News - Three and EE strike 4G network sharing deal

[HEXUS]

Also late last week Tesco added 4G data options for no extra fees.

Read more.

[crossy]

Like the Three/EE tie up, or should that be "ThrEE", as it can only be good news for coverage - that bane of the potential 4G user (which I'm not)

Thumbs up for Tesco (and Three of course since they did it first) for the "no surcharge" deal. However, I took a quick look at the plans available, and was less than impressed with the limits on offer. For example, I honestly cannot see the point of offering a high-speed 4G connection and shackling it with a 500MB limit. Surely if you've got that 4G speed you'll be wanting to use it for things for which 3G doesn't work - which means a higher appetite for data. Otherwise you're surely just using that 4G connection to do "3G" stuff but a bit quicker - knocking microseconds off of the time to load an email for example.

And if you do want that increased limit (to make use of that fancy pants 4G connection) then you end up paying a lot more, and having a load of "useless" minutes and text.

Edit: just took a look at Three and - as expected - they've got a good range of AYCE plans, the one for less than £13 looks pretty attractive.

[Brewster0101]

just took a look at Three and - as expected - they've got a good range of AYCE plans, the one for less than £13 looks pretty attractive.

Brought my Note 2 at full wrack sim free price on launch and got a £12.90 per month (month by month contract) with Three, unlimited data and texts for £12.90, yes please. Over 24 months, will have saved me money and got all the data I ever needed.

Shame they are still the smallest operator, would have thought they would have grown past one of the other operators by now.

[Ksyruz]

This still does not work to the consumers advantage. Super Fast speeds, with the price premium on data used. I have already pulled 20GB on my (wifi) with phone and tablet this past week through using cloud/streaming apps (Bingcast/Xbox Music/Youtube/Drive).
Also if you look at your data usage many apps that you don't use often suck up data.

[jim]

Like the Three/EE tie up, or should that be "ThrEE", as it can only be good news for coverage - that bane of the potential 4G user (which I'm not)

Thumbs up for Tesco (and Three of course since they did it first) for the "no surcharge" deal. However, I took a quick look at the plans available, and was less than impressed with the limits on offer. For example, I honestly cannot see the point of offering a high-speed 4G connection and shackling it with a 500MB limit. Surely if you've got that 4G speed you'll be wanting to use it for things for which 3G doesn't work - which means a higher appetite for data. Otherwise you're surely just using that 4G connection to do "3G" stuff but a bit quicker - knocking microseconds off of the time to load an email for example.

And if you do want that increased limit (to make use of that fancy pants 4G connection) then you end up paying a lot more, and having a load of "useless" minutes and text.

Edit: just took a look at Three and - as expected - they've got a good range of AYCE plans, the one for less than £13 looks pretty attractive.

I actually wouldn't mind a 500MB 4G package, if it was cheap enough. I find the internet painfully slow to browse, and app updating on the move is always a nightmare. Making that more snappy would be hugely appreciated, and I really can't imagine myself being interested in watching TV on the move any time soon so I'm not bothered about massive data allowances.

[Dooms]

I moved to Three 2 weeks ago (from GiffGaff) as I don't have much signal at work on the O2 network and man am I happy for it.

I went from spending £12 a month of GiffGaff to £18 on Three (1 month rolling contract, terminate whenever) but getting 6mb+ down on 3G (H+) while in the office (full signal on GiffGaff never used to give me anything close to that) and free 4G when in London (50mb+) and with this deal then that coverage should get even better!

2000 Minutes
5000 3to3
5000 Texts
Unlimited Internet (including 4G and Tethering allowed!)
Free roaming in:

Australia
Austria
Denmark
Hong Kong
Italy
Indonesia
Macau
Republic of Ireland
Sri Lanka
Sweden
USA.

No 12/18/36/48 month contract? yes please!

[edzieba]

Moved from EE to Three a few months ago. No noticeable difference in speed or coverage, but £15 a month is cheaper than £17, with unlimited data too (and officially sanctioned tethering). 4G will be nice if Three get their arse in gear and actually roll it out to people (and tell their customer service reps the difference between a handset update and a SIM update).

[kingpotnoodle]

Surely if you've got that 4G speed you'll be wanting to use it for things for which 3G doesn't work - which means a higher appetite for data. Otherwise you're surely just using that 4G connection to do "3G" stuff but a bit quicker - knocking microseconds off of the time to load an email for example.

4G might have less benefit to a low-volume data user but it would increase response time, make those things you do look at quicker etc, maps, web, apps, photos on facebook or whatever. There are also signal/range/coverage benefits once 4G/LTE is rolled out further.

At equal cost/allowance then 4G would definitely make me take one plan over another, I just wouldn't pay more than about 10% extra for it.

[crossy]

4G might have less benefit to a low-volume data user but it would increase response time, make those things you do look at quicker etc, maps, web, apps, photos on facebook or whatever. There are also signal/range/coverage benefits once 4G/LTE is rolled out further.

I think you mean decrease response time, i.e. make it shorter, don't you?

But good point on the extended range and greater signal penetration for 4G - that'd temporarily fled my memory. Three could do really well on the range benefit, since one of the two complaints about them has/had been that you couldn't actually get any signal in a lot of places where O2/Voda/EE worked fine.

Much as it pains me to say this, if Three continue in the same vein then I might consider a return to them when/if I get a 4G-capable phone.

[aidanjt]

I actually wouldn't mind a 500MB 4G package, if it was cheap enough. I find the internet painfully slow to browse, and app updating on the move is always a nightmare. Making that more snappy would be hugely appreciated, and I really can't imagine myself being interested in watching TV on the move any time soon so I'm not bothered about massive data allowances.

I really can't say I've found 3G performance to be an impediment for mobile use. The only problem I've had is with consistent coverage and reasonable data allowances/charges. I even updated apps while streaming 720p to the TV when I was visiting my family up in N.I. over Christmas (had all-you-can-eat from a €20 topup on 3).

[theanalyzer]

Three's 3G service at aberdeen is pretty sub-standard . Ive been having problems in my area for the past 4 months and they still havent been able to fix it. They then offered to compensate for the troubles either through a reduction in monthly bills or cancellation. I went for the reduced monthly bill option. Checked 2 months later and no such reduction was being reflected in the bills.....

I wouldn't recommend Three to anyone coming here atleast....

[RichieM]

I cant get any coverage from Three where i live.
Currently use O2 network (via GiffGaff) but can't even get 3G let alone 4G
Plus I dont think EE's coverage is any better

[crossy]

I cant get any coverage from Three where i live.
Currently use O2 network (via GiffGaff) but can't even get 3G let alone 4G
Plus I dont think EE's coverage is any better

Round here, Three gets coverage, but O2 is distinctly dodgy. From what I've heard from ex-O2 customers their coverage for 2G services tends to be better than Three's but still not as good as Voda and EE.

I've only used Three, Voda and EE - and where I am at the moment gets great (80%+) Voda 2G signal but only about 50% EE 3G signal. Three was about 30-50%.