Is Vodafone 3G coverage the very worst in Britain?

pfgpowell · 14-12-2013, 15:26

Is Vodafone's 3G network the worst in Britain? I have long been with Vodafone since before 3G was introduced and don't particularly want to change because of swapping numbers etc etc. But for 3G I have been using a Three sim card as they do a useful deal whereby you get unlimited web access for £15 a month.
Both my cards, Vodafone and Three, are installed in identical smartphones, Huawei G510 (which are excellent by the way, half the cost of similar Samsung, LC etc phones and twice as good). I use the one as my phone and the other for listening to online radio, particularly Five LIve football coverage when I am driving and commuting, because the sound quality is 1,000 better than AM.
Today I drove my daughter to town (I live out in the styx in Cornwall) and wanted to listen to the Man City v Arsenal match, but took along the wrong phone. And it's then I was reminded just how utterly piss-poor Vodafone's 3G coverage is. I listen to Five Live every Wednesday night driving from London to Cornwall on the Three phone and apart from a couple of spots along the way, coverage is almost total with hardly any dropouts. Similarly when I use the Three sim card locally. Today, on the other hand using the Vodafone 3G service I would get coverage for about 30 seconds, followed by a minute or two of silence before the phone found a signal again. (It's important that I am using exactly the same model phone with each sim, so there is no suggestion of the phone being at fault.)

Anyone care to contradict me, or do we all agree that Vodafone's 3G coverage is awful.

moox · 14-12-2013, 15:32

I live in Cornwall too and I'd agree that it is the pits (O2 aren't much better). With 3 or EE I've had near constant 3G coverage, even several years ago. I've been in the middle of woods and it still works.

It's quite funny when on the train and you see people with Vodafone/O2 mifis or broadband dongles, watching them struggle with crappy slow GPRS while I'm getting stuff done on HSPA+.

Mark in Essex · 14-12-2013, 15:35

I've been with either Vodafone or O2 for years but decided to leave them due to the lack of 3G and slow DATA.

I've just got a Three SIM now (rolling 30 day contract for £12.50/month with unlimited DATA 200 mins and I think it was 2000 texts).

I'm seeing how it goes as you can't beat Vodafone and O2 for normal calls.

The reception seems crap at home but for that price I'm going to see how it goes.

flagpole · 14-12-2013, 15:40

Everyone assumes if they don't get good coverage exactly where they are then the entire network is shit

qasdfdsaq · 14-12-2013, 16:29

Vodafone got rapped by OFCOM for being the only network still not meeting their minimum coverage requirement recently, O2 had the same a few years ago but have now caught up.

So yes, Vodafone does technically and provably have the worst 3G coverage in the UK in terms of OFCOM's definition of population.

pfgpowell · 14-12-2013, 16:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by flagpole

Everyone assumes if they don't get good coverage exactly where they are then the entire network is shit

How's about looking at it this way: any network worth its salt - like Three - will provide a good or at least adequate coverage even for those poors saps who aren't privileged and honoured to live in The Smoke (I work there four days a week which is about all I can stand). I've also been with O2 in the past (had an O2 dongle, which was crap) and also have a Three monthly rolling contract internet dongle which is excellent.)

If you want to be a player, you have to be a player for the whole country not just f***ing Knightsbridge.

Everything Goes · 14-12-2013, 16:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfgpowell

Is Vodafone's 3G network the worst in Britain? I have long been with Vodafone since before 3G was introduced and don't particularly want to change because of swapping numbers etc etc.

You can keep your number and change network for free! This has been a legal obligation for many years.

Ask for your Port Authorisation Code. Give code to new network. Usually takes a couple of hours.

wilt · 14-12-2013, 17:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everything Goes

You can keep your number and change network for free! This has been a legal obligation for many years.

Ask for your Port Authorisation Code. Give code to new network. Usually takes a couple of hours.

A couple of hours? You really are located in the future.

For those of us stuck in 2013, it takes one business day.

Three · 14-12-2013, 18:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfgpowell

How's about looking at it this way: any network worth its salt - like Three - will provide a good or at least adequate coverage even for those poors saps who aren't privileged and honoured to live in The Smoke (I work there four days a week which is about all I can stand). I've also been with O2 in the past (had an O2 dongle, which was crap) and also have a Three monthly rolling contract internet dongle which is excellent.)

If you want to be a player, you have to be a player for the whole country not just f***ing Knightsbridge.

