[slattery69]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moox

EE have a better 4G network but that comes at a significant cost. Hopefully if 3 increases their income they'll be able to do a far better job of 4G than they currently are doing.

It's how they can still claim the 4G is "free" when it's really not.

I agree there doing a very poor job with 4G and there communication is terrible. To be fair there 3G network is fantastic (for me anyway) i get good speeds in the areas i travel and live at a good price.
My beef is with the 4G claims that are just fantasy . Ive no problem with them activating one mast per area to hit the magic 50 towns , but be honest with it. At the min the areas they claim are covered by 4G require 8-10 3G mast to cover the same area. Are we really to believe that one 4G enabled mast can replicate the job of 8-10 3G masts

[moox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slattery69

I agree there doing a very poor job with 4G and there communication is terrible. To be fair there 3G network is fantastic (for me anyway) i get good speeds in the areas i travel and live at a good price.
My beef is with the 4G claims that are just fantasy . Ive no problem with them activating one mast per area to hit the magic 50 towns , but be honest with it. At the min the areas they claim are covered by 4G require 8-10 3G mast to cover the same area. Are we really to believe that one 4G enabled mast can replicate the job of 8-10 3G masts

It's no better in towns that got 4G from the start. Reading was one of the first places to get it, and there's still large amounts of the town centre and in buildings where you are back on very slow 3G. EE 4G meanwhile is everywhere.

In my case I couldn't give a shit about 4G right now, the nearest place to have it is currently 35 miles away for both EE and 3. 3 are claiming to have a load of towns here on 4G by the end of the year, but as you say it will be one mast - if they even manage that it'll be something. This is Cornwall - where basically the only 4G coverage is overspill from Plymouth. The 3G is good though.

[slattery69]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moox

It's no better in towns that got 4G from the start. Reading was one of the first places to get it, and there's still large amounts of the town centre and in buildings where you are back on very slow 3G. EE 4G meanwhile is everywhere.

In my case I couldn't give a shit about 4G right now, the nearest place to have it is currently 35 miles away for both EE and 3. 3 are claiming to have a load of towns here on 4G by the end of the year, but as you say it will be one mast - if they even manage that it'll be something. This is Cornwall - where basically the only 4G coverage is overspill from Plymouth. The 3G is good though.

Thats what keeps me on three , the fact that the 3G is so good where i am and where I travel. Plus the price for AYCE even with the lose of the one plan is still unbeatable (for me and my useage)
The fact i don't have to worry how much data i use is ideal, no checking an app to see if I'm at my limit or waiting for the dreaded text.

[eforce]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hongkongandy

How do folk use 80-100 GB per month tethering? I have infinity at home and down load music, films etc. are rarely exceed 40GB.

Netflix, file-sharing, popcorn time, steam, just 1 steam game can be 20GB.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thine Wonk

Can you link us to the information regarding the claim that people who use it as broadband live in sparsely populated areas. Also those sites may not have fibre and may be using microwave, in which case the site capacity may be lower.

They never suggested you should use the portable hotspot on your mobile phone as full home broadband at any point.

It's an educated guess, on the basis that a decent urban broadband connection is cheaper than a mobile on the One Plan whereas the opposite is true in rural areas.

[moox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eforce

It's an educated guess, on the basis that a decent urban broadband connection is cheaper than a mobile on the One Plan whereas the opposite is true in rural areas.

It's not cheaper, the one plan is 15 quid a month SIM-only, whereas Virgin want more than that minimum and any DSL ISP wants about that just for the phone line rental. With a decent phone thrown in, they're about the same.

The argument of "if I pay this I can get a mobile phone with loads of minutes and I can use it as home internet" comes into play here - urban or rural.

[Chris1973]

Quote:

It's an educated guess, on the basis that a decent urban broadband connection is cheaper than a mobile on the One Plan whereas the opposite is true in rural areas.

