[chubsta]

I want to get an unlocked iPhone but cant use O2 as their service in my area is rubbish - i couldnt even make reliable voice calls.

I currently have a phone on contract with 3 and their voice coverage is fantastic and their coverage checker shows i should be able to get a full 3g service - unfortunately it looks like iPhones may not work too well on 3 judging from the research i have done. I have read loads of stuff going back a year or so about 3 and T-mobile sharing their 3g capability so am wondering if i go with t-mobile will i be able to get excellent 3g coverage via a 3 tower even though the t-mobile checker says there is no 3g in my area at all?

So, basically, can i ignore the t-mobile coverage checker and assume that a t-mobile sim will give me the same as the 3 coverage checker shows...

cheers for any advice, my head is spinning with all this stuff...

[hutch]

An unlocked iPhone 3G will work fine on 3

[prking]

I only have limited experience of an iPhone on 3, however there did seem to be some issues with using it on the Three network. I can also find other references to problems, so I would advise trying it before committing.

The difficulties range from the iPhone not having the correct certificates to allow full use of Planet 3, to more serious issues with call loss.

On the subject of the network share, the process isn't complete yet. When it's complete in your area the coverage checkers will be updated.

[markiii]

thye share mast and thast about it

wether they share all of each others masts I don;t know

[chubsta]

So im basically back where i started then - someone says 3 is ok, someone else says its not...

I dont use planet 3 but i guess i would be able to access the net as normal tho - normal webpages, youtube email etc?

Its such a shame that i basically have no way of knowing whether i will be able to use the phone without first stumping up over 500 quid, i did kind of think/hope it would be more straightforward than this!

[prking]

Originally Posted by markiii

thye share mast and thast about it

wether they share all of each others masts I don;t know

Its not just a mast share. Three and T-Mobile have set up a jointly owned company to manage a shared network. For full details see the T-Mobile or 3 websites, basically they are sharing everything but their network backbones.

[hillster]

Originally Posted by prking

Its not just a mast share. Three and T-Mobile have set up a jointly owned company to manage a shared network. For full details see the T-Mobile or 3 websites, basically they are sharing everything but their network backbones.

The above is correct.

People I know use iPhone's on 3's network, a guy I work with uses it every day as his company phone.

[b830ag2]

I've been looking into this briefly as I;m up for a new contract and wanted a Network with good coverage.

Found this, which explains a little about network sharing

Cheap Mobiles: Compare, switch and make cashback deals work for you...

Scroll down and you'll see a self-explanatory table.

Discussions are constantly happening between providers to share their resources though, so not sure how uptodate this is...

[Sy1441]

Originally Posted by prking

Its not just a mast share. Three and T-Mobile have set up a jointly owned company to manage a shared network. For full details see the T-Mobile or 3 websites, basically they are sharing everything but their network backbones.

We share a portion of our cell sites accross the country. We don't share the same network or antennae.