Not always commercially viable to put up expensive masts out in the sticks.

pericom · 14-12-2013, 18:11

In my opinion Vodafone are garbage. I have 3 sims, O2 / Vodafone / Three and Vodafone consistently gives me the worst signal and speeds.

jabbamk1 · 14-12-2013, 18:16

W at ar you gu s talk ng a out? My Voda one int rnet neve dr ps out.

It's 1 % reliab e!!!

shaggy_x · 14-12-2013, 18:18

I agree with the op. Voda in main cities for me like Sheffield and Nottingham is garbage. Rarely get 3G and when I do it's slow.
Also many call drops . It's getting unbearable and I can't wait until I can get my PAC next month and move to Three ( which I will test by signing up to a 30 day sim only first )

Sniffle774 · 14-12-2013, 19:53

I've moved from VF to 3 and the increase in signal coverage is great. I don't regret the move for a moment.

Everything Goes · 14-12-2013, 20:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilt

A couple of hours? You really are located in the future.

For those of us stuck in 2013, it takes one business day.

My phone was off for about a few hours between morning and early afternoon. Really didnt take long.

wilt · 14-12-2013, 22:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Everything Goes

My phone was off for about a few hours between morning and early afternoon. Really didnt take long.

Ah yes, it is a day from when you request it - the service loss when they are actually doing the transfer shouldn't be too long.

moox · 14-12-2013, 22:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Three

Not always commercially viable to put up expensive masts out in the sticks.

3 and EE seem to have managed it. I'm sure the world's largest mobile network operator (or whatever fancy metric it is that makes them better than China Mobile) could afford to put up a few more masts on their home turf.

I remember not getting a VF 3G signal while driving past their HQ in Newbury. Either things really are awful, or there was some maintenance going on while I was there. Hopefully the latter.

KieranDS · 15-12-2013, 00:40

I was a long time Vodafone customer but moved recently.
I always find them to be decent and reliable, however they have gone majorly downhill over the past few months.

Much happier with my speeds and network connection on EE4G (even on 3G).

qasdfdsaq · 15-12-2013, 00:47

I remember ten years ago when everyone was complaining about One2nOne and Orange's poor 2G signal and bragging about how much better Sodafone and BT Hellnet were in comparison.

Vodafone's the only one that's both kept their name and remained independent since the 80's...

Mark in Essex · 15-12-2013, 02:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by flagpole

Everyone assumes if they don't get good coverage exactly where they are then the entire network is shit

I must admit that I can travel several hundred miles a day.

Also up at Cromer it was crap as well (among some other places).

Sometimes I can travel up to 450 miles a day and I have been using mobile phones since there was only Vodafone and Celnet on 1G so not exactly a sap using it it one location.

BeccyJayne2247 · 15-12-2013, 08:33

I'm on vodafone, it's normally ok for calls and text but using the internet when I am out and about through 3G is absolutely awful!!! Either won't load at all or takes forever to load a webpage! I get so frustrated. In contract with them til may 2015 so a bit stuck really!

Mustabuster · 15-12-2013, 09:13

After being with Vodafone for many years I went to 3 and the 3G coverage is many times better. The only thing with the 3 signal is that the signal penetration indoors isn't that great.

SkipTracer · 15-12-2013, 11:22

For 100% coverage of 5 Live I recommend a car radio.

Steven L Hunter · 15-12-2013, 11:25

In general it's ok for me but there are places which need improved but the 4G has improved the coverage slightly.

Dan 8t1 · 16-12-2013, 11:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark in Essex

I'm seeing how it goes as you can't beat Vodafone and O2 for normal calls.

Not really.. check out the Root Metrics site. View the reports for virtually any city and you'll find that Vodafone tend to come bottom on just about every measure, including call failures.

qasdfdsaq · 16-12-2013, 12:02

They don't say on which technology though.