Pretty Much. at least from an infrastructure point of view. In fact the London School of Economics actually put it forward to the Government as being a viable and cheaper option for Rural areas

http://www.rsnonline.org.uk/services...-too-expensive

After five years of Campaigning with the help of MP's and various Rural Broadband Projects our area was told that anything above the speeds that we are getting at the moment was not going to happen in the forseeable future, we were also told that our area would also be likely to be amongst the 1 - 2% of Rural UK that would never benefit from any form of Fibre connection.

So in other words its a choice, made between 10mbps Mobile Broadband, or 512k - 1mbps ADSL, with frequent disconnections caused by power line interference. (Rebooting a modem every 15 minutes or so loses its appeal and novelty value after the first year or two, and makes streaming any form of media, Sky Go or Catch Up Tv impossible, even if you actually had the speed to do it in the first place!)

Suffice to say that BT don't offer any discount, despite throwing in the towel and admitting that they would be unable to improve this flaky, unreliable 2001-era ADSL speed, and we still have to pay the same £15+ monthly line rental, which is exactly the same price as those with 16mbps ADSL and 40 / 80mbps Fibre Connections pay.

So when you rip out the landline en masse out of disgust, protest and principle and the fact that without a decent ADSL connection having a landline is pretty pointless, and take that £15 a month line rental out of the equation and put it towards your Mobile Broadband subscription, it gives you a little bit more to spend on a dedicated Mobile / Tethering package, but of course that package, and a realistic data allowance has to exist in the first place!.

To get down to the basics, if I lived in a town I would be paying £15.99 a month for line rental and then £20 for a Fibre Package. I wouldn't at all be against paying that same total of £35.99 for a Mobile Broadband Package, provided it gave decent speeds (as Three does consistantly in this area) and came with the same 40GB allowance that lower end Fibre / ADSL packages offer.

[moox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris1973

Pretty Much. at least from an infrastructure point of view. In fact the London School of Economics actually put it forward to the Government as being a viable and cheaper option for Rural areas

I wonder what the LSE considers rural, and what expertise they have in telecoms infrastructure to arrive at that assessment.

BT seems to think that only the very, very rural can't be served by wired technology. I live in a very rural county and there's only a tiny percentage - something like 5%, which will not be getting FTTC or FTTP. And I'd guess they have a much firmer grasp of the costs and technologies than the LSE.

And BT themselves are already aware that 4G is a possibility - they trialled it in Cornwall a couple of years ago. But this was a closed 4G network, designed specifically for home use, with the number of users per cell controlled and managed, so totally different to 3's network. Perhaps their new spectrum and the partnership with EE will go towards this?

While you personally may not be happy with what BT are doing in your area, it'd be wrong to say that they aren't doing anything at all for rural England. A lot of people are seeing a benefit - including my own 80Mbps service - and if you drove around any village in the area you'd see a smattering of FTTC cabinets and the FTTP splitters on poles.

[Thine Wonk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moox

It's not cheaper, the one plan is 15 quid a month SIM-only, whereas Virgin want more than that minimum and any DSL ISP wants about that just for the phone line rental. With a decent phone thrown in, they're about the same.

The argument of "if I pay this I can get a mobile phone with loads of minutes and I can use it as home internet" comes into play here - urban or rural.

Exactly, there are many people saying they are using it for 80GB, 100GB or more and they're not just the people out in the county. If what Chris says was true then Three wouldn't have the problem. We know what the usage is by the top 10% of Three users, and they aren't just rural users.

It is unfortunate that BT don't offer fibre in his area, but it doesn't justify complaining when a mobile provider ends an unlimited tethering deal that they were using for home broadband as at no point did Three market it as that, in fact it was called personal hotspot.

[Chris1973]

Quote:

BT seems to think that only the very, very rural can't be served by wired technology. I live in a very rural county and there's only a tiny percentage - something like 5%, which will not be getting FTTC or FTTP. And I'd guess they have a much firmer grasp of the costs and technologies than the LSE.

