[Adamuk]

Hello!

I want an iPhone... Do I go with O2 or Orange? Which is generally considered the best network? Are there any specific advantages to either?

Many thanks.

[douknowotimean?]

Forget them! If you want an iPhone and want to make the most of it you should consider T-Mobile or Three.

You may want more than 500MB (or even more than 1GB) as there is something constantly running in the background, on the iPhone, that constantly uses data. Apparently someone from O2 has said the same thing.

My brother is on O2 and his bill is always more than it should be because he goes over his 1GB limit without realising. He even uses wi-fi in his home and at ours.

If you have the money you could buy an unlocked iPhone and get a sim card from one of the networks. GiffGaff do a really good deal for £10 per month (250 Mins, Unlimited texts, Unlimited Texts and free GiffGaff to GiffGaff calls)

With the iPhone itself, there's not really much difference between the 3GS, 4 & 4S at the moment. That might change when the iPhone 5 comes out. The 4S has Siri although I find it to be completely useless at times. Asking him to bring up the One News app was quite fun as he insisted on putting an appointment in my diary.

Once you get an iPhone you won't want to go back. You can pretty much do everything on it. It's not a Phone with internet access but it is also my music player and I started to read books on it now.

[phonefollower]

If it's value you want, try 3 - they have clearance iphones in sometimes if you dont mind getting a refubished one for cheaper:
http://www.three-clearance.co.uk/apple-phones.html

as for the difference between O2 and Orange, if the coverage is the same for both networks then I'd go for Orange - you get more stuff like Orange Wednesdays etc when you go with them that you wont get on O2!

[munta]

O2 is the only network that offers Visual Voice mail. Personally I find it the best implimentation of any voice mail/missed call system around.

So if visual voice mail is important to you then O2 is the only network you should consider.

[owhittle]

I've used 3, Virgin, Vodafone and O2

In terms of customer service i would rate O2 ahead of the others by quite a way. Very helpful when you have to call up and get problems solved

[Mark in Essex]

Personally I would go for O2 (or SIM free phone and then a GiffGaff SIM as they use the O2 network), as the reception for Orange, T-Mobile and 3 is crap where I go.

Also Tesco use O2's network as well.

I went for Vodafone (which I consider to be 2nd best) on my Galaxy S3 as they offered me an excellent deal, but I would usually go O2 every time as I think the most important thing is the reliability of the voice network as I'm out in the sticks a lot for my work, but I guess if you mainly stay in built up areas that will not be so much of a problem.

Also I thought that O2 just slow down your connection speed if you go over your data allowance and not charge you (or have they changed this recently)?

Also thinking that 1gb of data is quite a bit as a lot of placed nowadays have free wireless (McDonalds, Tesco, Costa etc......... and a lot of contracts now come with BT Openzone access included).

Just checked my data usage and in 20 days I have used just over 500mb data on the network and 4gb over wifi, but I have not been taking it easy being a new phone.

[ramzez]

o2 is much better integrated with iPhone then any other provider. also o2 has quite fast Edge network and 3G is improving.

[interactiv-uk]

Originally Posted by munta

O2 is the only network that offers Visual Voice mail. Personally I find it the best implimentation of any voice mail/missed call system around.

So if visual voice mail is important to you then O2 is the only network you should consider.

I'm using T-Mobile and Hullomail which gives the same experience as Visual Voicemail - it works great!

T-Mobile and 3 share their 3G sites and now Orange sites are being added to the mix. Also, there have been changes to the T-Mobile/Orange network sharing set up around here where the network no longer waits for 1 bar before checking the other network - it simply stays with the strongest of the two and keeps jumping between. This added to the combined 2G signals you don't get with 3 makes this a fantastic option.

[psionic]

Originally Posted by Adamuk

Hello!

I want an iPhone... Do I go with O2 or Orange? Which is generally considered the best network? Are there any specific advantages to either?

Many thanks.

I would ask myself which network gives the best signal where I live and where I work. Ask friends, family, colleagues in the vicinity etc. and choose accordingly.

