Unlocked iPhone 5 owner with not contract...

Dear All,

I have just been given an iPhone 5, but no contract. I am very happy to Recieve such a lovely present. But I really want to use it to the best that I can.

I already have an iPad 2 on a 3G contract with Three and I get good to patchy reception, but, I am generrally happy with with this. I know that *NO* network is perfect. I have had phones from all 5 of the networks and of course, Vodaphone and O2 have the best coverage (but are thoroughly expensive).

T-Mobile coverage in my house is terrible and I need to stand in just one place in one room for any reception. Orange is slightly better. However, it is now 2 or 3 years since I tested either of them and I have a friend that has an iPhone 4 and he receives happily in my house (was it the nasty HTC phone?)

Three is pretty good in the house, but my wife complains about her Wildfire having problems.

Now, I would really like to use the 4G (LTE), but EE are very expensive on their site. Different prices, depending upon the amount of download, but they are all-you-can-eat on SMS and voice - I have used less than £5 a month in the past for voice and SMS, but use a lot of internet.

I hear that Three are going to roll out their 4G very soon and that it will be compatible with the iPhone 5.

I hear that the 4G that O2 and Vodaphone are going to have is not going to work with the iPhone 5.

However, I understand that the promised upgrade to Three's network is going to be on HSDPA+, not LTE?

I am confused and not sure where to go?!?!

Can anyone help?

Regards,


QuietLeni

Get a pay as you go sim for all the networks and see what serves you best at home.
Then its then known coverage vr's known cost.

I hear that Three are going to roll out their 4G very soon and that it will be compatible with the iPhone 5.
Three will have some 1800Mhz spectrum from Sept 2013 that they can use for 4G/LTE services, if they want to...

I hear that the 4G that O2 and Vodafone are going to have is not going to work with the iPhone 5. Correct

However, I understand that the promised upgrade to Three's network is going to be on HSDPA+, not LTE?
All networks offer flavors of HSPA+, is the amount of cells that have been upgraded that provide the service, the iPhone 5 does support HSPA+, DC-HSPA+ and LTE/4G

Note: I work for EE, though being balanced!

Edited by bookey (Sun 02-Dec-12 14:33:59)

iPhone5 can ONLY do 4G on 1800MHz in the UK, hence why only EE even when the others launch in 2013. Three has bought some 1800 Mhz capacity so might in 2013, offer some 4G, but it is a small amount of space, so not likely to be very fast.

With the iPhone5 taking a nano sim you cannot try it out with the usual cheap SIMs.

For now I would recommend, getting a 3G deal that meets your limited voice needs, and gives reasoanble 3G data allowance, then when the iPhone 5S launches with more widespread 4G support look at selling the iPhone 5 and upgrading.

Booked and MrSaffron,

Thanks for the help and clarification.

I agree with Mr Safron and I will get a Three 3G 1 Month contract and see how the 5 works. Three have advertising which infers that it is almost up to 4G speeds on their home page. Since they are now worried about EE, I can only assume that both the iPad 2 and iPhone 5 can improve. I hope, by the time that 4G comes out on the other networks, I can trade up to the 5S and then see what competition will do to prices and review.

Ideally, knowing what my local coverage is like, I would prefer a cheap deal with O2 or Vodafone, although the words, "cheap" and "deal" and those two networks do not go into the same sentence!

At least I am not tied into a contract for 2 years. What a nice present that was!

I'm at a loss why 4g is getting so much attention when 3g networks can nearly perform to the same levels . ( I also own a Nexus4 )

I have no idea why I actually need a faster connection for my mobile devise and have always said not faster but better 3G coverage .
Mind you I live on a market 3 exchange now and I'm on the other side of the digital divide but still say speeds are fast enough its the coverage that's a fail but headline speeds still sell products .

o2 do unlimited calls, unlimited texts and 1gb of internet for £20 a month.

In reply to a post by pcoventry76:

According to a friend of mine who is involved 3 are looking to bring out 4G first quarter of next year.

Yes the iphone will do it BUT as i gather like me you have an unlocked Iphone then look around - EE will at no doubt soon be doing some PAYG data tariffs. And the 5 will do them as Andrew has said.

But to be fair the kit in the iphone is amazing. Is it DC-HSDPA?

Iphone 4s is 14.4/5.8 and iphone 5 is indeed DC-HSDPA 42/5.8

Ash