Well there is Rural and Very Rural. There are many areas around here that will also rank alongside the ones which never get Fibre. Think A57 Snake Pass for example, or Upper Hulme & Flash Village in the Staffordshire Moorlands, even Gawsworth in Cheshire struggles to get above 512K in some parts of the village, and its just 1 mile from the ouskirts of the large town of Macclesfield, and temptingly close to a massive 4G enabled area too, yet it suffers speeds that make any modern day ADSL use or streaming even Youtube a pipe dream.

Those are areas where I have family and friends, how many other villages in Scotland, North Wales etc are there? and I suspect that in reality there are a vast number of communities and properties who are not happy with what BT are doing, or not as the case may be. In fact the frustration in relation to the slow roll out of Fibre or even a decent ADSL connection several years after towns and cities began to get over 2mbps speeds is far worse than the frustrations that some show in relation to the roll out of 4G, largely because we don't even have a decent ADSL connection to return home to .

[cooler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thine Wonk

Exactly, there are many people saying they are using it for 80GB, 100GB or more and they're not just the people out in the county. If what Chris says was true then Three wouldn't have the problem. We know what the usage is by the top 10% of Three users, and they aren't just rural users.

It is unfortunate that BT don't offer fibre in his area, but it doesn't justify complaining when a mobile provider ends an unlimited tethering deal that they were using for home broadband as at no point did Three market it as that, in fact it was called personal hotspot.

I thought Three only called it personal hotspot since around March 2014 when they overhauled the One Plan by increasing the price for new customers and applying a 4GB tethering cap.

[Thine Wonk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cooler

I thought Three only called it personal hotspot since around March 2014 when they overhauled the One Plan by increasing the price for new customers and applying a 4GB tethering cap.

No, here's an old page from 2012

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...79142246,d.d2s

another from 2012

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...,d.d2s&cad=rja

[iTech]

I tried the 0800 number and they are closed at the weekends. Went in to another three store and the manager there said that only certain high users were being moved off the One Plan. I told him that it seems to be everyone who is getting moved but he didn't agree.

[jabbamk1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iTech

I tried the 0800 number and they are closed at the weekends. Went in to another three store and the manager there said that only certain high users were being moved off the One Plan. I told him that it seems to be everyone who is getting moved but he didn't agree.

Three's communications are crap.

I'd ignore anything you hear at a customer service level unless it's in a Three press release or from a reputable source.

[MTUK1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iTech

I tried the 0800 number and they are closed at the weekends. Went in to another three store and the manager there said that only certain high users were being moved off the One Plan. I told him that it seems to be everyone who is getting moved but he didn't agree.

There's a lot of hearsay so far. Nothing concrete. Someone said even people who are not on the One Plan will be moved. But no evidence has been provided.

[Thine Wonk]

I did start a thread up to see if the calls were random, or just targeted at heavy users but it got taken over by a user that has since been banned (although they weren't banned for that specifically),

As far as I could tell from that it was only heavy users at this stage, although eventually it might be that all customers are contacted and moved, that's the plan so I hear, but the plan might change.

[DevonBloke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moox

It's no better in towns that got 4G from the start. Reading was one of the first places to get it, and there's still large amounts of the town centre and in buildings where you are back on very slow 3G. EE 4G meanwhile is everywhere.

In my case I couldn't give a shit about 4G right now, the nearest place to have it is currently 35 miles away for both EE and 3. 3 are claiming to have a load of towns here on 4G by the end of the year, but as you say it will be one mast - if they even manage that it'll be something. This is Cornwall - where basically the only 4G coverage is overspill from Plymouth. The 3G is good though.

I feel for you mate and to be honest it's making me a bit mad even though for the most part my time spent in Cornwall is at Eden as I have a 2 year pass for the kids!
I cannot fathom why they haven't started there yet. We are now beyond 2 years from launch. It's frankly ridiculous.
3G as you say though, is bloody brilliant.
On the way down it's all massive hills and valleys, up, down, up down and yet.. totally unbroken 3G.
My radio is knackered in my car so I use iPlayer radio on the iPhone and the last time I went down there it didn't drop or buffer once. Amazing.
My Cousin who was with me at the time and has a 5s on Vodafone had... wait for it..... GRPS all the way. Hahahahaha
I had Apple maps navigating and the radio on..oh and the kids were in the back with a Kindle connected to my hotspot doing youtube minecraft vids... she had.. er... SMS!