[*MikeB*]

Originally Posted by Mark in Essex

Also thinking that 1gb of data is quite a bit as a lot of placed nowadays have free wireless (McDonalds, Tesco, Costa etc......... and a lot of contracts now come with BT Openzone access included)

Valid point but I have recently switched from a 1GB allowance with Three to unlimited data with them. I find I now use my iPhone very differently. Just knowing that you can't go over an allowance means you just do whatever takes your fancy: Streaming radio on long car journeys, streaming music videos and TV shows etc, and of course iTunes Match using iCloud. These are things that I wouldn't have bothered with when I was on the 1GB allowance.

In some ways it's like I have a new phone as I can finally use its full capabilities without worry.

Originally Posted by interactiv-uk

T-Mobile and 3 share their 3G sites and now Orange sites are being added to the mix. Also, there have been changes to the T-Mobile/Orange network sharing set up around here where the network no longer waits for 1 bar before checking the other network - it simply stays with the strongest of the two and keeps jumping between. This added to the combined 2G signals you don't get with 3 makes this a fantastic option.

But I know a few people who really have a lot of problems with Orange and T-Mobile's data network. My girlfriend really struggles on T-Mobile. Most of the time she has a strong 3G signal but everything takes forever to load. I have a couple of friends who complain about the same thing on Orange. I've never experienced that on Three.

[nickcuk]

just looked at the three clearance site - offering iphone 4 for £20/month with decent package - might treat my wife to one

[moox]

Originally Posted by ramzez

o2 is much better integrated with iPhone then any other provider. also o2 has quite fast Edge network and 3G is improving.

"3G is improving" - only because nationally they are by far the worst network in terms of % of the population covered. 3 and T-Mobile/Orange run rings around them.

Having EDGE is hardly a selling point either, when you can probably get near uninterrupted 3G coverage with other networks.

For a smartphone I would steer clear of Vodafone or O2 as otherwise I'd be permanently stuck on 2G.

[zool8846]

Originally Posted by Adamuk

Hello!

I want an iPhone... Do I go with O2 or Orange? Which is generally considered the best network? Are there any specific advantages to either?

Many thanks.

Before getting an iPhone you should seriously consider why you want one. I say that because there are some really cool Android smartphones out (or soon out) that in my opinion make the iPhone look rather expensive for what it is. I've just got a Huawei Ascend G300 and when I held it against my friends iPhone his iPhone looked inferior! The G300 looked far more stylish and its big colourful 4 inch screen just made the iPhone's 3.5 inch look ridiculous. An you can get the G300 for under £100 on PAYG!

Also, the Alcatel One Touch Ultra 995 is due out in the UK soon for about £150-£170 (SIM Free!) and offers a 4.3 inch HD screen, 1.4Ghz processor, 5mp camera, front facing camera, HDMI output, and more!

With Amazon UK opening an Android app store very soon I can see many more of the iPhone apps moving to Android too, many already have.

iPhone is good, but it isn't THAT good.....not anymore!

[Donkey]

Here we go. The title of the thread would suggest that the OP has already decided they want an iPhone but is undecided which network to tie into. This is NOT an iPhone v Android debate.

[munta]

Originally Posted by Donkey

Here we go. The title of the thread would suggest that the OP has already decided they want an iPhone but is undecided which network to tie into. This is NOT an iPhone v Android debate.

hehe.

You wouldn't go for an Indian and decide on a Chicken dish but not sure wether to go for a Madra or a Vindaloo and then have all your mates try and suggest you go for an Omlette

Or go to buy a car. Decide on a Golf in either Red or Blue and then have people tell you that a Fiesta would suit you better.

[Dark 1]

The best network for one person could be the worst for another. The best network for you may be the one who has the best overall coverage at locations where you spend most of your time.

For instance, O2 (along with Giffgaff & Tesco) might have patchy 3G coverage in general, but for me, it's still the best option. O2 have a telecom site within spitting distance of my workplace. Colleagues with other networks get virtually no coverage at all in our building.

You can check the location of telecom sites on OFCOM's sitefinder website:

http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk/

[SupernovaNebula]

Originally Posted by Adamuk

Hello!

I want an iPhone... Do I go with O2 or Orange? Which is generally considered the best network? Are there any specific advantages to either?

Many thanks.

I am on O2 and with the O2 App you can easily check how much of the 1GB allowance you have used. I had Three before and the coverage at my partner's house was awful. My niece is on Vodafone as it's got the best coverage in her area. Check what works best in your area before deciding.

