Maybe a random post from me, I've just read this;
www.computerweekly.com/news/2240238716/Mobile-network-operator-Three-confirms-talks-to-buy-O2
I was in the process of ditching Three in favour of Tesco Mobile, good prices but no or minimal signal at main two places I visit.
Is it likely to bring O2's signal level down to Three's level or is it just a financial exercise, do you think?
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I don't see why it should affect the coverage. O2 comes with a network, so I wouldn't expect 3 to replace it with something worse. Presumably there will be areas where O2 works and 3 doesn't, currently. In fact I know there are!
It might affect GiffGaff when 3 looks at the product offers.
Last edited by: VxFan on Sun 15 Feb 15 at 03:16
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>> O2 comes with a network, so I wouldn't expect 3 to replace it with something worse. Presumably there will be areas where O2 works and 3 doesn't, currently. In fact I know there are!
>> It might affect GiffGaff when 3 looks at the product offers.
I almost wish I understood say a third of what you cats are going on about. Could it be mobile telephone networks?
On reflection I'm glad this techie faff means little to me. It would stuff my brain with seldom-used information and make me stupid I'm afraid.
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Nothing infrastructure wise will happen for two years. The first thing to happen will be cost reduction to justify the take over outlay. Back office functions and backhaul (thats the network behind the masts) will be integrated first. The first thing you would see signal wise is the ability to to connect to a 3 cell.
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02 was abysmal up here. Plenty of gprs no 3G. Heard a tale that they were never going to upgrade their infrastructure in these parts, and they had to cannibalise to fix hardware problems. Switched to 3 which gives me 3G more or less everywhere I go to including Blaenau Ffestiniog which is the middle of nowhere. Pulls in 3Mb there. Currently I'm on the coast in NE Wales...pulling in 11mb on 4G which is great. Free data both here and abroad is a great feature.
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Swings and roundabouts I guess, suppose if they pull the plug on Tesco Mobile I wont lose out as they will just cancel the contract and at least give notice.
Having been a victim (of my own doing) with Ovivo last year I'm a bit wary. I'm not a heavy user so just trying to get a package around £10.
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>> Having been a victim (of my own doing) with Ovivo last year I'm a bit
>> wary. I'm not a heavy user so just trying to get a package around £10.
Hardly comparable, Ovivo was a south sea bubble business concept with never a hope of succeeding - Tesco Mobile is a proper business model.
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I'm with Tesco on a monthly sim only contract so that I can buy my own phone when I feel like a change.
I have had no problems with them and I really like the cap (it has saved me a fortune when inadvertently dialling a not included number it cut me off after I spent a measly £2.50 in 5 minutes). When I redialled on a say no to 0870 number the call lasted about an hour!
I pay £12.50 a month for 750 minutes, 5000 text and 2gb of data at 02's 4g speeds (30+mbs at home). I don't think that they have exactly the same package on offer at the moment but the deals look ok.
They have an excellent app which shows usage and remaining limits at a glance that is available on iPhone and Android and potentially Windows.
Last edited by: zippy on Fri 13 Feb 15 at 19:05
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I think I said here at the time that I was with Ovivo, and when they went under we put Mrs C onto 3. We got £15 of credit and stuck the sim in an old cast off iPhone.
That was last July, and she hasn't run out yet....not the worlds heaviest mobile user. But for the few times she has it's been perfectly fine, signal wise.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Fri 13 Feb 15 at 20:44
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As I've mentioned on previous occasions, I'm with GiffGaff (owned by O2) which offers PAYG services at seriously cheaper rates than its parent company.
I buy my phone and purchase a monthly Goodybag for £10 (now £12 with the availability of 4G) 0 it provides 500 minutes, unlimited texts and 1GB of data; it's paid for by Direct Debit. As there are so many wi-fi hot-spots available, including the Cloud and O2 itself, the data side is of less importance than in the past, although 4G is very impressive.
See: www.giffgaff.com
You can, of course, port your current mobile number and also take advantage of the excelletn help and advice on the GiffGaff website about doing so, unlocking a phone and many other subjects.
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>> As I've mentioned on previous occasions, I'm with GiffGaff (owned by O2) which offers PAYG
>> services at seriously cheaper rates than its parent company.
>>
>> I buy my phone and purchase a monthly Goodybag for £10 (now £12 with the
>> availability of 4G) 0 it provides 500 minutes, unlimited texts and 1GB of data; .....
My monthly contract with O2 comes to an end soon and I am toying with either giffgaff
giffgaff.com/goodybags-3g
or Tesco
tinyurl.com/phsbuw7
They both do some very similar monthly deals and both use O2.
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GiffGaff's policy of being run by its community, including Help and Support, via its website means that it is much more in key with what its users want from a mobile phone service.
Tesco, in contrast, is a virtual mobile phone service provider rather than being owned by O2 as is the case with GiffGaff, which is also, as I emphasised, excellent value for money.
4G Goodybags cost very little extra and, at first, were the same prices as 2G/3G versions. They are automatically renewed monthly with payment by Direct Debit if you set up such an account and GG informs you by e-mail and text that this has been done.