I don't think EE are doing the "in the next 6 months" thing any more.
We have masts here going live that said "none" last week.
Let's see if they do manage to get at least one on before Christmas.

[Prof-x]

We are 22 pages in and have nothing more than a few users saying they got the sMs to move plans. Have three actually released an official statement yet?

It is still unclear at this stage wether the people moved are high users or not. It seems some were not.

We also have a user who seems to know a lot of insider info sharing more details on this going public by saying everyone will be moved off by jan 2015.

But still nothing official? Or did I miss that.

[Thine Wonk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prof-x

We are 22 pages in and have nothing more than a few users saying they got the sMs to move plans. Have three actually released an official statement yet?

It is still unclear at this stage wether the people moved are high users or not. It seems some were not.

We also have a user who seems to know a lot of insider info sharing more details on this going public by saying everyone will be moved off by jan 2015.

But still nothing official? Or did I miss that.

I think the reason given according to the people that know, that they didn't want the 0800 number or the call centre swamped with thousands upon thousands of calls. That's why they are contacting customers in a planned way, in batches.

[MTUK1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thine Wonk

I think the reason given according to the people that know, that they didn't want the 0800 number or the call centre swamped with thousands upon thousands of calls. That's why they are contacting customers in a planned way, in batches.

Still no conformation for certain whether it's everyone or just select users. Still no conformation whether it's all historical plans or just the One Plan.
Just a lot of hearsay and deducing the facts with nothing concrete.

[plymouthbloke1974]

Three have replied to customers on their Facebook page say they are moving EVERYONE off the legacy plans...

[Thine Wonk]

I do wonder whether they are saying that to make people think they aren't singled out or to stop arguments about what level of usage people get to stay on for now.

I guess we'll find out eventually, some people might not get moved for ages though, or at all if Three decide to stop at some point once they've moved the heavy users.

I don't care either way, but we'll have to wait and see.

[iTech]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTUK1

Still no conformation for certain whether it's everyone or just select users. Still no conformation whether it's all historical plans or just the One Plan.
Just a lot of hearsay and deducing the facts with nothing concrete.

There's this from a Three response on FB so I guess that carries some weight?

We’re phasing out old plans. If you’re out of contract we’ll be in touch to offer our new tariffs. You'll have 60 days to decide. >Lauren.

[Chris1973]

You would think that with it being all over this Forum, and even Martin Lewis issuing a news bulletin on his website regarding the demise of the One plan for existing customers, that Three would stop being so secretive and make it "official"

At least it would let their customers know where they stand and whether they should be making other arrangements, if the new plans aren't to their liking.

Jan 5th draws ever closer, and still they drag their heels.

[moox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris1973

Jan 5th draws ever closer, and still they drag their heels.

Still over a month away though, so 3 doesn't have to do anything yet - I'd assume they must provide 30 days formal notice so they'll send emails or letters out next month.

Unless 3 misses yet another deadline (they're very good at that) and has to extend it while they sort everyone out?

[Thine Wonk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris1973

You would think that with it being all over this Forum, and even Martin Lewis issuing a news bulletin on his website regarding the demise of the One plan for existing customers, that Three would stop being so secretive and make it "official"

At least it would let their customers know where they stand and whether they should be making other arrangements, if the new plans aren't to their liking.

Jan 5th draws ever closer, and still they drag their heels.

Probably less than 1 or 2 % of customers have even read about it on those forums, we are very much in the minority.

People don't need to do anything until they are contacted, it sounds like it'll be a rolling thing. I have my suspicions that not all customers will be contacted for a very, very long time and that initially this is primarily targeted at heavy tethering users.

It isn't possible given the number of staff that are contacting customers to talk to every customer on the phone in 60 days anyway, that's why I think they are starting with certain users. Customers not in this sweep may not get contacted for a long while yet, maybe not even until the summer next year.