Which network gives the best Internet performance in the UK

JohnWB · 16-09-2009, 11:59 AM

I have unlocked my iphone and was wondering which network gives the best internet performance. The reason I would like to know is that I have just come back from holiday in Scotland (Oban area) & the O2 perormance was awfull even with 3 bars & it would take ages to open sites.

*UEF* · 16-09-2009, 12:01 PM

It's not necessarily the bars that are important but the type of connection and the speedtest results you can get from it.

There are lots of areas you can get in 3G in for example but some offer much higher throughput than others.

a l e x · 16-09-2009, 12:15 PM

Yep, number of bars doesn't really mean too much. Here I get full signal but only on Edge, at the gfs I get only 3 bars but 3G. Obviously the 3G connection is miles faster.

JohnWB · 16-09-2009, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by as20

Yep, number of bars doesn't really mean too much. Here I get full signal but only on Edge, at the gfs I get only 3 bars but 3G. Obviously the 3G connection is miles faster.

A good answer, but I would still like to know which is the best network please.

RobM · 16-09-2009, 1:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnWB

A good answer, but I would still like to know which is the best network please.

That's impossible to say without following you around all day with a bunch of mobile phones.

All networks can and do offer the same performance in some areas. O2 will offer lightning performance in one location.... but two minutes down the road Vodafone will be better.

The only way to find out is to suck it and see. Start by checking the coverage maps for each network for your area... Google search for 'o2 coverage map' or similar for each.

If you have friends and family on other networks in the same area, try their SIM in your phone and test the performance. If not, see if you can get a PAYG SIM for each network and try it yourself.

If you're lucky, somebody on this forum will live next door to you on a different network and will work in the same place, socialise in the same place and have the same friends and routines as you. They will be able to tell you what the performance is like on their network.

a l e x · 16-09-2009, 1:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnWB

A good answer, but I would still like to know which is the best network please.

Like Rob said, you cant really answer that. To be honest, based on my experience (using voda, tmob and o2) o2 is by far the best for coverage.

If your willing to use any network then i'd say o2, mainly because your using an iphone. It makes life so much easier not having to worry about unlocking, using o2 your guaranteeing that you'll always be able to use your iphone.

psychopomp1 · 16-09-2009, 2:06 PM

IMHO, generally speaking across the whole of the UK, Vodafone gives the best 3G coverage. I say this because i travel all over the UK (from North Scotland to SE England) and have tried the various sim cards on my unlocked iphone 3gs. My findings:

1) Vodafone
superb 3G speeds in built up areas, nearly every major town/city has good 3G coverage.

2) O2
Almost as good as Vodafone, however sometimes even in urban centres (eg Central London) 3G can be pants (very slow)...maybe this is down to network congestion, i don't know.

3) T-Mobile
Ok, good coverage in places, not so good in others. But way behind Vodafone and O2.

4) Orange
The worst of the lot (in my experience)

No tried 3 yet so can't comment.
PS
Treat the operators' coverage maps with a LARGE pinch of salt...they mean diddly squat.

JohnWB · 16-09-2009, 7:50 PM

Thanks for the replies people, If I had to pick a spot that was most important for coverage it would be Oban in Scotland.

RobM · 17-09-2009, 7:11 AM

All of the networks hand out free PAYG SIM cars from time to time, so see if you can blag some and test it out yourself.

Use the network maps as a starting guide (as psychopomp1 says, they aren't always safe to rely on though, but are a good starting point) and OFCOM has a coverage map too I believe. This will possibly filter out the crap ones.

fat jez · 17-09-2009, 8:30 AM

The Ofcom coverage maps can be found here. Based on those maps, Orange and 3 have the best 3G coverage. O2 and Vodafone have about the worst. However, these maps are based on predicted coverage, not actual coverage.

My own experiences are that once you get away from built up areas, the chances of getting a 3G signal on O2 are slim and a 2G signal can require a lot of luck as well. I've had issues with 3G signals on O2 in Bristol, Belfast and Glasgow and when in Pembrokeshire the other week found it easier to get a signal on O2 in Ireland than to get a signal on O2 UK.

RobM · 17-09-2009, 11:00 AM

I found 3G signal on O2 pretty decent in Glasgow. I spend a fair bit of time up there and always take my iPhone, work phone (O2) and O2 3G Modem and I've always had good performance? This is in the centre though... Hilton hotel, being the furthest part out, so very central.

fat jez · 17-09-2009, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobM83

I found 3G signal on O2 pretty decent in Glasgow.

I'm talking further out, on the outskirts, but still in places with a population of 20,000.

RobM · 17-09-2009, 11:05 AM

That's probably the key difference then and backs up your point.

*UEF* · 17-09-2009, 11:25 AM

I tried my work blackberry Orange SIM in my iPhone and found that it gave me 3G where o2 didn't, but that the 3G speed given was more like GPRS speed!

So they may be right in saying they have more '3G areas' but the usefulness of that 3G signal may not be as good as you're expecting.