14-12-2013, 15:26	#1
pfgpowell Inactive Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,927	Is Vodafone 3G coverage the very worst in Britain? Is Vodafone's 3G network the worst in Britain? I have long been with Vodafone since before 3G was introduced and don't particularly want to change because of swapping numbers etc etc. But for 3G I have been using a Three sim card as they do a useful deal whereby you get unlimited web access for £15 a month. Both my cards, Vodafone and Three, are installed in identical smartphones, Huawei G510 (which are excellent by the way, half the cost of similar Samsung, LC etc phones and twice as good). I use the one as my phone and the other for listening to online radio, particularly Five LIve football coverage when I am driving and commuting, because the sound quality is 1,000 better than AM. Today I drove my daughter to town (I live out in the styx in Cornwall) and wanted to listen to the Man City v Arsenal match, but took along the wrong phone. And it's then I was reminded just how utterly piss-poor Vodafone's 3G coverage is. I listen to Five Live every Wednesday night driving from London to Cornwall on the Three phone and apart from a couple of spots along the way, coverage is almost total with hardly any dropouts. Similarly when I use the Three sim card locally. Today, on the other hand using the Vodafone 3G service I would get coverage for about 30 seconds, followed by a minute or two of silence before the phone found a signal again. (It's important that I am using exactly the same model phone with each sim, so there is no suggestion of the phone being at fault.) Anyone care to contradict me, or do we all agree that Vodafone's 3G coverage is awful.

14-12-2013, 15:32	#2
moox Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 14,645	I live in Cornwall too and I'd agree that it is the pits (O2 aren't much better). With 3 or EE I've had near constant 3G coverage, even several years ago. I've been in the middle of woods and it still works. It's quite funny when on the train and you see people with Vodafone/O2 mifis or broadband dongles, watching them struggle with crappy slow GPRS while I'm getting stuff done on HSPA+.

14-12-2013, 15:35	#3
Mark in Essex Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 3,644	I've been with either Vodafone or O2 for years but decided to leave them due to the lack of 3G and slow DATA. I've just got a Three SIM now (rolling 30 day contract for £12.50/month with unlimited DATA 200 mins and I think it was 2000 texts). I'm seeing how it goes as you can't beat Vodafone and O2 for normal calls. The reception seems crap at home but for that price I'm going to see how it goes.

14-12-2013, 15:40	#4
flagpole Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 43,524	Everyone assumes if they don't get good coverage exactly where they are then the entire network is shit

14-12-2013, 16:29	#5
qasdfdsaq Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3,286	Vodafone got rapped by OFCOM for being the only network still not meeting their minimum coverage requirement recently, O2 had the same a few years ago but have now caught up. So yes, Vodafone does technically and provably have the worst 3G coverage in the UK in terms of OFCOM's definition of population.

14-12-2013, 16:33	#6
pfgpowell Inactive Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,927	Quote: Originally Posted by flagpole Everyone assumes if they don't get good coverage exactly where they are then the entire network is shit How's about looking at it this way: any network worth its salt - like Three - will provide a good or at least adequate coverage even for those poors saps who aren't privileged and honoured to live in The Smoke (I work there four days a week which is about all I can stand). I've also been with O2 in the past (had an O2 dongle, which was crap) and also have a Three monthly rolling contract internet dongle which is excellent.) If you want to be a player, you have to be a player for the whole country not just f***ing Knightsbridge.

14-12-2013, 16:39	#7
Everything Goes Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In the future.... Posts: 11,259	Quote: Originally Posted by pfgpowell Is Vodafone's 3G network the worst in Britain? I have long been with Vodafone since before 3G was introduced and don't particularly want to change because of swapping numbers etc etc. You can keep your number and change network for free! This has been a legal obligation for many years. Ask for your Port Authorisation Code. Give code to new network. Usually takes a couple of hours.

14-12-2013, 17:17	#8
wilt Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Potterspury Posts: 930	Quote: Originally Posted by Everything Goes You can keep your number and change network for free! This has been a legal obligation for many years. Ask for your Port Authorisation Code. Give code to new network. Usually takes a couple of hours. A couple of hours? You really are located in the future. For those of us stuck in 2013, it takes one business day.

14-12-2013, 18:09	#9
Three Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Manchester Posts: 1,114	Quote: Originally Posted by pfgpowell How's about looking at it this way: any network worth its salt - like Three - will provide a good or at least adequate coverage even for those poors saps who aren't privileged and honoured to live in The Smoke (I work there four days a week which is about all I can stand). I've also been with O2 in the past (had an O2 dongle, which was crap) and also have a Three monthly rolling contract internet dongle which is excellent.) If you want to be a player, you have to be a player for the whole country not just f***ing Knightsbridge. Not always commercially viable to put up expensive masts out in the sticks.

