Three has drastically reduced coverage in France

Phat Kev · 12-01-2015, 18:26

Since the new year Three has changed it's French network provider from Bouygues Telecom to 'Free'. Coverage in France is now only available around large towns leaving rural areas (most of the country) without coverage. When I called to complain I was told that Free will improve when it has finished building more masts. (several months) This is totally unacceptable and I would urge Three customers to complain if they have similar problems in France

Gigabit · 12-01-2015, 18:29

"Building more masts" - because Three UK know all about a French network providers' network plans?

exterra · 12-01-2015, 18:53

free's coverage map for france:

http://www.sensorly.com/map/2G-3G/FR/France/Free/gsm_20814#|coverage

binary · 12-01-2015, 19:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by exterra

free's coverage map for france:

http://www.sensorly.com/map/2G-3G/FR/France/Free/gsm_20814#|coverage

I was just looking at a particular small town in rural part of France and I was about to say how bad the Free coverage looks (just along the main roads), but then I looked at the other networks and they all look equally as bad - and of course then I realised I was looking at a crowd sourced coverage map, in an area where people seemingly have better things to do than spend their time running network tests (though maybe saying such a thing on this forum comes close to cellular blasphemy!).

Meanwhile, here is Free's official coverage map (as found on their website):
http://mobile.free.fr/couverture/

(...and unsurprisingly the coverage of that same small town looks rather better!)

omnidirectional · 12-01-2015, 19:57

Does Free still rely on Orange in places where it has no coverage?

If Three customers can't access Orange then there may be large gaps in coverage.

Thine Wonk · 12-01-2015, 20:05

To be honest international roaming is offered 'as is'. I wonder if you can add the addon for EU roaming and get access to the other networks that you don't get under the feel at home default. If not it may be best to change networks if roaming in France is a key issue, they all offer different things and if Three only allow 1 roaming partner because of 'like home' they aren't going to change that.

Icaraa · 12-01-2015, 20:14

When I briefly passed through Paris CDG airport last month my phone roamed onto Bouygues and showed 3G but I had no throughput. At my final destination (the US) all worked well though.

rasseru16 · 12-01-2015, 21:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phat Kev

Since the new year Three has changed it's French network provider from Bouygues Telecom to 'Free'. Coverage in France is now only available around large towns leaving rural areas (most of the country) without coverage. When I called to complain I was told that Free will improve when it has finished building more masts. (several months) This is totally unacceptable and I would urge Three customers to complain if they have similar problems in France

If you look at 3's roaming agreements in France you can also roam onto Orange Fr, this is probably the best network in France

Phat Kev · 12-01-2015, 21:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by rasseru16

If you look at 3's roaming agreements in France you can also roam onto Orange Fr, this is probably the best network in France

Don't think so - it's Free or nothing and nothing isn't much worse than Free

squawkBOX · 12-01-2015, 23:49

Are you sure?

If you are in France at the moment, can you reboot and try to manually select Orange France?

Three have changed from Bouygues to Orange France (Dec 2014). Free has always been a 2nd roaming partner since Feel At Home started in France.

Old Endeavour · 12-01-2015, 23:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gigabit

"Building more masts" - because Three UK know all about a French network providers' network plans?

I'm convinced that Three know exactly the same about French masts as they do those in the UK as whatever the question, the answer is always the same: "errrr ummm yeah, it's coming soon, sometime, maybe, never.".

Ask them about 4G roll out and that's always the answer.

Old Endeavour · 12-01-2015, 23:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by squawkBOX

Are you sure?

If you are in France at the moment, can you reboot and try to manually select Orange France?

Three have changed from Bouygues to Orange France (Dec 2014). Free has always been a 2nd roaming partner since Feel At Home started in France.

Strange as I live in Folkestone and if I go up to the top of town over-looking the channel, I can pick up an Orange 4G signal from France, but it won't let me connect with it.

Do I have to switch roaming on or something?

GeorgeMC · 13-01-2015, 00:01

Who wants to go to France anyway? There are much friendlier places in Europe.

call100 · 13-01-2015, 00:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgeMC

Who wants to go to France anyway? There are much friendlier places in Europe.

You don't know much about the place obviously....

rasseru16 · 13-01-2015, 09:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by squawkBOX

Are you sure?

If you are in France at the moment, can you reboot and try to manually select Orange France?

Three have changed from Bouygues to Orange France (Dec 2014). Free has always been a 2nd roaming partner since Feel At Home started in France.

Agreed, a manual network selection should let you select Orange Fr.

Kal El · 13-01-2015, 10:13

Three's website states Free and Orange

Batch · 13-01-2015, 13:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by binary

Meanwhile, here is Free's official coverage map (as found on their website):
http://mobile.free.fr/couverture/

I don't trust it. Look how the predicted coverage stops exactly at the borders

moox · 13-01-2015, 13:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Endeavour

Strange as I live in Folkestone and if I go up to the top of town over-looking the channel, I can pick up an Orange 4G signal from France, but it won't let me connect with it.