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I know its irrational but buying a "goody bag" from a company called "giffgaff" seems too silly to be considered.
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>> I know its irrational but buying a "goody bag" from a company called "giffgaff" seems too silly to be considered. >>
It's Goodybag and, what's more, who cares in view of the financial savings and excellent community service from members and the community team if ever required...:-) :-)
Served me well for the past three years plus so far and you should never cut off your nose to spite your face in such circumstances.....!!
Last edited by: Stuartli on Sat 14 Feb 15 at 15:18
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>> GiffGaff's policy of being run by its community, including Help and Support, via its website
>> means that it is much more in key with what its users want from a
>> mobile phone service.
Don't see how that works, they don't offer much other than cheap.
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Cheap is mainly what the community wants.
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I've said it before. If you wan't cheap PAYG, 3 is your network. Yes I know some claim the coverage is inferior but if coverage is not a problem and it isn't a problem here in Norwich, the fact that credit does not expire at the end of each month is a huge advantage for low usage users.
I bought my phone in May and put £20 of credit on it. It is still showing a credit of £14.32.
I suppose I make no more than one or two calls a day on average and the odd text message. Don't use much data as tend to use WIFI which is to be found free in nearly every cafe, pub , shop or relatives and friends houses.
Giff Gaff for the same period would have cost at least £50.
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>> Cheap is mainly what the community wants.
But in reality its really no cheaper than Tesco.
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There is the outfit called "The People's Operator".
It claims to give a percentage of income to charities. (Shrug)
www.thepeoplesoperator.com/
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>> There is the outfit called "The People's Operator".
It claims to give a percentage of income to charities. (Shrug)>>
GiffGaff members also have a charity donation scheme...:-)
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>> But in reality its really no cheaper than Tesco. >>
Tesco use to use Vodaphone IIRC - I've been with GiffGaff for three years.
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>> Tesco use to use Vodaphone IIRC - I've been with GiffGaff for three years.
Tesco have used O2 for a number of years.
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>>Don't see how that works, they don't offer much other than cheap. >>
Have you actually visited the website?
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>> >>Don't see how that works, they don't offer much other than cheap. >>
>>
>> Have you actually visited the website?
Yes, which is why I said they don't offer anything more than cheap. Its all "froth" and nothing of any real value.
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>> >> >>Don't see how that works, they don't offer much other than cheap. >>
>> >>
>> >> Have you actually visited the website?
>>
>> Yes, which is why I said they don't offer anything more than cheap. Its all "froth" and nothing of any real value.
>>
What do you want from a network provider?
Good coverage, an efficient service, good admin and the lowest possible prices.
I am not going to marry them, I just want them to make my phone work as cheaply as possible.
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>> What do you want from a network provider?
>>
>> Good coverage, an efficient service, good admin and the lowest possible prices.
>>
>> I am not going to marry them, I just want them to make my phone
>> work as cheaply as possible.
Thats what you want - sure. Other people want other stuff. I only went to Tesco for the free phone and their O2 coverage, but think their "cap" scheme is good. O2 was good for priority concert tickets, their bolt on for data abroad, and excellent usage and account management app.
To try and dress up giff gaff as anything other than cheap is fridges to eskimos stuff, and at the end of the day, its not that much dramatically cheaper to even make a switch worthwhile.
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 15 Feb 15 at 09:31
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>>To try and dress up giff gaff as anything other than cheap is fridges to eskimos stuff, and at the end of the day, its not that much dramatically cheaper to even make a switch worthwhile. >>
You would appear not to have look through the many pages of invaluable help on the GiffGaff website, including how to unlock various makes of phones, manual phone settings for various makes and models and a host of others, plus an unusual way of buying a new phone over a period if required rather than immediate full payment.
If, as you say, Tesco's prices are the same or similar to GiffGaff, why not go to the original rather than a virtual provider?
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>> If, as you say, Tesco's prices are the same or similar to GiffGaff, why not
>> go to the original rather than a virtual provider?
Because they give you a free phone? Because being the network is the same?
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>>Because they give you a free phone? Because being the network is the same?>>
I have always bought my own phone from right back to August 2000 when I paid Virgin Mobile £40 for a Philips Savvy, which would do virtually everything that many modern phones do, including voice dialling and automatic redialling, apart from take photographs...:-)
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it tells you who has the best signal in your area of interest.
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Is it really that weak along the WCML?
Something does not add up.
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Based on my experience with EE, after the merger reception briefly improved and then began a gradual nationwide degradation as they started to switch off masts.
Thoroughly recommend 3. EE gives the distinct impression of being pure evil (50p charge to jump the customer support queue springs to mind); O2 slightly incompetent and not particularly fast; and I can't stand Vodafone's "Power to the savvy, power to you" advert so would recommend against them based purely on that.
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The Daughter and SIL have gorn (went) to 3 sometime ago. All looking good. Me, 15 years with Orange and now EE (Nothing anywhere) and then at renewal they can stick it up their Conga even if they offered free free free with ruddy cashback. Carp, lying Dratsabs.
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How do they (3 particularly) manage to have strong signal along a main road, but no signal off it?
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Is it worth joining O2? - Manatee