14-12-2013, 18:11	#10
pericom Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 5,039	In my opinion Vodafone are garbage. I have 3 sims, O2 / Vodafone / Three and Vodafone consistently gives me the worst signal and speeds.

14-12-2013, 18:16	#11
jabbamk1 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: London, UK Posts: 8,759	W at ar you gu s talk ng a out? My Voda one int rnet neve dr ps out. It's 1 % reliab e!!!

14-12-2013, 18:18	#12
shaggy_x Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Deep South (Yorkshire) Posts: 3,416	I agree with the op. Voda in main cities for me like Sheffield and Nottingham is garbage. Rarely get 3G and when I do it's slow. Also many call drops . It's getting unbearable and I can't wait until I can get my PAC next month and move to Three ( which I will test by signing up to a 30 day sim only first )

14-12-2013, 19:53	#13
Sniffle774 Forum Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Planet Mongo. Posts: 19,548	I've moved from VF to 3 and the increase in signal coverage is great. I don't regret the move for a moment.

14-12-2013, 20:53	#14
Everything Goes Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: In the future.... Posts: 11,259	Quote: Originally Posted by wilt A couple of hours? You really are located in the future. For those of us stuck in 2013, it takes one business day. My phone was off for about a few hours between morning and early afternoon. Really didnt take long.

14-12-2013, 22:17	#15
wilt Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Potterspury Posts: 930	Quote: Originally Posted by Everything Goes My phone was off for about a few hours between morning and early afternoon. Really didnt take long. Ah yes, it is a day from when you request it - the service loss when they are actually doing the transfer shouldn't be too long.

14-12-2013, 22:20	#16
moox Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 14,645	Quote: Originally Posted by Three Not always commercially viable to put up expensive masts out in the sticks. 3 and EE seem to have managed it. I'm sure the world's largest mobile network operator (or whatever fancy metric it is that makes them better than China Mobile) could afford to put up a few more masts on their home turf. I remember not getting a VF 3G signal while driving past their HQ in Newbury. Either things really are awful, or there was some maintenance going on while I was there. Hopefully the latter.

15-12-2013, 00:40	#17
KieranDS Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: London Posts: 15,938	I was a long time Vodafone customer but moved recently. I always find them to be decent and reliable, however they have gone majorly downhill over the past few months. Much happier with my speeds and network connection on EE4G (even on 3G).

15-12-2013, 00:47	#18
qasdfdsaq Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3,286	I remember ten years ago when everyone was complaining about One2nOne and Orange's poor 2G signal and bragging about how much better Sodafone and BT Hellnet were in comparison. Vodafone's the only one that's both kept their name and remained independent since the 80's...

15-12-2013, 02:24	#19
Mark in Essex Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 3,644	Quote: Originally Posted by flagpole Everyone assumes if they don't get good coverage exactly where they are then the entire network is shit I must admit that I can travel several hundred miles a day. Also up at Cromer it was crap as well (among some other places). Sometimes I can travel up to 450 miles a day and I have been using mobile phones since there was only Vodafone and Celnet on 1G so not exactly a sap using it it one location.

15-12-2013, 08:33	#20
BeccyJayne2247 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 559	I'm on vodafone, it's normally ok for calls and text but using the internet when I am out and about through 3G is absolutely awful!!! Either won't load at all or takes forever to load a webpage! I get so frustrated. In contract with them til may 2015 so a bit stuck really!

15-12-2013, 09:13	#21
Mustabuster Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Woking, Surrey. Posts: 3,588	After being with Vodafone for many years I went to 3 and the 3G coverage is many times better. The only thing with the 3 signal is that the signal penetration indoors isn't that great.

DS Forums

Is Vodafone 3G coverage the very worst in Britain?

15-12-2013, 11:22	#22
SkipTracer Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The City and County of Bristol Posts: 2,623	For 100% coverage of 5 Live I recommend a car radio.

15-12-2013, 11:25	#23
Steven L Hunter Guest Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 10,517	In general it's ok for me but there are places which need improved but the 4G has improved the coverage slightly.

16-12-2013, 11:52	#24
Dan 8t1 Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Leicester Posts: 897	Quote: Originally Posted by Mark in Essex I'm seeing how it goes as you can't beat Vodafone and O2 for normal calls. Not really.. check out the Root Metrics site. View the reports for virtually any city and you'll find that Vodafone tend to come bottom on just about every measure, including call failures.

16-12-2013, 12:02	#25
qasdfdsaq Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3,286	They don't say on which technology though.