I agree with motorway with o2 and 3g not got much coverage there(in and out) , but as I am normally moving most of the time 3g not so important there

But they could do with building some 3g masts around service stations see bit lacking there

O2 seem to focus on house areas (good idea as more likely to keep customers if there phone works at home or work, something Three are not interested in doing why my brother is no longer with three any more as three need an mast at school and around where I live been like that for 5 years pore coverage )


I just think three are bending the rules an little with there coverage even the map is incorrect most of the time (best to use T-Mobile coverage map as three and T-Mobile share most of the masts and there coverage map tends to be right )

Edited by leexgx (Tue 14-Aug-12 05:10:05)

Well I was amazed to have coverage where I was at the weekend. It was on the map as having no outdoor coverage. However I had 3G, admittedly only 1 bar and it did disappear at times. But it was enough to make calls and even upload photos to facebook.

I must admit that come the end of my contract in December it is unlikely that I'll stay with three. I still have very poor reception at home and three refused to give me Home Signal.

Thing is who to go to? No other network has better 3G coverage, speeds and allowance.

T-Mobile aren't far behind 3 in terms of 3G coverage - plus you can use Orange now, if needed who have around 96% UK 3G coverage (population).

You can get the equivalent of 3's one plan on t-mobile.

I think T-mobile have removed tethering on new contracts.

Correct, new customers on T-Mobile's Full Monty plan will not get tethering:- http://www.reghardware.com/2012/08/08/t_mobile_puts_...

I'm genuinely really shocked about this. I hover between London and Sheffield and honestly my 3 coverage has been terrible in both places. 3 doesn't cover my home in Sheffield - well it does but with 1 bar going in and out... In London I was constantly getting 1 bar even in giant populated areas such as shopping centres. Even in parts of Westfield shopping centre. o2 has consistent near on full signal in these same areas.

How long ago was this? They now have a sharing agreement with EE, so you theoretically anywhere you get coverage on tmobile or orange you should also get 3G coverage on three.

E.g. your mast can support 100 calls (this is an example). You switch over to this mast and you are the 101st caller. Your call drops. o2 is generally very good in this respect as o2 has lots of masts. So usually you just switch to another mast seamlessly and there's not a dropped call. 3 on the other hand often don't have an alternative mast within range so the call just drops.

This was completely the opposite for me -- loads and loads of dropped calls on o2 in Edinburgh/Glasgow. Still had full indicated signal so it must of been overcongestion on o2.

Yes 3 allow you to tether. I used to do it lots. They do operate a fair usage system nowadays though so don't go absolutely wild.

Yeah, apparently they do. While I'm waiting for bb to be installed in my new flat I've been absolutely hammering it though with no slowdowns so far (about 15GB in 2/3 days).

Also seem to be on the best mast so far, as I'm actually getting 10-12mbit/s throughput on downloads on tethering. Very impressive.

3 customers can only use orange 2g in selected areas

Where there SHOULD be coverage on network 3 the sharing agreement isnt operational

3 only use orange in areas they believe have no coverage. I find 3s coverage map misleading though as I get nothing where it claims "indoor and outdoor."

3 have better 3G coverage though

How long ago was this? They now have a sharing agreement with EE, so you theoretically anywhere you get coverage on tmobile or orange you should also get 3G coverage on three.

That is incorrect.

Where a 3UK user do not have a 3G signal provided by the 3UK Network they will revert to Orange 2G service. 3UK have decided to switch off the 2G fall back in most areas of the UK.

3UK users cannot roam on to Orange 3G or T-mobile 2G. Then can roam on to a T-mobile 3G signal but the network name on the handset still appears as '3' 3UK.

Orange UK and T-Mobile UK customers can roam between each others 2G and 3G network seamlessly, they can also roam on to 3UK 3G signal but the network name will show as 'T-Mobile' or if a Orange sim it would normally show as 'Orange T-Mobile'.

If Orange and T-mobile customers can roam on Three why does Orange and T-mobile not haver coverage where Three does?

Three doesn't have roaming on Orange 3G or T-Mobile 3G.

Three does have voice only (no data) roaming on Orange 2G in some areas ... often most rural areas where there is no Three 3G coverage.

It's not roaming in the same way, the roaming between OUK / T-mobile <> 'three' is not on every cell site. (aka not nationwide). Only selected cell sites.

The PLMN is seen as equal on OUK / T-Mobile. The PLMN on 3UK is different.

3UK customers can roam on the T-mobile cell site (which have the roaming agreement in place) The network name on the device will still show the users 'home' network.

Search the 3UK coverage map and the T-Mobile 3G coverage map for Kirkby Lonsdale. Look at the predicted coverage footprint along the A65 between the M6 and Skipton.

3UK and T-mobile roam mainly on rural areas, more urban locations already had 3G cells from the all the networks so no real reason to share those sites. (other than cost saving but in the grand scheme of things the cost is minimal.)