Do I have to switch roaming on or something?

It works both ways. Perhaps the higher power cell site in France can get to you, but perhaps the small power output of your phone isn't enough to cross the channel, so the French network can't actually "hear" your phone.

jabbamk1 · 13-01-2015, 13:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Endeavour

Strange as I live in Folkestone and if I go up to the top of town over-looking the channel, I can pick up an Orange 4G signal from France, but it won't let me connect with it.

Do I have to switch roaming on or something?

Three don't have 4G roaming.

oilman · 13-01-2015, 16:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgeMC

Who wants to go to France anyway? There are much friendlier places in Europe.

I'll bet you are a "If I speak loud enough in english, they will understand me" person!

Old Endeavour · 13-01-2015, 17:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by jabbamk1

Three don't have 4G roaming.

That could be the problem then!

Today I did another network search over-looking the channel and picked up another French 4G service so now two French 4G services I can find but not one on any network in my own town.

Je Suis Pissed Off!

Gigabit · 13-01-2015, 17:16

Three don't have 4G roaming because 4G would work better in other countries than on the home network.

plymouthbloke1974 · 13-01-2015, 21:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by moox

It works both ways. Perhaps the higher power cell site in France can get to you, but perhaps the small power output of your phone isn't enough to cross the channel, so the French network can't actually "hear" your phone.

Yes, in the same way that just outside Plymouth there is a beach which I can pick up Orange France 3G, SFR 3G, Bouygues 3G, Sure and Vodafone Jersey but I cannot log onto any of them as my phone isn't as powerful in the other direction.

Old Endeavour · 13-01-2015, 21:33

...but you just know that I'm going to try it though!

japaul · 13-01-2015, 22:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by omnidirectional

Does Free still rely on Orange in places where it has no coverage?

If Three customers can't access Orange then there may be large gaps in coverage.

Yes, Free use Orange for a lot of 3G coverage (and all of their 2G). I think the Free coverage map includes the Orange roaming that their own customers can use.

12-01-2015, 18:26	#1
Phat Kev Forum Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7	Three has drastically reduced coverage in France Since the new year Three has changed it's French network provider from Bouygues Telecom to 'Free'. Coverage in France is now only available around large towns leaving rural areas (most of the country) without coverage. When I called to complain I was told that Free will improve when it has finished building more masts. (several months) This is totally unacceptable and I would urge Three customers to complain if they have similar problems in France

12-01-2015, 18:29	#2
Gigabit Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 2,887	"Building more masts" - because Three UK know all about a French network providers' network plans?

12-01-2015, 18:53	#3
exterra Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 116	free's coverage map for france: http://www.sensorly.com/map/2G-3G/FR/France/Free/gsm_20814#\|coverage

12-01-2015, 19:35	#4
binary Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 636	Quote: Originally Posted by exterra free's coverage map for france: http://www.sensorly.com/map/2G-3G/FR/France/Free/gsm_20814#\|coverage I was just looking at a particular small town in rural part of France and I was about to say how bad the Free coverage looks (just along the main roads), but then I looked at the other networks and they all look equally as bad - and of course then I realised I was looking at a crowd sourced coverage map, in an area where people seemingly have better things to do than spend their time running network tests (though maybe saying such a thing on this forum comes close to cellular blasphemy!). Meanwhile, here is Free's official coverage map (as found on their website): http://mobile.free.fr/couverture/ (...and unsurprisingly the coverage of that same small town looks rather better!)

12-01-2015, 19:57	#5
omnidirectional Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 10,879	Does Free still rely on Orange in places where it has no coverage? If Three customers can't access Orange then there may be large gaps in coverage.

12-01-2015, 20:05	#6
Thine Wonk Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 14,577	To be honest international roaming is offered 'as is'. I wonder if you can add the addon for EU roaming and get access to the other networks that you don't get under the feel at home default. If not it may be best to change networks if roaming in France is a key issue, they all offer different things and if Three only allow 1 roaming partner because of 'like home' they aren't going to change that.

12-01-2015, 20:14	#7
Icaraa Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 1,732	When I briefly passed through Paris CDG airport last month my phone roamed onto Bouygues and showed 3G but I had no throughput. At my final destination (the US) all worked well though.

12-01-2015, 21:32	#8
rasseru16 Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Suffolk, East Anglia Posts: 666	Quote: Originally Posted by Phat Kev Since the new year Three has changed it's French network provider from Bouygues Telecom to 'Free'. Coverage in France is now only available around large towns leaving rural areas (most of the country) without coverage. When I called to complain I was told that Free will improve when it has finished building more masts. (several months) This is totally unacceptable and I would urge Three customers to complain if they have similar problems in France If you look at 3's roaming agreements in France you can also roam onto Orange Fr, this is probably the best network in France

12-01-2015, 21:40	#9
Phat Kev Forum Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7	Quote: Originally Posted by rasseru16 If you look at 3's roaming agreements in France you can also roam onto Orange Fr, this is probably the best network in France Don't think so - it's Free or nothing and nothing isn't much worse than Free

12-01-2015, 23:49	#10
squawkBOX Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Central Scotland, UK Posts: 871	Are you sure? If you are in France at the moment, can you reboot and try to manually select Orange France? Three have changed from Bouygues to Orange France (Dec 2014). Free has always been a 2nd roaming partner since Feel At Home started in France.

