[Minardi]

Apologies if this is covered elsewhere, I did do a search but nothing found.

I'm looking to move over to Virgin Mobile from O2, cost being the main driver. Their £12 1200mins/Unltd Txt/1GB SIM tariff suits my needs perfectly, at nearly half the price of O2.

My question is about the network. For those on it, how does the T-Mob/Orange roaming work. Is it like EE, seamlessly uses both networks, 2 and 3G, or does it only use Orange when it's out of T-Mob 2G and 3G?

I live in a strong T-Mob 2G/3G area, but I travel alot in the countryside, and knowing how poor T-Mob always was out in the sticks, I want my calls to handoff between the networks properly!

Data speeds look to have improved too. I posted here before about EE data speed improvements. T-Mob here have finally got their act together, delivering about 2Meg. Half of O2's 3G900 powered 4Meg but still a good enough effort! Orange.... Ha. Still dire!

[dpick]

Hi I am on Virgin and find that my phone switches between orange t-mobile and virgin with no trouble only one spot I know of where I can only get emergency calls only. I travel in most of northern England.

dpick

[Martin Phillp]

I've been with VM since the early days and since the EE integration, the coverage has vastly improved here.

I did a speed test yesterday and found I was receiving 2.5mb down and 1.5mb up.

Incidentally, the label on your phone will say "Virgin" if connected to a T-Mobile base station and "virgin" for Orange.

[R410]

The way Virgin Mobile works is easier than the way Orange & T-Mobile system works.

Your phone will just pick whichever is the strongest signal and use that one. I have had no problems with my phone switching between the two. I am an Orange customer, but my phone now uses the T-Mobile 3G signal most of the time.

EE is just the name of the Orange and T-Mobile networks in the UK now.

[DevonBloke]

Originally Posted by Martin Phillp

I've been with VM since the early days and since the EE integration, the coverage has vastly improved here.

I did a speed test yesterday and found I was receiving 2.5mb down and 1.5mb up.

Incidentally, the label on your phone will say "Virgin" if connected to a T-Mobile base station and "virgin" for Orange.

That was probably an Orange cell with those speeds. Most MBNL cells deliver much faster speeds than this. It's also possible that Virgin handsets are speed capped.
Most Orange and T-Mobile users now have uncapped speeds.
Here's my speed test from yesterday in Totnes South Devon (I'm on the Orange iPhone extra plan)
http://www.speedtest.net/iphone/371098126.png

[Minardi]

Thanks for the info all, all looks good!

That last speed test was impressive, I always found Orange struggled to deliver more than a few hundred kbps. We'll see how things go!

[Mr Mot]

The other half has just moved to virgin from 3, speeds don't seem too impressive at the moment (comparing with my full Monty plan)
There always seems to be more upload than download bandwidth available too.
It does seem as though there is a speed cap in place.
Another niggle is the lack of compatibility with HulloMail.
We weren't aware of this before placing the order.

[c4rv]

Originally Posted by DevonBloke

That was probably an Orange cell with those speeds. Most MBNL cells deliver much faster speeds than this. It's also possible that Virgin handsets are speed capped.
Most Orange and T-Mobile users now have uncapped speeds.
Here's my speed test from yesterday in Totnes South Devon (I'm on the Orange iPhone extra plan)
http://www.speedtest.net/iphone/371098126.png

I believe the speed cap has been removed, just ran speed test on my HTC desire and got 4.4mb down and 1.6mb up

[LostFool]

I've been on VM for about 3 years and find it works fine. I don't get 3G indoors at home but I can't on Vodafone or O2 either

[JasonWatkins]

This is good to know. I'm on my way to the shops shortly to take up the exact same deal as the OP plans to

[mersey70]

Originally Posted by Mr Mot

The other half has just moved to virgin from 3, speeds don't seem too impressive at the moment (comparing with my full Monty plan)
There always seems to be more upload than download bandwidth available too.
It does seem as though there is a speed cap in place.
Another niggle is the lack of compatibility with HulloMail.
We weren't aware of this before placing the order.

Don't forget you have a 14 day satisfaction guarantee if not happy!

http://www.virginmobile.com/vm/mobil...andProducts.do

[Gormond]

I'm also interested in moving from GiffGaff to Virgin, is it easy to port your number across?

My main reason is 3G coverage and speed, on O2 it is pretty poor but i get good coverage with my T-Mobile Mi-Fi, I assume this will be the same with Virgin?

[andycat]

Originally Posted by Gormond

I'm also interested in moving from GiffGaff to Virgin, is it easy to port your number across?

My main reason is 3G coverage and speed, on O2 it is pretty poor but i get good coverage with my T-Mobile Mi-Fi, I assume this will be the same with Virgin?

Porting is fine, I've done this a month ago, purely because of the terrible data outages with O2/GiffGaff recently. Virgin is better fro where I am, better signal. And you can use it :-)

[denyo1977]

I just moved from giffgaff to Virgin Mobile two weeks ago and am quite happy. No more speed caps like I used to have on T-Mobile and bizarrely at work far better speeds with Virgin compared to T-Mobile.
Fastest I managed in the two weeks was 9.8mbps down.

[Gormond]

Originally Posted by denyo1977

I just moved from giffgaff to Virgin Mobile two weeks ago and am quite happy. No more speed caps like I used to have on T-Mobile and bizarrely at work far better speeds with Virgin compared to T-Mobile.
Fastest I managed in the two weeks was 9.8mbps down.

How did you port your number across?, did you get the virgin sim and then port in after?

[Gormond]

Just requested a PAC, going to go to the 12 quid SIM plan on virgin with 15% student discount.

[Minardi]

Do Virgin Support HD Voice? I know T-Mob/Orange/EE do, wondered if it had come down to them yet, and would it work to, say, an Orange phone? Not a deal breaker, just interested.

[JasonWatkins]

oh well. my apparent "failed ID check" yesterday was, in fact, a failed credit check. DOH !!

looks like i'm staying with Tesco ..

[Gormond]

Originally Posted by JasonWatkins

oh well. my apparent "failed ID check" yesterday was, in fact, a failed credit check. DOH !!

looks like i'm staying with Tesco ..

Sorry to hear that, hopefully I won't have an issue.

[JasonWatkins]

Originally Posted by Gormond

Sorry to hear that, hopefully I won't have an issue.

Thanks, but it's all my fault really - I'm the only one responsible for getting my credit file in to such a state.

Although, rather bizarrely, I thought i'd give it one last try and applied through Virgin Mobile's website itself and it appears to have sailed straight through - I consented to the credit check and everything, and they've even taken the initial 99p payment for 'delivery' (and ID i suspect..).

We'll see - I don't doubt i'll get the email later on changing their mind

[JasonWatkins]

I have now received the confirmation email with my new number!

Perhaps Virgin's website likes me more than the carphone warehouse

We'll see though, i won't be entirely happy until I talk to someone when I port my number over..

[Gormond]

I'm the same, have ordered my SIM, hopefully wont be long till i get it.

[Minardi]

For speed comparison, this is my current O2 speed:

http://www.broadbandspeedchecker.co..../117251996.jpg

Right on the edge of an O2 3G900 Cell, can only pick it up at off peak times (Cell breathing?)

Will let you know how Virgin Media treats me!

[denyo1977]

Gormond, I didn't port my number as the number Virgin gave me was quite easy to remember

[gwrbristol]

I'm on Virgin Mobile.. I get a strange thing happen to me when I make calls. Once I am about 10 minutes in to a call I start to quote, sound like a darlek to the person I'm calling but I can still hear the caller perfectly. It happens pretty much every time... but why only after a period of time? If we redial I'm as clear as bell again.