Mobile Networks

Why do you need a contract? I ditched my Vodafone contract and went onto PAYG giffgaff.

I pay £10 for a 'goodybag' and that gives 300minutes, 600 texts and unlimited data for a month. Also any giffgaff -> giffgaff calls/texts don't come out the allowance.

They're a virtual operator and run on the O2 infrastructure, so coverage is exactly the same as O2 - which in my experience isn't as good as Vodafone, but it's so much cheaper!

It not the contract/PAYG or cost that is a concern. I will work out what is best for me when I come to buy. That I need no help on as it's personnel to each person so there's no point asking for advice on that aspect as what suits you may not suit me and vice versa.

What I am looking for is real world experience and what people experience with regards to overall quality of service from all the networks from all over the UK. Having been with Vodafone and having no experience with the other networks I am asking those who have how good or bad that experience has been?

Lmao!

From my experience, and from speaking to others(*), I've found Vodafone to be the best network for both coverage, data speeds and call quality.

imo, if you're looking for better then you're going to be disapointed.

(*) I'm a mobile software developer, and the company's products run on mobile phones and is used by people up and down the country. Consistently we're told that Vodafone offers the best coverage/quality by our end users.

From personal experience it is completely the opposite.

My 3G is extremely slow. Constantly drops out even in the centre of city's. Call quality is very poor no matter where i am in the country and i am forever recieveing texts and voicemails many days after they were sent and when you call up to complain or ask for help the customer service is appalling. I can't get away from Vodafone fast enough and would recommend them to no one. Maybe a bad experience but I am not running the risk of signing up to another 2 year contract and giving then my money with the chance that I get the same service from them.

Maybe it's your phone; and not so much the network. 3GS was never famed for it's fantastic reception.

Wouldn't you be better off going on a 30 day contract for a bit - what are the odds the next iPhone will be announced this summer, then you could get that instead, or a 4S for less.

Or an Android.

Defo the phone, had a friend with a 3GS on orange doing the same thing. I don't know how Apple get away selling such appauling rubbish at such high prices.

I've had 3 phones over the course of the past 18months. The 3Gs. Blackberry and HTC. And the service with Vodafone has been ridiculous.

Believe me it's Vodafone.

But let's give an example of my last call to Vodafone customer service regards getting no signal at all at home where I used to get ful signal.

Answer I got from Vodafone customer service was turn off your 3G connection as there is a problem with 3G in your area. I inform them that I had turned off the 3G signal on my phone. The answer I got back was to turn off the 3G signal on my phone as there was a problem with the 3G signal in my area. 23 times I had to explain that I had done this and still had the problem of no signal. After the 23rd attempt at explaining this to them they then suggested it was the phone itself. When I explained that both my girlfriends phone and my work phone (both Vofafone also) were experience the same problem with no signal they insisted it was the phone itself. After 8 attempts explaining this to them I got hit with the previous answer of turn off your 3G signal as there was a problem in the area. I gave up and hung up.

Then there was last summer when randomly my phone stopped working. Called Vodafone and asked them why. Answer I got was your phone was blocked because you reported it stolen so we have blocked it. I ask them, according to their records when was the last time I called them. The said 2 months ago. But still insisted I called yesterday to report it stolen even though they had no record of the call. Then I ask them to remove the block then as it is not stolen. No problem I am told that should be unblocked in about 60 days time!!!!

That is only two of the many joke situations I have found myself in with Vodafone over the past 18months.

See where I am coming from with regards the service. Wouldn't touch them if they were the last network available.

Horse's for course's.

Personally the IPhone is the best phone I have ever had. I have owned HTC's, Blackberry's, various Nokia smartphones and the Samsung Galaxy and I would never come away from Apple now.

But as I say horse's for course's what is perfect for me may not be for you. For me Apple can't be beaten.

O2.

Never had a problem with them or the signal.

Dom

Eh, I thought voda had £6b spare they could have put into their network and CS.

O2 seem to be the best. Looks like they could be top of the list to start enquiring in too.

If only they did. From my experience they have taken substantial cuts out of both. I admit that when I initially signed up 8 or 9 years ago Vodafone was fantastic but in recent times the depreciation in the whole Vidafone service is shocking.

I am sure some people have had good experiences but I am not willing to invest my money in their services again for a period of time and run the risk of receiving the type if service I have had in recent months/years.

Yeah, I hardly ever loose signal really.

Dom