12-01-2015, 23:56	#11
Old Endeavour Inactive Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 9,746	Quote: Originally Posted by Gigabit "Building more masts" - because Three UK know all about a French network providers' network plans? I'm convinced that Three know exactly the same about French masts as they do those in the UK as whatever the question, the answer is always the same: "errrr ummm yeah, it's coming soon, sometime, maybe, never.". Ask them about 4G roll out and that's always the answer.

12-01-2015, 23:59	#12
Old Endeavour Inactive Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 9,746	Quote: Originally Posted by squawkBOX Are you sure? If you are in France at the moment, can you reboot and try to manually select Orange France? Three have changed from Bouygues to Orange France (Dec 2014). Free has always been a 2nd roaming partner since Feel At Home started in France. Strange as I live in Folkestone and if I go up to the top of town over-looking the channel, I can pick up an Orange 4G signal from France, but it won't let me connect with it. Do I have to switch roaming on or something?

13-01-2015, 00:01	#13
GeorgeMC Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 11	Who wants to go to France anyway? There are much friendlier places in Europe.

13-01-2015, 00:43	#14
call100 Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 6,572	Quote: Originally Posted by GeorgeMC Who wants to go to France anyway? There are much friendlier places in Europe. You don't know much about the place obviously....

13-01-2015, 09:51	#15
rasseru16 Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Suffolk, East Anglia Posts: 666	Quote: Originally Posted by squawkBOX Are you sure? If you are in France at the moment, can you reboot and try to manually select Orange France? Three have changed from Bouygues to Orange France (Dec 2014). Free has always been a 2nd roaming partner since Feel At Home started in France. Agreed, a manual network selection should let you select Orange Fr.

13-01-2015, 10:13	#16
Kal El Forum Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Sunderland Posts: 102	Three's website states Free and Orange

13-01-2015, 13:41	#17
Batch Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Swindon Posts: 2,894	Quote: Originally Posted by binary Meanwhile, here is Free's official coverage map (as found on their website): http://mobile.free.fr/couverture/ I don't trust it. Look how the predicted coverage stops exactly at the borders

13-01-2015, 13:45	#18
moox Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 14,645	Quote: Originally Posted by Old Endeavour Strange as I live in Folkestone and if I go up to the top of town over-looking the channel, I can pick up an Orange 4G signal from France, but it won't let me connect with it. Do I have to switch roaming on or something? It works both ways. Perhaps the higher power cell site in France can get to you, but perhaps the small power output of your phone isn't enough to cross the channel, so the French network can't actually "hear" your phone.

13-01-2015, 13:51	#19
jabbamk1 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: London, UK Posts: 8,759	Quote: Originally Posted by Old Endeavour Strange as I live in Folkestone and if I go up to the top of town over-looking the channel, I can pick up an Orange 4G signal from France, but it won't let me connect with it. Do I have to switch roaming on or something? Three don't have 4G roaming.

13-01-2015, 16:57	#20
oilman Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,854	Quote: Originally Posted by GeorgeMC Who wants to go to France anyway? There are much friendlier places in Europe. I'll bet you are a "If I speak loud enough in english, they will understand me" person!

13-01-2015, 17:00	#21
Old Endeavour Inactive Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 9,746	Quote: Originally Posted by jabbamk1 Three don't have 4G roaming. That could be the problem then! Today I did another network search over-looking the channel and picked up another French 4G service so now two French 4G services I can find but not one on any network in my own town. Je Suis Pissed Off!

DS Forums

Three has drastically reduced coverage in France

13-01-2015, 17:16	#22
Gigabit Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 2,887	Three don't have 4G roaming because 4G would work better in other countries than on the home network.

13-01-2015, 21:21	#23
plymouthbloke1974 Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Destination: Hard Brexit Posts: 6,368	Quote: Originally Posted by moox It works both ways. Perhaps the higher power cell site in France can get to you, but perhaps the small power output of your phone isn't enough to cross the channel, so the French network can't actually "hear" your phone. Yes, in the same way that just outside Plymouth there is a beach which I can pick up Orange France 3G, SFR 3G, Bouygues 3G, Sure and Vodafone Jersey but I cannot log onto any of them as my phone isn't as powerful in the other direction.

13-01-2015, 21:33	#24
Old Endeavour Inactive Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 9,746	...but you just know that I'm going to try it though!

13-01-2015, 22:10	#25
japaul Forum Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 1,662	Quote: Originally Posted by omnidirectional Does Free still rely on Orange in places where it has no coverage? If Three customers can't access Orange then there may be large gaps in coverage. Yes, Free use Orange for a lot of 3G coverage (and all of their 2G). I think the Free coverage map includes the Orange roaming that their own customers can use.