 3G constantly, 3G is only available for 50% of the time when driving anywhere. On three it's 99% of the time. If I'm with friends on O2 they never have 3G!

Thats a good speed on Three. Which network do they use for 3G ?
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Old 25-09-2011, 08:16
Thine Wonk
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Thats a good speed on Three. Which network do they use for 3G ?
MBNL which is Three and T-mobile, however Three has better backhaul and is generally a bit faster than T-mobile. It's variable though it depends from area to area.

http://speedtest.net/android/87031380.png
http://speedtest.net/android/84180592.png

If you get a HSPA+ device you can get real world speeds of 10-13Mbps. There's some reviews on youtube of Three users. The network will be 100% HSPA+ capable complete within 6 months.
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Old 25-09-2011, 11:14
Steve™
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MBNL which is Three and T-mobile, however Three has better backhaul and is generally a bit faster than T-mobile. It's variable though it depends from area to area.

http://speedtest.net/android/87031380.png
http://speedtest.net/android/84180592.png

If you get a HSPA+ device you can get real world speeds of 10-13Mbps. There's some reviews on youtube of Three users. The network will be 100% HSPA+ capable complete within 6 months.
Thats really impressive and so is the Huawei device.

What network do 3 use for voice ?

Think I might get myself one of those. Do they do a unlimited bundle on payg like T-Mobile?
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Old 25-09-2011, 11:18
Adam792
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Best: Vodafone - while 3G isn't the best, the 2G coverage is the best of all of them IMO.

Worst: T-Mobile - 2G coverage has always been a bit hit and miss I've found.
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Old 25-09-2011, 11:21
Stiggles
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Best:- 3
Worst Voda and o2.

Had to ditch a contract with voda 2 months ago as the signal was non existent.
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