[jabbamk1]

Originally Posted by Dark 1

The best network for one person could be the worst for another. The best network for you may be the one who has the best overall coverage at locations where you spend most of your time.

For instance, O2 (along with Giffgaff & Tesco) might have patchy 3G coverage in general, but for me, it's still the best option. O2 have a telecom site within spitting distance of my workplace. Colleagues with other networks get virtually no coverage at all in our building.

You can check the location of telecom sites on OFCOM's sitefinder website:

http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk/

That is horrendously out of date by about 7 years for all networks other than o2. I recommend using the in store checkers for each network. They go into more depth than the online coverage checker and show masts etc...

There is no best network as everyone has says. Do the above and see which networks are the best in your area. Then compare tariffs. If you need data, go for T-Mobile or Three as there data packages cannot be beaten in price. If you need minutes look at O2 but be aware that O2's 3G signal is terrible in most places and they charge a lot for a tiny amount of data, iPhones use a lot of data so you want at least over 1GB if you plan using it a lot which O2 don't do unless you pay them a ridiculous amount every month.

If you're looking at Orange, don't. Go for t-mobile, they're much cheaper and give you the same signal as orange so thats a great advantage if yu already get signal with Orange. (they're the same company)

Vodafone are ok for business, but overpriced and terrible for consumers. Do not consider them unless they are the only network with signal in your area.

Is there a reason why you're only considering o2 or orange

[tdenson]

Originally Posted by douknowotimean?

You may want more than 500MB (or even more than 1GB) as there is something constantly running in the background, on the iPhone, that constantly uses data. Apparently someone from O2 has said the same thing.

That is just not true. My wife is on O2 and she has used about 50MB data in the last 12 months (not per month - total)

[douknowotimean?]

Originally Posted by tdenson

That is just not true. My wife is on O2 and she has used about 50MB data in the last 12 months (not per month - total)

On an iPhone?

[Matt D]

I hardly use any data on my iPhone 4S, with O2. Hardly touched the data on previous iPhones with O2, either.

There is not "something constantly running in the background, on the iPhone, that constantly uses data"... There is also a lot of difference between the 3GS, 4, and 4S. The screen on the 4 & 4S, the RAM of the 4 & 4S, the graphics and speed of the 4S...

[douknowotimean?]

Originally Posted by Matt D

I hardly use any data on my iPhone 4S, with O2. Hardly touched the data on previous iPhones with O2, either.

There is not "something constantly running in the background, on the iPhone, that constantly uses data"... There is also a lot of difference between the 3GS, 4, and 4S. The screen on the 4 & 4S, the RAM of the 4 & 4S, the graphics and speed of the 4S...

Then why did an O2 Customer Services Operator say that there was to my brother (unless he's a lying **** of course!) and also why is it that the Data Usage app says that I've used data using the 3G when I was using the infinity at home?

[Dark 1]

I often use less than 100mb per month on my iPhone. Albeit a lot more if I need to do any tethering. If there's something I know is going to be bandwidth heavy - such as video - I'll often just wait until I get home. And I make sure any push email etc is turned off.

[jabbamk1]

I've never understood the people who pay over £45 a month with o2 to get the latest iphone and then hardly use any data. What's the point of that. Why not buy a cheap phone for £10 which does calls and texts.

The iPhone was introduced as an internet centric device.

Also I've never understood why people think 100mb is wlenough on a smartphone. What's the point of that when you can't use your smartphone for its purpose in a non wifi area. And then get blasted with a hefty bill if you do use the smartphone for internet.

Right, thats my mini rant over.

[Adamuk]

Hi guys,

Wow! Thanks for all the responses.

I am put off T-mobile due to me having billing issues with them on a previous contract. I don't want to go with three really, I would prefer to spend a little more and go with a different network. Also - Vodafone doesn't have reception at my house :-/ Leaving me with O2 or Orange.

I put reliability and coverage ahead of price, to be honest. I am slightly concerned about the O2 3G reception problems people have reported. Is this still an issue?

I have tried a few phones and like the iPhone. I am not particularly bothered about specs, and like the look of the iPhone. Plus I know I can browse the music using the bluetooth in my car