Originally Posted by BexTech:
“As you were an O2 customer, you will be used to the lower sound/call quality of the 900MHz networks, if you want phone calls to sound clear and as if from a good landline then a 1800MHz network like T-Mobile or Orange is the one to go for.
From a landline or 1800MHz phone you can always tell whether the person you are talking to is using a 1800MHz network or 900MHz network.”
Thats all well and dandy BexTech, as long as you can actually receive a good signal. The 1800Mhz networks are great if you live and work next to a transmitter and never venture away from your town or city. As I'm sure you are aware, the higher frequency doesn't travel as far as the 900Mhz networks (approx half the distance for the same radiated power), nor does it permiate brick or concrete as well so 'in building' coverage is also not as good.
I take a lot of car and train journeys for my job and as far as the 1800 Mhz networks go you can forget it, the coverage away from conurbations is at best patchy, with the phones constantly 'hunting' for the next cell. The 900Mhz networks are much more stable. Oh, and don't forget, both O2 and Vodafone can and do use both frequencies in areas where the call volumes are of a higher density. The T-mobile and Orange can't even if they wanted to.
A lot of the O2 network was set up when it was BT Cellnet. This has the advantage that a lot of the major cells are 'hard wired' to the country's major land line network making it more stable and less prone to 'falling over'. No other network has this, they all use rf backhauls.
The O2 network is technically superior to the others.
Therefore, anyone using a mobile as a serious means of being in touch should, in my humble opinion choose either Vodafone or O2.
In my experience Vodafone are more expensive, the coverage isn't as good and their customer service poor. Over several years I have tried other networks to get better deals, new phones etc, but I now know that only O2 can offer me the best coverage and a good 'customer experience' for the right money. I can't remember the last time I had any sort of problem with them.
Ben1800, don't be swayed by people on these forums, 95% don't have a clue what they are talking about. Make up your own mind by your own experiences.